San Francisco Peaks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Francisco Peaks |
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The San Francisco Peaks viewed from atop nearby 9,000 ft Mount Elden
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Humphreys Peak |
| Elevation | 12,633 ft (3,851 m) NAVD 88 |
| Geography | |
Map of San Francisco Peaks and surrounding volcanic field
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| Range coordinates | 35°20′N 111°40′W / 35.333°N 111.667°W |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Between 1 Million and 93,000 Years Ago |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Type of rock | Igneous |
| Volcanic field | San Francisco volcanic field |
| Last eruption | ~400,000 years ago |
The San Francisco Peaks are a group of tall mountains in north-central Arizona, just north of Flagstaff. These peaks are what's left of a much larger ancient volcano called San Francisco Mountain. The tallest point in Arizona, Humphreys Peak, is part of this range, reaching an amazing 12,633 feet (3,851 meters) high!
These mountains are very important for the area. They provide much of Flagstaff's water from underground sources. The peaks are also a popular place for outdoor activities, located within the Coconino National Forest. On the western side of Humphreys Peak, there's a ski area called Arizona Snowbowl. There have been some important discussions about the ski area's plans, especially concerning its impact on the environment and the cultural traditions of several Native American tribes.
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Exploring the San Francisco Peaks
The San Francisco Peaks are home to Arizona's six highest individual mountain tops:
- Humphreys Peak, 12,637 feet (3,852 meters)
- Agassiz Peak, 12,356 feet (3,766 meters)
- Fremont Peak, 11,969 feet (3,648 meters)
- Aubineau Peak, 11,838 feet (3,608 meters)
- Rees Peak, 11,474 feet (3,497 meters)
- Doyle Peak, 11,460 feet (3,493 meters)
These mountains offer many fun things to do. In winter, people enjoy skiing and snowboarding. During the rest of the year, hiking is very popular. Hart Prairie, a beautiful area below the ski resort, is a favorite spot for hikers and is protected by a nature group.
Humphreys Peak and Agassiz Peak are special because they are the two southernmost peaks in the United States that rise over 12,000 feet (3,658 meters) above sea level.
How the Mountains Changed Over Time
About 200,000 years ago, the San Francisco Mountain was much taller, possibly around 16,000 feet (4,877 meters) high. Since then, a large part of the mountain has disappeared, creating a bowl-shaped area called the "Inner Basin." This change might have happened quickly from a powerful volcanic eruption, similar to Mount St. Helens in 1980. It could also have happened slowly over time due to landslides, water erosion, and glaciers, or a mix of these events.
A Look Back: History of the Peaks
In 1629, long before San Francisco, California, got its name, Spanish friars started a mission near a Hopi village. They named the mission and the nearby peaks after St. Francis.
Later, in the mid-1850s, a mountain man named Antoine Leroux explored the San Francisco Peaks. He helped American explorers find the only reliable spring on the western side of the peaks, which is now called Leroux Springs.
Around 1877, John Willard Young, son of the Mormon leader Brigham Young, settled near Leroux Springs. He built a log fort called Fort Moroni. This fort housed workers who cut trees to make railroad ties for the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad.
In 1898, U.S. President William McKinley created the San Francisco Mountain Forest Reserve. This was done at the request of Gifford Pinchot, who led the U.S. Division of Forestry. Some local people were not happy about this. They felt it would harm their county. However, in 1908, this reserve became part of the new Coconino National Forest.
Recent Discussions at Arizona Snowbowl
In 2002, the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort proposed a plan to expand and make snow using treated water. Several Native American tribes and environmental groups expressed concerns about this plan. They worried about its effects on their traditional culture, public health, and the environment.
There were many discussions and disagreements about the project. In 2011, construction began on a pipeline to bring water to the peaks. In 2012, a federal court allowed Arizona Snowbowl to move forward with its plans. Snowmaking using treated water began during the 2012–2013 ski season.
Nature's Zones: Ecology of the Peaks
In 1889, a biologist named Clinton Hart Merriam studied these mountains. He described different "life zones" based on how high up you go, how far north or south you are, and how much rain falls. Each zone has its own special plants.
The San Francisco Peaks themselves have four of these life zones:
- Ponderosa Pine Forests
- This zone is found from about 6,000 to 8,500 feet (1,829 to 2,591 meters) high.
- The main tree here is the southwestern ponderosa pine. You might also see Gambel oak and New Mexico locust at lower parts. Higher up, you'll find southwestern white pine, Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir, Rocky Mountain white fir, and quaking aspen.
- This zone gets about 18 to 26 inches (457 to 660 mm) of rain each year.
- Mixed Conifer Forests
- This zone is between 8,000 and 9,500 feet (2,438 to 2,896 meters) high.
- Here, you'll see a mix of trees like Douglas-fir, white fir, limber pine, and blue spruce. On warmer slopes, Ponderosa pine also grows here.
- The average rainfall is about 25 to 30 inches (635 to 762 mm) annually.
- Subalpine Conifer Forests
- This zone ranges from about 9,500 to 11,500 feet (2,896 to 3,505 meters) high.
- The main trees are Engelmann spruce, corkbark fir, quaking aspen, and the Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine.
- This zone receives about 30 to 40 inches (762 to 1,016 mm) of rain each year.
- Alpine Tundra
- The San Francisco Peaks have Arizona's only alpine tundra environment. This area is above 10,600 feet (3,231 meters) and covers about 1,200 acres (4.9 square kilometers).
- Only a few small plants can grow in this cold, windy place. One special plant, the San Francisco Peaks groundsel, grows only here and nowhere else in the world.
- The average rainfall in the tundra is about 35 to 40 inches (889 to 1,016 mm) annually.
Cultural Importance to Native Peoples
The San Francisco Peaks are very important to thirteen local American Indian tribes. These include the Havasupai, Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni.
For the Navajo people, the peaks are a sacred mountain of the west, called Dookʼoʼoosłííd. They believe the peaks are linked to the color yellow and contain abalone shells. They are said to be held to the ground by a sunbeam and covered with yellow clouds and evening twilight. The Navajo see the peaks as female.
For the Hopi people, the San Francisco Peaks are connected to the southwest direction. They are considered sacred places used for ceremonies. The way the sun sets behind the peaks helps the Hopi calculate the winter solstice. This event marks the start of a new year, a new planting season, and new life. The peaks are also seen as the home of the katsinam (or kachina) spirits. These spirits are ancestors who become clouds after death. Katsinam are invited to Hopi villages to guide the community from midwinter to midsummer. Humphreys Peak, known as Aaloosaktukwi, is especially sacred and linked to the deity Aaloosaka.
Other Native American groups also connect kachina spirits with heavy snowfalls on the peaks.
Names for the San Francisco Peaks
The peaks have many names in different local languages:
- Dookʼoʼoosłííd – (Navajo) meaning "the summit that never melts" or "the mountain peak that never thaws."
- Nuvaʼtukyaʼovi – (Hopi) meaning "place-of-snow-on-the-very-top."
- Dził Tso – Dilzhe’e – (Apache)
- Tsii Bina – Aaʼku – (Acoma)
- Nuvaxatuh – Nuwuvi – (Southern Paiute)
- Hvehasahpatch or Huassapatch – Havasu ʼBaaja – (Havasupai)
- Wikʼhanbaja – Hwalʼbay – (Hualapai)
- Wi꞉mun Kwa – Yavapai
- Sunha Kʼhbchu Yalanne – A:shiwi (Zuni)
- ʼAmat ʼIikwe Nyava – Hamakhav – (Mojave)
- Sierra sin Agua – (Spanish)
- The Peaks – (Anglo Arizonans)
See also
In Spanish: Sierra de San Francisco para niños
