Casper Mountain
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Casper Mountain, an
anticline In structural geology, an anticline is a type of Fold (geology), fold that is an arch-like shape and has its oldest Bed (geology), beds at its core, whereas a syncline is the inverse of an anticline. A typical anticline is convex curve, c ...
, is located at the north end of the Laramie Mountains overlooking
Casper, Wyoming Casper is a city in and the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States. Casper is the List of municipalities in Wyoming, second-most populous city in the state after Cheyenne, Wyoming, Cheyenne, with the population at 59,038 as of th ...
along the
North Platte River The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and is approximately long, counting its many curves.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 21, 2011 I ...
. At a top elevation of , the geological feature rises approximately above Casper.


Geology

Casper Mountain is composed of
precambrian The Precambrian ( ; or pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pC, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of t ...
,
paleozoic The Paleozoic ( , , ; or Palaeozoic) Era is the first of three Era (geology), geological eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. Beginning 538.8 million years ago (Ma), it succeeds the Neoproterozoic (the last era of the Proterozoic Eon) and ends 251.9 Ma a ...
, and
mesozoic The Mesozoic Era is the Era (geology), era of Earth's Geologic time scale, geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Period (geology), Periods. It is characterized by the dominance of archosaurian r ...
rocks. The topography of the mountain has remained the same since the Laramide time period. However, erosion has stripped away the top sedimentary soil, exposing older rocks. Casper Mountain features
quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...
, biotite
schist Schist ( ) is a medium-grained metamorphic rock generally derived from fine-grained sedimentary rock, like shale. It shows pronounced ''schistosity'' (named for the rock). This means that the rock is composed of mineral grains easily seen with a l ...
,
gneiss Gneiss (pronounced ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. This rock is formed under p ...
as well as
amphibolite Amphibolite () is a metamorphic rock that contains amphibole, especially hornblende and actinolite, as well as plagioclase feldspar, but with little or no quartz. It is typically dark-colored and dense, with a weakly foliated or schistose ...
. The Casper Mountain fault line lies on the north side. The rocks on Casper Mountain are significantly older than those found in the city of Casper, predominantly because of the anticline nature of the mountain. Archeologists studying the mountain believe Native Americans were in the area around 11,000 years ago. Stone artifacts found on the mountain date to between 4500 and 2500 B.C.. Campsites of these natives were found near quartzite outcroppings, and it is believed they used this rock for tools, arrowheads, knives, and other items. Casper Mountain has an archeological site operated by the
University of Wyoming The University of Wyoming (UW) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Laramie, Wyoming, United States. It was founded in March 1886, four years before the territory was admitted as the 44th state, ...
. The mountain is part of the "Casper formation" so named for limestones and sandstones constituting the greater part of the sedimentary rocks in the region, including the Laramie Mountains.


Recreation

Casper Mountain is largely privately owned; however, there are several miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. There are many recreation opportunities on the mountain. Hogadon Ski Area is one of very few ski areas with a parking/entry point located above the resort. Although small, the ski area provides a large source of winter entertainment on the mountain. Other winter activities include
cross country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a m ...
,
snowshoeing Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footw ...
, fatbiking, and
snowmobiling A snowmobile, also known as a snowmachine (chiefly Alaskan), motor sled (chiefly Canadian), motor sledge, skimobile, snow scooter, or simply a sled is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. Their engines normally ...
. A small part of the cross country ski trails are lit at night, providing night skiing. The southern side of the mountain is bordered by Muddy Mountain, which itself has many recreation opportunities. Summer activities on Casper Mountain include camping, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and picnicking. The Braille Trail is a short scenic hike meant for those who are blind, but catering to everyone. The trail celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2010, and was visited by about 2,000 people. The area around the trail has picnic sites, and is popular during the summer. The trail is accessible on a road near the base of Tower Hill. Along with the Braille Trail, Casper Mountain has many other hiking trails. At the base of the mountain's north side lies Garden Creek Falls. The Casper Rotary Club manages the trails around the area and, beginning in December 2010, started to renovate some of the trails in order to make them safer for hikers. The club planned to install low intensity lighting in the parking lot, powered by solar panels. Given concerns by residents near the parking lot, the project was discontinued. The mountain is also host to an annual summer-solstice gathering at Crimson Dawn. This event, based upon children's stories told by a local woman to her children in the 1930s and 1940s, has grown into a local tradition, with hundreds of families migrating up the mountain to see actors re-enact tales of witches and warlocks. Casper Mountain is also home to Beartrap Meadow, a large open space at the base of the road leading to the far east side of the mountain. Large parties have and continue to be held in the meadow. Beartrap Meadow also houses several campsites. Since 1994 Beartrap Meadow has hosted the Beartrap Summer Festival in late July or early August. It features bluegrass music and has included bands such as Ricky Skaggs, Earl Scruggs, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.


Wildlife

Wildlife on the mountain includes wild grouse, mule deer, and elk, among other species native to Wyoming. Mountain lions have also been spotted on the mountain. On the west flank of the mountain in Jackson canyon, one of the largest migratory populations of bald eagles in the world take shelter during certain times of year.


Climate


Broadcasting

All of Casper's high powered
television station A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the earth's s ...
s originate from towers on the mountain, as do a vast majority of the area's
FM radio FM broadcasting is a method of radio broadcasting that uses frequency modulation (FM) of the radio broadcast carrier wave. Invented in 1933 by American engineer Edwin Armstrong, wide-band FM is used worldwide to transmit high fidelity, high-f ...
signals. A cross country ski area cuts right through an area known as Tower Hill (see pictures), where many of the towers are located. Local, State and Federal agencies - BLM, Sheriff, Fire, EMS and Casper PD - operate sites on Casper mountain providing both analog and digital support for traditional radio systems as well as the WyoLink statewide trunking system. There are other commercial sites on the mountain as well, providing such services as wireless ISP and cell phones. Local
amateur radio Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency radio spectrum, spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emer ...
operators also take advantage of the mountain. One of the more heavily used amateur repeaters is operated by the Casper Amateur Radio Club - W7VNJ.


Fires

Although the mountain has seen its fair share of fires, in August 2006 a large wildfire known as the Jackson Canyon Fire burned 11,496 acres (40 km) on the western end of Casper Mountain, In September 2012, the Sheep Herder Complex fire burned 15,887 acres and consumed 37 residences and 23 outbuildings, according to
InciWeb InciWeb is an interagency all-risk incident web information management system provided by the United States Forest Service released in 2004. It was originally developed for wildland fire emergencies, but can be also used for other emergency inci ...
. The fire was 100 percent contained by September 16, 2012. The cause of the fire remains unknown, although it has been speculated to be human-caused.


References


External links


Casper Mountain Adventure GroupHogadon Ski Area official website
{{Commons Mountains of Wyoming Mountains of Natrona County, Wyoming Casper, Wyoming Braille trail sites