Tower of Set facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tower of Set |
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Southeast aspect, from Tonto Trail
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,012 ft (1,832 m) |
| Prominence | 432 ft (132 m) |
| Isolation | 1.16 mi (1.87 km) |
| Parent peak | Horus Temple (6,150 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Tower of Set
Location in Arizona
Tower of Set
Location in the United States
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| Location | Grand Canyon Coconino County, Arizona, US |
| Parent range | Kaibab Plateau Colorado Plateau |
| Topo map | USGS Grand Canyon |
| Type of rock | sandstone, siltstone, mudstone |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1977 |
| Easiest route | class 5.1 climbing |
Tower of Set is a tall rock formation, or butte, found in the amazing Grand Canyon. It stands 6,012 feet (about 1,832 meters) high. You can find it in Coconino County, Arizona, in the southwestern United States.
This impressive butte is about four miles north of Hopi Point. It is also near other famous Grand Canyon features like Tower of Ra and Shiva Temple. Tower of Set rises about 3,600 feet (1,100 meters) above the Colorado River.
It was first named Temple of Sett in 1879 by artist Thomas Moran. He named it after Set, an ancient Egyptian god of war. Moran thought a part of the butte looked like temples along the Nile River. Another person, George Wharton James, also helped name it. He followed a tradition of naming Grand Canyon spots after gods. The name "Tower of Set" became official in 1906.
In 1919, a woman named Harriet Williams Russell Strong had an idea. She wanted to build a tramway, like a cable car, across the river. It would connect Hopi Point and Tower of Set. But this idea was never built. The first people to climb to the top of Tower of Set were Bruce Grubbs and Jim Haggart. They made their climb in November 1977. The area around Tower of Set has a cold, semi-dry climate.
Grand Canyon Geology
The top part of Tower of Set is made of reddish rock. This rock is from a time called the Pennsylvanian-Permian period. It is part of a rock group called the Supai Group.
Layers of Rock
Below the Supai Group, you can see other layers of rock. These include the Redwall Limestone from the Mississippian period. Further down is the Tonto Group, which formed during the Cambrian period. At the very bottom, near the river, are very old granite rocks. These are called the Vishnu Basement Rocks.
Water Flow
Rainwater that falls on Tower of Set flows south. It drains into the Colorado River. This water travels through two creeks: Trinity Creek on the east side and Ninetyfour Mile Creek on the west side.
