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Mount Defiant
Mount Defiant.jpg
Aerial view from the south
Highest point
Elevation 8,348 ft (2,544 m)
Prominence 98 ft (30 m)
Isolation 0.73 mi (1.17 km)
Geography
Mount Defiant is located in Alaska
Mount Defiant
Mount Defiant
Location in Alaska
Location Chugach National Forest
Valdez-Cordova Borough
Alaska, United States
Parent range Chugach Mountains
Topo map USGS Anchorage B-1

Mount Defiant is a very tall mountain in Alaska, reaching 8,348 feet (about 2,544 meters) high. It's covered in ice and snow, making it a "glaciated summit." You can find it about 32 miles (51 km) northwest of a town called Valdez in the Chugach Mountains.

This mountain is quite remote, meaning it's far away from cities and towns. It sits near the huge Columbia Glacier, which is a massive river of ice. Mount Defiant is also close to Columbia Peak and Mount Einstein. The land around it is managed by the Chugach National Forest.

The mountain got its name "Defiant" in 1957. A group of explorers from the Arctic Institute of North America tried to climb it. But the rugged, icy peak was so tough that they couldn't find a way to the top! It seemed to "defy" all their attempts. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names officially adopted the name in 1965.

Mountain Weather and Climate

Mount Defiant is in a subarctic climate zone. This means it has very long, cold, and snowy winters. The summers are usually mild.

Weather systems from the Gulf of Alaska hit the Chugach Mountains. The mountains force the air upwards, which is called "orographic lift." This causes a lot of rain and snow to fall on the mountains. Temperatures can drop below −20 °C (which is −4 °F), and with wind, it can feel even colder, below −30 °C (−22 °F).

This cold and snowy climate helps create the hanging glaciers on the mountain's slopes. It also feeds the huge Columbia Glacier that surrounds Mount Defiant. The best time to visit or try to climb this mountain is usually from May through June, when the weather is most favorable.

Images for kids

  • Columbia Glacier and Meares Glacier, Valley Glacier Head, August 24, 1964 (crop)

    Columbia Peak (centered) with Mt. Defiant to left, from NW

  • Columbia Peak bullseye

    Columbia Peak and Mt. Defiant (centered) with Great Nunatak in lower right. (from south)

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