The Watchman (Utah)

The Watchman is a 6,545-foot (1,995 m) sandstone mountain summit located in Zion National Park, in Washington County of southwest Utah, United States.[4]

The Watchman
The Watchman, northwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation6,545 ft (1,995 m) [1]
Prominence785 ft (239 m) [1]
Parent peakStevens Peak (6,555 ft)[2]
Isolation0.79 mi (1.27 km) [2]
Coordinates37°11′05″N 112°58′47″W [1]
Geography
The Watchman
Location in Utah
The Watchman
The Watchman (the United States)
LocationZion National Park
Washington County, Utah
United States
Parent rangeColorado Plateau
Topo mapUSGS Springdale East
Geology
Age of rockJurassic
Type of rockNavajo sandstone
Climbing
First ascent1973 by Jeff Lowe, Mike Weis[3]
Easiest routeclass 4 scrambling[2] West Face

Description

The Watchman is located immediately east of Springdale, towering 2,600-feet (790 meters) above the town and the floor of Zion Canyon. Zion's park headquarters, the park's south entrance, and Watchman Campground are situated immediately north-northwest of the mountain, which makes it one of the photographic icons of the park. The Watchman is wedged between the North and East Forks of the Virgin River which drain precipitation runoff from this mountain. Its neighbors include Mount Kinesava directly across the canyon to the west, Bridge Mountain, 1.66 mi (2.67 km) to the north-northeast, and The West Temple is positioned 2.9 mi (4.7 km) to the northwest.[1] This feature's name was officially adopted in 1934 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.[4] It is believed to be so named because it stands as a watchman guarding the south entrance to the park. It is unclear where the name may have originated; some believe it was Methodist Minister Frederick Vining Fisher. Early pioneers referred to this peak as Flanigan Peak because the Flanigan family homestead was set at the base of this feature.[5] This mountain is composed of Navajo Sandstone, with a red shale outcropping of the Kayenta Formation along the lower slopes.[6]

Climate

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit The Watchman. 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.[7]

  • The Watchman and North Fork Virgin River from the north
  • West aspect seen from Springdale, Johnson Mountain to right. (very large file)
  • A dusting of snow at The Watchman
  • The Watchman and North Fork Virgin River
  • from park headquarters
  • From Springdale, Watchman (right), Bridge Mountain (left)

See also

References
  1. "The Watchman, Utah". Peakbagger.com.
  2. "Watchman, The - 6,545' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  3. American Alpine Journal, Vol. 20, 1975
  4. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: The Watchman
  5. National Park Service nps.gov/zion
  6. https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/watchman
  7. "Zion National Park, Utah, USA - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Archived from the original on August 31, 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
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