Mount Nebo (Utah)
Mount Nebo has two summits: the northern summit reaches 11,933 feet (3,637 m), and the southern summit reaches 11,882 feet (3,622 m). Early surveys placed the southern peak as the highest, but the mountain was resurveyed in the 1970s and the northern peak was found to be higher. It is the high point of Utah County.
Mount Nebo is an "ultra", one of 128 ultra-prominent peaks in the United States having more than 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) of topographic prominence. The mountain is typically partially or completely covered in snow from mid-October until July. Nearby towns include Mona (closest), Payson, Nephi, and Provo.
A substantial trail leads to the south summit, accessible from starting points on the east or west of the mountain. Another trail accesses the north summit, starting northeast of the mountain. A "bench trail" runs along the mountain's east side from north to south at roughly 9,000 feet elevation. Although strenuous, all of these trails are popular with hikers; many are dangerous places for horseback riders. One old-time local rider warns: "There's dead horses in every canyon on that mountain!"
The Mount Nebo Scenic Byway is a federally designated National Scenic Byway which departs I-15 at Payson and travels south through the Mount Nebo Wilderness, climbing to over 9,000 feet before rejoining the interstate at Nephi. The route features panoramic views of Mount Nebo, the Utah Valley, and Utah Lake far below. There are numerous trailheads along the route for the hiking enthusiast, including a short walk to the "Devil's Kitchen", an area that has been described as a "mini Bryce Canyon".
Climate
There is no weather station at the summit, but this climate table contains interpolated data for an area around the summit. Mount Nebo has a (subalpine climate (Köppen Dfc).
| Climate data for Mount Nebo 39.8098 N, 111.7651 W, Elevation: 11,371 ft (3,466 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 26.8 (−2.9) |
26.3 (−3.2) |
31.0 (−0.6) |
36.1 (2.3) |
45.8 (7.7) |
58.2 (14.6) |
66.7 (19.3) |
64.9 (18.3) |
56.6 (13.7) |
44.1 (6.7) |
32.9 (0.5) |
26.4 (−3.1) |
43.0 (6.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 17.2 (−8.2) |
16.1 (−8.8) |
20.3 (−6.5) |
24.8 (−4.0) |
34.0 (1.1) |
45.3 (7.4) |
53.5 (11.9) |
51.9 (11.1) |
43.9 (6.6) |
32.9 (0.5) |
23.3 (−4.8) |
17.0 (−8.3) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 7.7 (−13.5) |
5.8 (−14.6) |
9.5 (−12.5) |
13.5 (−10.3) |
22.3 (−5.4) |
32.5 (0.3) |
40.2 (4.6) |
38.8 (3.8) |
31.3 (−0.4) |
21.7 (−5.7) |
13.6 (−10.2) |
7.6 (−13.6) |
20.4 (−6.5) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.66 (93) |
3.19 (81) |
3.28 (83) |
3.53 (90) |
2.80 (71) |
1.56 (40) |
1.47 (37) |
2.00 (51) |
2.25 (57) |
2.60 (66) |
3.18 (81) |
4.11 (104) |
33.63 (854) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group | |||||||||||||
Gallery
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Mount Nebo (left of center) aerial view from the south, with Utah Lake and the rest of the Wasatch Range in the background and the Great Salt Lake on the far left horizon -
Mount Nebo eastern side during winter -
Panorama of Mount Nebo, 2007
