Pilot Peak (Alaska) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pilot Peak
Aerial view looking west Pilot centered, Einstein upper right
Highest point
Elevation	8,670 ft (2,640 m)
Prominence	1,720 ft (520 m)
Isolation	3.14 mi (5.05 km)
Parent peak	Sharkstooth Mountain (8,710 ft)
Geography
Pilot Peak Location in Alaska
Location	Chugach National Forest Valdez-Cordova Borough Alaska, United States
Parent range	Chugach Mountains
Topo map	USGS Valdez B-8

Pilot Peak is a tall mountain in Alaska, standing at 8,670-foot (2,643 m) high. It's covered in glaciers, which are like huge, slow-moving rivers of ice. You can find it about 27 mi (43 km) northwest of a town called Valdez.

This amazing peak is part of the Chugach Mountains. It's located within the Chugach National Forest, a big area of protected land. Pilot Peak is also near other cool mountains like Mount Einstein and Tazlina Tower.

How Pilot Peak Got Its Name

The name "Pilot Peak" was given to this mountain in 1955. A man named Lawrence E. Nielsen named it. He was the leader of a group exploring the Chugach Mountains that year.

Nielsen said he named it "because it is a very distinctive landmark that helped guide us back to camp." This means the mountain was easy to spot and helped them find their way. The name was officially accepted in 1965 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.

Weather and Climate

Pilot Peak is in a subarctic climate zone. This means the area has very long, cold, and snowy winters. The summers are usually cool.

The weather here is greatly affected by the Gulf of Alaska. Air coming from the Gulf hits the Chugach Mountains and is forced upwards. This process is called orographic lift. It causes a lot of rain and snow to fall on the mountains.

Temperatures can get super cold, sometimes dropping below −20 °C. With the wind, it can feel even colder, below −30 °C! This cold climate helps keep the huge Columbia Glacier around the mountain. If you wanted to climb Pilot Peak, the best time to go would be in May or June, when the weather is usually better.

Images for kids

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  Pilot Peak from Columbia Glacier

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  Pilot Peak right of center, south aspect