Whiteout Peak

Whiteout Peak is a 7,135-foot (2,175 m) mountain summit in the U.S. state of Alaska.

Whiteout Peak
Aerial view of south aspect, centered
Highest point
Elevation	7,135 ft (2,175 m)[1][2]
Prominence	1,885 ft (575 m)[3]
Parent peak	Troublesome Peak[3]
Isolation	5.72 mi (9.21 km)[3]
Coordinates	61°07′46″N 148°54′27″W[4]
Naming
Etymology	Whiteout (weather)
Geography
Whiteout Peak Location in Alaska
Interactive map of Whiteout Peak
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Borough	Anchorage
Protected area	Chugach State Park
Parent range	Chugach Mountains[5]
Topo map	USGS Anchorage A-6
Climbing
First ascent	May 28, 1967

Description

Whiteout Peak is located 33 miles (53 km) east of Anchorage in the Chugach Mountains and Chugach State Park.^[5] It ranks as the 12th-highest peak within the park.^[6] Precipitation runoff and glacial meltwater from the mountain drains north to Knik Arm via the Knik River and the Eagle River. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant as the summit rises over 3,600 feet (1,097 m) above the Eagle Glacier in three miles (4.8 km). The landform's descriptive name was applied in 1963 by members of the Mountaineering Club of Alaska as it pertains to the usual surface weather conditions experienced by mountaineers in the area.^[4] A whiteout is an opaque diffusion of sky and snow. The mountain's toponym was officially adopted in 1964 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.^[2] The first ascent of the summit was made May 28, 1967, by Bill Hauser, Kyle Atkins, Gordon Reese, Dr. Charles Munns, and Dr. Ward Hubert.^[7]

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Whiteout Peak is located in a tundra climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool summers.^[8] Weather systems coming off the Gulf of Alaska are forced upwards by the Chugach Mountains (orographic lift), causing heavy precipitation in the form of rainfall and snowfall. Winter temperatures can drop below −10 °F with wind chill factors below −20 °F. This climate supports the Whiteout and Eagle glaciers surrounding the peak. The months May through June offer the most favorable weather for climbing or viewing this peak.^[9]

See also

• Geography of Alaska

References

1. Donald J. Orth, Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1967, page 1044.
2. United States Board on Geographic Names, Decisions on Geographic Names in the United States, September through December 1964, Decision List No. 6403, 1965, page 4.
3. "Whiteout Peak - 7,135' AK". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
4. "Whiteout Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
5. "Whiteout Peak, Alaska". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
6. The "Chugach State Park 120", Mountaineering Club of Alaska, Retrieved 2024-02-17.
7. Bill Hauser (1967). "Scree" (PDF). Mountaineering Club of Alaska. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
8. 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.
9. Denali FAQ, American Alpine Institute, alpineinstitute.com, Retrieved 2024-01-08.

External links

• Weather forecast: Whiteout Peak