Eagle Peak is a
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
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 ...
, located in
Chugach State Park
Chugach State Park covers 495,204 acres (2,004 square kilometers) covering a hilly region immediately east of Anchorage, in south-central Alaska.
Established by legislation signed into law on August 6, 1970, by Alaska Governor Keith Harvey Mi ...
in
Anchorage Municipality
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 metropolitan a ...
. The peak is named after the
Eagle River. On clear days, the peak is visible from Anchorage.
Location
The peak is situated at the head of South Fork Eagle River Valley, east of downtown Anchorage, and stands out as the highest summit along a long ridgeline that includes Flute Peak (6610 ft.) and Hurdygurdy Mountain (5965 ft.) Towering above Eagle Lake, Flute Glacier, and Eagle River Valley, Eagle Peak is one of several imposing peaks in the immediate area over 6000 feet.
Topography
Starting from a base elevation on the Eastern side of approximately 700 ft., Eagle Peak climbs to its 6955 ft. summit in little more than a mile and a half. Aerially it resembles a three-sided pyramid, with ridges connecting from the Northwest and South. All sides feature extensive cliff banding, with a prominent series of cliffs on the Northern face that climb nearly 3000 vertical feet.
Terrain
Beginning at approximately 1000 ft., Eagle Peak becomes a predominantly alpine zone, characterized by extremely scant vegetation, a variety of
lichens
A lichen ( , ) is a hybrid colony (biology), colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among hypha, filaments of multiple fungus species, along with yeasts and bacteria embedded in the cortex or "skin", in a mutualism (biology), m ...
, snow pack (including year-round snowfields), and a large amount of bare, and often loose, rock.
Wildlife
Like many Alaskan mountains, Eagle Peak may be frequented by
ptarmigan
''Lagopus'' is a genus of birds in the grouse subfamily commonly known as ptarmigans (). The genus contains four living species with numerous described subspecies, all living in tundra or cold upland areas.
Taxonomy and etymology
The genus ''L ...
, Dahl sheep,
mountain goats
The mountain goat (''Oreamnos americanus''), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is a cloven-footed mammal that is endemic to the remote and rugged mountainous areas of western North America. A subalpine to truly alpine species, it is a ...
, and other alpine animals. Despite the lack of vegetation, a variety of insects thrive at high elevations throughout Alaska. Overhead, one may spot a
hawk
Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are very widely distributed and are found on all continents, except Antarctica.
The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and others. This ...
or
eagle
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
.
Gallery
File:Eagle Peak. Chugach State Park, Chugach Mountains, Alaska (27829537851).jpg, Eagle Peak
References
{{reflist
Two-thousanders of the United States
Mountains of Anchorage, Alaska