Glacier King
Description
Glacier King is located in the Boundary Ranges of the Coast Mountains and set on land managed by Tongass National Forest. The remote peak is 1.38 miles (2.22 km) east-southeast of The Tusk and 28 miles (45 km) north of Juneau on the western margin of the Juneau Icefield. Precipitation runoff and glacial meltwater from the mountain's north slope drains to Berners Bay and Lynn Canal via the Gilkey River, whereas the south slope is surrounded by the Taku Glacier. Topographic relief is significant as the north face rises 4,500 feet (1,370 m) in 1.25 miles (2.01 km). The mountain's descriptive name was applied by members of the Juneau Icefield Research Project in 1964 and the toponym was officially adopted in 1965 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Gilkey_Glacier%2C_valley_glacier%2C_hanging_glaciers_on_the_mountain_side%2C_trim_line%2C_and_glacial_remnents%2C_1955_%28GLACIERS_6190%29.jpg/220px-Gilkey_Glacier%2C_valley_glacier%2C_hanging_glaciers_on_the_mountain_side%2C_trim_line%2C_and_glacial_remnents%2C_1955_%28GLACIERS_6190%29.jpg)
Climate
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Glacier King is located in a tundra climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool summers. Weather systems coming off the Gulf of Alaska are forced upwards by the Coast Mountains (orographic lift), causing heavy precipitation in the form of rainfall and snowfall. Winter temperatures can drop to 0 °F with wind chill factors below −10 °F. This climate supports the Taku Glacier south of the peak, the Juneau Icefield east of the peak, and unnamed glaciers on the north slope.
See also
References
- ^ Donald J. Orth, Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1967, page 370.
- ^ United States Board on Geographic Names, Decisions on Geographic Names in the United States, Decision List No. 6502, (1965), page 4.
- ^ "Glacier King - 6,550' AK". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
- ^ "Glacier King". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
- ^ "Glacier King, Alaska". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
- ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.
External links
- Glacier King: weather forecast