Snowpatch Crag facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snowpatch Crag |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,345 ft (1,934 m) |
| Prominence | 1,045 ft (319 m) |
| Isolation | 1.07 mi (1.72 km) |
| Parent peak | The Snow Towers |
| Geography | |
 Snowpatch Crag
Location in Alaska
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| Location | Tongass National Forest Juneau Borough Alaska, United States |
| Parent range | Coast Mountains Boundary Ranges Juneau Icefield |
| Topo map | USGS Juneau C-2 |
Snowpatch Crag is a towering mountain in Alaska, standing at about 6,345 feet (1,934 meters) tall. It's part of the Coast Mountains and the Boundary Ranges, which are huge mountain chains. This mountain is special because it's a nunatak. That means it's a mountain peak that pokes out from a glacier, like an island in a sea of ice!
Snowpatch Crag is surrounded by the massive Taku Glacier, which is part of the Juneau Icefield. It's located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of the city of Juneau. The land around it is managed by the Tongass National Forest, a beautiful and vast area.
The mountain got its name in 1964 from scientists with the Juneau Icefield Research Project. The name was officially recognized in 1965 by the United States Board on Geographic Names. Sometimes, people also call it "Snowpatch Peak" or "Snowpatch Craig."
Mountain Weather
Snowpatch Crag has a very specific type of weather called a subpolar oceanic climate. This means it has long, cold, and wet winters, but its summers are cool. Imagine lots of snow and rain!
The weather here is heavily influenced by the Gulf of Alaska. When weather systems move in from the Gulf, they hit the tall Coast Mountains. The mountains force the air upwards, which is a process called orographic lift. As the air rises, it cools down, and this causes a lot of rain and snow to fall on the mountains.
Temperatures on Snowpatch Crag can get very cold, sometimes dropping below -20 °C (-4 °F). With the wind, it can feel even colder, below -30 °C (-22 °F)! If you want to see this amazing peak, the best time to visit is usually in May and June, when the weather is most favorable.
