Mount Sinyella facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mount Sinyella
West aspect
Highest point
Elevation	5,441 ft (1,658 m)
Prominence	1,193 ft (364 m)
Isolation	5.54 mi (8.92 km)
Geography
Mount Sinyella Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona Mount Sinyella Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Grand Canyon Coconino County, Arizona, US
Parent range	Coconino Plateau Colorado Plateau
Topo map	USGS Havasu Falls
Geology
Age of rock	Permian
Type of rock	limestone, sandstone
Climbing
First ascent	1960
Easiest route	class 5.1 climbing

Mount Sinyella is a tall peak, 5,441 feet (about 1,658 meters) high. It is found in the western part of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, USA. This mountain stands out in Coconino County.

Mount Sinyella is located near the mouth of Havasu Canyon. It is about 1.7 miles (2.7 km) northwest of Uqualla Point. It is also about four miles (6.4 km) southeast of Boysag Point. This mountain is the highest point of Sinyella Mesa. It rises 1,200 feet above the mesa. It also towers 3,600 feet above the nearby Colorado River. The river is only about 1.5 miles to the northwest.

This mountain is a type of landform called a butte. A butte is a tall, flat-topped hill with steep sides. It was formed by erosion, which means wind and water wore away the surrounding land. Mount Sinyella is made of two main types of rock: Kaibab Limestone and Coconino Sandstone. These rocks were formed during the Permian period. This was about 265 million years ago. The sandstone was once ancient sand dunes. The climate around Mount Sinyella is a Cold semi-arid climate. This means it is dry and can have cold winters.

History of Mount Sinyella

How the Mountain Got Its Name

The name "Mount Sinyella" was officially given to this butte in 1932. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names first called it "Mount Sinyala." Later, in 1988, they changed the spelling to "Sinyella."

The mountain was named after Judge Sinyella (1853–1923). He was an important chief of the Havasupai people. A conservationist named Charles Sheldon hired Judge Sinyella as a guide in 1912. Sheldon wanted to explore the Grand Canyon. He wrote that Sinyella "knows every foot of the country." The local Havasupai people had their own name for the butte. They called it "Week-eel-eela." This name means "stick sitting up," which is what they called any tall, standing rock formation.

First Climbs to the Top

The very first time someone climbed to the top of Mount Sinyella was on April 11, 1960. A team of four climbers made this historic ascent. They were Don Myers, Mike Sherrick, Jim Wilkerson, and Bill Amborn. They climbed the north face of the mountain.

The second group to reach the summit climbed it on May 3, 1969. These climbers were Dave Ganci and Jerry Robertson.

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