Mars Hotel (Arches National Park)

Mars Hotel is a 4,635-foot-elevation (1,413-meter) summit in Grand County, Utah, United States.

Mars Hotel
South aspect
Highest point
Elevation	4,635 ft (1,413 m)[1]
Prominence	215 ft (66 m)[1]
Isolation	0.3 mi (0.48 km)[1]
Coordinates	38°37′43″N 109°35′29″W[2]
Geography
Mars Hotel Location in Utah Show map of Utah Mars Hotel Mars Hotel (the United States) Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Utah
County	Grand
Protected area	Arches National Park
Parent range	Colorado Plateau
Topo map	USGS The Windows Section
Geology
Rock age	Jurassic
Rock type	Entrada Sandstone
Climbing
First ascent	1989

Description

Mars Hotel is located within Arches National Park,^[3] and like many of the rock formations in the park, it is composed of Entrada Sandstone, specifically the Slick Rock Member overlaying the Dewey Bridge Member.^[4] It is among the first features that the main park road passes by. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises approximately 250 feet (76 meters) above the surrounding terrain in 500 feet (152 meters) laterally. Precipitation runoff from Mars Hotel drains to the nearby Colorado River via Courthouse Wash. The first ascent of the summit was made in March 1989 by Kyle Copeland and Eric Johnson via If I Only Had A Brain rock-climbing route (class 5.10).^[5] Mike Baker and Leslie Henderson climbed a new route in 1992 on the east face, Lost in Space (class 5.10+).^[2][6]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Mars Hotel is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers.^[7] Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to experience Arches National Park, when highs average 60 to 80 °F (15 to 25 °C) and lows average 30 to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C). Summer temperatures often exceed 100 °F (40 °C). Winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C), and lows averaging 0 to 20 °F (−20 to −5 °C). As part of a high desert region, it can experience wide daily temperature fluctuations. The park receives an average of less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain annually.

Gallery

• 
  West aspect
• 
  Southwest aspect
• 
  Southwest aspect
• 
  The Organ (centered) and Mars Hotel (right)
• 
  The Organ (left) and Mars Hotel (right)
• 
  Mars Hotel to the right
• 
  South aspect
• 
  South aspect
• 
  The Organ (left) and Mars Hotel (right)
• 
  South aspect (right)

See also

• Geology of Utah
• From the Mars Hotel

References

1. "Mars Hotel - 4,635' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
2. Mars Hotel Rock Climbing, Mountainproject.com, Retrieved 2024-09-16.
3. Desert Rock: Rock Climbs in the National Parks, Eric Bjornstad, Chockstone Press, 1996, ISBN 9780934641920.
4. Stanley William Lohman, The Geologic Story of Arches National Park, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1975, p. 63.
5. "First Ascent Timeline", deserttowersbook.com, Retrieved 2024-09-16.
6. North America, United States, Utah, Arches National Park, Eric Bjørnstad, 1994, American Alpine Journal, americanalpineclub.org
7. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L. & McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification" (PDF). Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. 11 (5): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606. S2CID 9654551.

External links

• Mars Hotel Rock Climbing: Mountainproject.com
• Arches National Park: National Park Service