Mount Cannon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Cannon |
|
|---|---|
Mount Cannon seen from Going-to-the-Sun Road
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 8,956 ft (2,730 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 1,792 ft (546 m) |
| Geography | |
 Mount Cannon
Location in Montana
Mount Cannon
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Flathead County, Montana, U.S. |
| Parent range | Lewis Range |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Cannon, MT |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1923 Norman Clyde |
Mount Cannon is a tall and impressive mountain in Glacier National Park, located in Montana, USA. It stands about 8,956 feet (2,730 m) high. This mountain is part of the Lewis Range.
It used to be called Goat Mountain. The mountain was renamed after Dr. Walter Bradford Cannon, a famous scientist who studied how the body works. He and his wife, Cornelia, were the first people known to climb the mountain in 1901.
How Mount Cannon Was Formed
Like other mountains in Glacier National Park, Mount Cannon is made of sedimentary rock. This type of rock forms from layers of sand, mud, and tiny bits of plants and animals that settle at the bottom of ancient seas. Over millions of years, these layers get pressed together and turn into rock.
The rocks that make up Mount Cannon were formed a very long time ago, between 170 million and 540 million years ago. Imagine shallow seas covering this area!
Later, about 170 million years ago, a huge geological event happened. A giant slab of these old rocks, about 3 mi (4.8 km) thick and 160 miles (260 km) long, was pushed up and over much younger rocks. This event is called the Lewis Overthrust. It's like a massive push that created the mountains we see today.
Weather at Mount Cannon
Mount Cannon has a subarctic climate. This means it has very long and usually very cold winters. Summers are short and can be cool or mild.
Temperatures can drop really low, sometimes below −10 °F (about -23 °C). With the wind, it can feel even colder, sometimes below −30 °F (about -34 °C)! So, it's a very chilly place in winter.
Photo Gallery
-
Mount Cannon by Ansel Adams
-
Mount Cannon (right) seen from Lake McDonald
-
Mount Cannon at center left rises above the McDonald Valley
.jpg)
More Images
-
The southeast side of Mount Cannon rises above Hidden Lake.
