Meridian Tower (Zion)

Meridian Tower is a 7,340-foot (2,240 meter) elevation Navajo Sandstone summit located in Zion National Park, in Washington County of southwest Utah, United States.[2]

Meridian Tower
Meridian Tower (flat top, centered) seen from the SSE from the summit of The Watchman
Highest point
Elevation7,340 ft (2,240 m)[1]
Prominence180 ft (55 m)[1]
Parent peakPoint 7455 (7,455 ft)[1]
Isolation0.34 mi (0.55 km)[1]
Coordinates37°13′52″N 113°00′05″W[2]
Geography
Meridian Tower
Location in Utah
Meridian Tower
Meridian Tower (the United States)
LocationZion National Park
Washington County, Utah
United States
Parent rangeColorado Plateau
Topo mapUSGS Springdale West
Geology
Age of rockJurassic
Type of rockNavajo sandstone
Climbing
First ascent2016, Stih and Mower
Easiest routeclass 5.8 climbing

Description

Meridian Tower is situated in the Towers of the Virgin, 2 mi (3.2 km) northwest of Zion's park headquarters, towering 3,350-feet (1,020 meters) above the floor of Zion Canyon and the Virgin River which drains precipitation runoff from this mountain. Its neighbors include The West Temple, The Sundial, The Witch Head, Altar of Sacrifice, Bee Hive, and The Sentinel. This feature was so named by the park's third superintendent, Preston P. Patraw, because its flat top is crossed by the 113th meridian.[2] Meridian Tower's name was officially adopted in 1934 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The first ascent of Meridian Tower was not made until March 2016 by Dan Stih and Matt Mower.[3]

Climate

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to view Meridian Tower. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below 32 °F (0 °C), and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.[4]

See also

References

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