Mount Saint Nicholas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Saint Nicholas |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 9,381 ft (2,859 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 2,456 ft (749 m) |
| Geography | |
 Mount St Nicholas
Location in Montana
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| Parent range | Lewis Range |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1926 by Conrad Wellen |
| Easiest route | Northeast Ridge: technical rock climb |
Mount Saint Nicholas is a tall mountain located in the southwestern part of Glacier National Park in Montana, U.S.. It is known for its very steep, pointed shape. You can see its unique outline from many other mountain tops in the southern half of the park.
This mountain is considered one of the most challenging and dangerous climbs in Glacier National Park. Even its easiest path up requires special climbing skills. The rocks on the mountain are also not very strong, which adds to the difficulty for climbers.
Exploring Mount Saint Nicholas
Mount Saint Nicholas stands out because it rises very steeply from the ground around it. This is true even for a park like Glacier National Park, which has many high mountains. For example, its northwest side goes up about one mile (1,609 meters) in height. This happens over a horizontal distance of only about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers).
Because of its sharp, pointed shape and how it stands alone, the mountain has very steep drops on all sides. This makes it look impressive from any direction.
First Climbers and Routes
The first person to successfully climb Mount Saint Nicholas was Reverend Conrad Wellen. He was from Havre, Montana, and he made his climb in 1926. Before his climb, many people thought the mountain was impossible to reach the top of.
The most common way to climb Mount Saint Nicholas is called the Northeast Ridge route. This path starts on the east side of the mountain. Climbers first scramble (a mix of walking and easy climbing) up a rocky ditch called a gully. This leads them to a clear notch or dip in the ridge. From that notch, there is still about a thousand feet (300 meters) of more difficult climbing left to reach the summit.
