Double Peak is a prominent 6,818 foot (2,078 meter) mountain summit located in

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a List of national parks of the United States, United States national park and National preserve, preserve in southwest Alaska, about southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage. The park was first proclai ...

, in the

Chigmit Mountains The Chigmit Mountains are a subrange of the Aleutian Range in the Kenai Peninsula and Lake and Peninsula Boroughs of the U.S. state of Alaska. Location They are located at the northeastern end of the Aleutian range, on the west side of Cook Inl ...

of the

Aleutian Range The Aleutian Range is a major mountain range located in southwest Alaska. It extends from Chakachamna Lake (80 miles/130 km southwest of Anchorage) to Unimak Island, which is at the tip of the Alaska Peninsula. It includes all of the mountain ...

, in the US state of

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

. It is the highest non-volcanic peak in the Chigmit Mountains, and third-highest overall. The mountain is situated immediately north of Double Glacier, west-southwest of

Anchorage Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolita ...

, and north-northeast of Redoubt Volcano, which is the nearest higher peak. Although modest in elevation,

relief Relief is a sculpture, sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''wikt:relief, relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give ...

is significant since the mountain rises up from tidewater at Cook Inlet in about 20 miles, and it ranks 71st in

prominence In topography, prominence or relative height (also referred to as autonomous height, and shoulder drop in US English, and drop in British English) measures the height of a mountain or hill's summit relative to the lowest contour line encircling ...

for all peaks in Alaska. Double Peak was considered to be a volcano by the

International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

in 1973, but subsequent reconnaissance mapping indicates the peak is likely made of

plutonic rock Intrusive rock is formed when magma penetrates existing rock, crystallizes, and solidifies underground to form ''intrusions'', such as batholiths, dikes, sills, laccoliths, and volcanic necks.Intrusive RocksIntrusive rocks accessdate: March ...

s of

Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately 143.1 Mya. ...

age. Published in 1912 by the

United States Coast and Geodetic Survey The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey ( USC&GS; known as the Survey of the Coast from 1807 to 1836, and as the United States Coast Survey from 1836 until 1878) was the first scientific agency of the Federal government of the United State ...

, the mountain takes its name from the Double Glacier which the peak overlooks. The

first ascent In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in climbing guidebook, guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers a ...

of the mountain was made May 19, 1973, by Steve Hackett, John Samuelson, Helmut Tschaffert, Toby Wheeler, Daniel Hurd, and Daniel Jones via the steep northwest snow face.North America, United States, Alaska, Redoubt Volcano to Double Peak, Chigmit Ski Traverse, American Alpine Journal, 1974
/ref> The months May through June offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing the peak.

Climate

Based on the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, Double Peak is located in a

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...

zone, with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool summers. Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into

Cook Inlet Cook Inlet (; Sugpiaq language, Sugpiaq: ''Cungaaciq'') stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding ...

via Big River.

References

{{reflist

External links

* Account of first ascent
Americanalpineclub.org
Aleutian Range Mountains of Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Two-thousanders of the United States

Climate

See also

References

External links