Veiled Peak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Veiled Peak |
|
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 11,335 ft (3,455 m) |
Prominence | 450 ft (140 m) |
Geography | |
Location | Grand Teton National Park, Teton County, Wyoming, U.S. |
Parent range | Teton Range |
Topo map | USGS Grand Teton |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Scramble |
Veiled Peak is a tall mountain found in the Teton Range in the western United States. It stands inside the beautiful Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. This peak reaches a height of about 11,335 feet (3,455 meters) above sea level. Veiled Peak is located to the west of another mountain called Mount Wister and looks down over a lovely place known as Snowdrift Lake.
Contents
Where is Veiled Peak?
Veiled Peak is located in the northwestern part of Wyoming, a state in the United States. It's a special part of the Teton Range, which is a group of jagged, rocky mountains. The mountain is completely inside Grand Teton National Park. This park is famous for its stunning scenery, including tall peaks, clear lakes, and lots of wildlife.
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is a protected area where nature is kept wild and beautiful. It's a great place for people to visit and explore. The park is home to many different animals, like moose, elk, bison, and bears. Visitors can go hiking, camping, boating, and wildlife viewing. The park helps protect these amazing mountains and the creatures that live there.
What Can You Do Near Veiled Peak?
While Veiled Peak itself is a challenging climb, the areas around it offer many activities. You can hike on trails that give you amazing views of the Teton Range. Many people enjoy exploring the lakes, like Snowdrift Lake, which is right below Veiled Peak. These lakes are often very clear and reflect the mountains like a mirror.
Understanding Mountain Heights
When we talk about mountains, we often hear terms like "elevation" and "prominence." These words help us understand how tall and important a mountain is.
What is Elevation?
Elevation means how high a point is above sea level. Sea level is the average height of the ocean's surface. So, when we say Veiled Peak has an elevation of 11,335 feet, it means its very top is that far up from the ocean. This is like measuring how high you are when you stand on a tall building compared to the ground.
What is Prominence?
Prominence is a bit different. It measures how much a mountain stands out from the land around it. Imagine a mountain range like a bumpy road. A mountain with high prominence sticks up a lot from the lowest point connecting it to any higher peak. Veiled Peak has a prominence of 450 feet. This means it rises significantly from the saddle (lowest point) that connects it to a taller mountain. It helps show how much a peak truly "stands alone" from its neighbors.
The Teton Range
Veiled Peak is part of the Teton Range. This range is a subrange of the larger Rocky Mountains system. The Teton Range is relatively young in geological terms, meaning it was formed more recently than some other mountain ranges. This is why its peaks are so sharp and jagged, as they haven't been worn down as much by weather over millions of years.
How Mountains Form
Mountains like Veiled Peak in the Teton Range are formed by powerful forces deep within the Earth. The Earth's outer layer is made of huge pieces called tectonic plates. When these plates push against each other, they can cause the land to fold, crack, and lift upwards. This process, called orogenesis or mountain building, slowly creates the towering peaks we see today. The Teton Range, for example, was formed by a process called faulting, where large blocks of the Earth's crust were pushed up along cracks called faults.