Mount McCaleb is an 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 ...

located in Custer County,

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

, United States.

Description

Mount McCaleb ranks as the 33rd-highest peak in Idaho and is part of the

Lost River Range The Lost River Range is a high mountain range of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle di ...

which is a subset of the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

. The mountain is set on land managed by Salmon–Challis National Forest and the peak overlooks the town of

Mackay Mackay may refer to: *Clan Mackay, the Scottish clan from which the surname "MacKay" derives Mackay may also refer to: Places Australia * Mackay Region, a local government area ** Mackay, Queensland, a city in the above region *** Mackay Airport ...

which is situated 6.5 miles south of the peak. Neighbors include

Mount Breitenbach Mount Breitenbach, at above sea level, is the fifth-highest peak in the U.S. state of Idaho and the fourth-highest in the Lost River Range. The peak is located in Salmon-Challis National Forest in Custer County, Idaho, Custer County. It is eas ...

, 6.6 miles to the northwest,

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 ...

USGS Peak USGS Peak, at above sea level, is the eleventh-highest peak in the U.S. state of Idaho and the ninth-highest in the Lost River Range. The peak is located in Salmon-Challis National Forest in Custer County. It is northeast of Mount McCaleb a ...

1.6 mile to the northeast, and

Borah Peak Borah Peak, also known as Mount Borah or Beauty Peak, is a mountain in the western United States and the highest summit in Idaho. One of the most prominent peaks in the contiguous United States, it is located in the central section of the Lost ...

, the highest peak in Idaho, is 13 miles to the northwest. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's slopes drains to

Big Lost River The Big Lost River is a major river in the U.S. state of Idaho, about long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 4, 2011 Description The river starts in the Rocky Mounta ...

Topographic relief Terrain (), alternatively relief or topographical relief, is the dimension and shape of a given surface of land. In physical geography, terrain is the lay of the land. This is usually expressed in terms of the elevation, slope, and orientati ...

is significant as the summit rises above Big Lost River Valley in three miles.

Etymology

This mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the

United States Board on Geographic Names The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is a Federal government of the United States, federal body operating under the United States Secretary of the Interior. The purpose of the board is to establish and maintain uniform usage of geogr ...

. The name honors Jesse McCaleb (1837–1878), heroic pioneer, merchant from Challis, and business associate of

George L. Shoup George Laird Shoup (June 15, 1836December 21, 1904) was an American politician who served as the first governor of Idaho, in addition to its last territorial governor. He served several months after statehood in 1890 and then became one of the s ...

. Jesse McCaleb was killed August 11, 1878, during an attack by Indians north of Mackay below this mountain which now bears his name.''History of Idaho Territory'', 1884, Wallace W. Elliott & Co., p. 250

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 ...

, Mt. McCaleb is located in an alpine

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 to warm summers. Winter temperatures can drop below −10 °F with wind chill factors below −30 °F.

Gallery

File:Lost River Range, BLM Challis Field Office (23056283483).jpg, West aspect File:Mt McCaleb (23056295593).jpg, South aspect File:Lost River Range, BLM Challis Field Office (23657259206).jpg, Mt. McCaleb to the right File:Mississipian Limestone Mackay Blaze Canyon (23657287346).jpg, Mt. McCaleb in the distance File:Mount McCaleb, Big Lost River.jpg, Mount McCaleb and Big Lost River Valley File:Mt. McCaleb.jpg, Mt. McCaleb

Description

Etymology

Climate

Gallery

See also

References

External links