Sentinel Mesa

Sentinel Mesa is a summit in San Juan County, Utah, United States. It is situated north of the Monument Valley visitor center on Navajo Nation land and can be seen from Highway 163. The mesa is immediately northwest of the iconic West and East Mitten Buttes. The nearest higher neighbor is Brighams Tomb, to the north-northeast. Precipitation runoff from this mesa's west slope drains to Mitchell Butte Wash, whereas the east slope drains to West Gypsum Creek, which are both part of the San Juan River drainage basin. The "Sentinel" name refers to how the mesa oversees Monument Valley which the Navajo consider as one of the " door posts" to Monument Valley. The landform's toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.

Geology

Sentinel Mesa is a mesa composed of three principal strata. The bottom layer is Organ Rock Shale, the next stratum is De Chelly Sandstone, and the upper layer is Moenkopi Formation capped by Shinarump Conglomerate. The rock ranges in age from Permian at the bottom to Late Triassic at the top. The buttes and mesas of Monument Valley are the result of the Organ Rock Shale being more easily eroded than the overlaying sandstone.

Climate

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Sentinel Mesa. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers. Summers average 54 days above annually, and highs rarely exceed . Summer nights are comfortably cool, and temperatures drop quickly after sunset. Winters are cold, but daytime highs are usually above freezing. Winter temperatures below are uncommon, though possible. This desert climate receives less than of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.Climate Summary for Kayenta, Arizona
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Gallery

File:Sentinel Mesa from Main Monument Valley Road, Oljato-Monument Valley, AZ.jpg, West aspect
File:Sentinel Butte and West Mitten Butte (45819382014).jpg, Sentinel Mesa (left) and West Mitten Butte (right)
File:Sentinel Mesa, Oljato-Monument Valley, AZ.jpg, West aspect of Sentinel Mesa, with Big Indian to left
File:Sentinel Mesa, Monument Valley.jpg, South aspect viewed from Monument Valley Visitors Center
File:Sunrise at Monument Valley.jpg, Sunrise on Sentinel Mesa
File:Sentinel Mesa in Monument Valley, AZ.jpg, Southwest aspect
File:Monument Valley 2004 10.jpg, South aspect
File:Over Monument Valley, Navajo Nation - 3814248279.jpg, Aerial view, northeast aspect
File:Over Monument Valley, Navajo Nation - 3815057924.jpg, Aerial view, north aspect
File:Over Monument Valley, Navajo Nation - 3814238915.jpg, Aerial view, east aspect
File:Monument Valley 15.jpg, Sentinel Mesa and West Mitten Butte
File:Monument Valley, Arizona, US - panoramio (5).jpg, South aspect viewed from Monument Valley Visitors Center
File:John Ford Point in Monument Valley.jpg, Sentinel Mesa (left) viewed from John Ford Point
File:2011-MonumentValley-panoram.jpg, Sentinel Mesa centered in the distance
File:Monument Valley Panorama.jpg, Sentinel Mesa to the left

See also

* List of appearances of Monument Valley in the media

References

External links

* Weather forecast
Sentinel Mesa

{{Portal bar, Geography, Geology, Utah

Colorado Plateau
Landforms of San Juan County, Utah
One-thousanders of the United States
Geography of the Navajo Nation
Sandstone formations of the United States