El Capitan is a mountain

summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used only for ...

in the

Bitterroot Range The Bitterroot Range is a mountain range and a subrange of the Rocky Mountains that runs along the border of Montana and Idaho in the northwestern United States. The range spans an area of and is named after the bitterroot (''Lewisia rediviva ...

of Montana. The peak is located in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness on land managed by the

Bitterroot National Forest Bitterroot National Forest comprises 1.587 million acres (6,423 km2) in west-central Montana and eastern Idaho of the United States. It is located primarily in Ravalli County, Montana (70.26% of the forest), but also has acreage in Idaho ...

. The summit lies 12 miles west of the town of

Darby, Montana Darby ( Salish: snk̓ʷɫxʷexʷem̓i, "Place Where They Would Lift Something") is a town in Ravalli County, Montana, United States. The population was 783 at the 2020 census. Darby is located near the southwestern border of Montana and Idaho, ...

, and three miles east of the Idaho–Montana border. The highest point of the Central Bitterroot Range is

line parent A peak's line parent is the closest higher peak on the highest ridge leading away from the peak's "key col". A col is the lowest point on the ridge between two summits and is roughly synonymous with pass, gap, saddle and notch. The highest col ...

Trapper Peak, 9.3 miles south-southeast.

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 ...

, the 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 characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and mild summers. Winter temperatures can drop below −10 °F with wind chill factors below −30 °F.

Gallery

File:SelwayBitterrootWilderness LonesomeBachelorAndElCapitan.jpg, The Lonesome Bachelor (left) and El Capitan (right) File:North face of El Capitan.jpg, North face of El Capitan

References

External links

* El Capitan (photo)
Flickr
Bitterroot Range Mountains of Montana Mountains of Ravalli County, Montana Two-thousanders of the United States Bitterroot National Forest {{RavalliCountyMT-geo-stub