Piegan Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Piegan Mountain |
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![]() Piegan Mountain with Piegan Glacier seen from Preston Park
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 9,225 ft (2,812 m) |
Prominence | 660 ft (200 m) |
Geography | |
Location | Glacier County, Montana, U.S. |
Parent range | Lewis Range |
Topo map | USGS Logan Pass, MT |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Cambrian |
Type of rock | Sedimentary rock |
Piegan Mountain is a tall and impressive mountain. It stands at about 9,225 feet (2,812 meters) high. You can find it in the Lewis Range, which is part of Glacier National Park in Montana, U.S..
Right next to the mountain, on its southeast side, is the beautiful Piegan Glacier. A glacier is like a very slow-moving river of ice. This glacier sits in a bowl-shaped area called a cirque.
How Piegan Mountain Was Formed
Piegan Mountain, like many other mountains in Glacier National Park, is made of a type of rock called sedimentary rock. This rock formed a very long time ago. Imagine layers of mud, sand, and tiny bits of ancient sea creatures settling at the bottom of shallow seas. Over millions of years, these layers were pressed together and turned into solid rock.
The rocks that make up Piegan Mountain were laid down during periods known as the Precambrian and Jurassic. These are names for incredibly long stretches of time in Earth's history.
About 170 million years ago, something amazing happened. A huge geological event called the Lewis Overthrust began. This is like a giant push from deep inside the Earth. It caused an enormous slab of very old rock, about 3 miles (4.8 km) thick, 50 miles (80 km) wide, and 160 miles (257 km) long, to slide over much younger rock. This powerful movement helped create the tall mountains we see today, including Piegan Mountain.