| Rainbow Mountain | |
|---|---|
 East aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,811 ft (2,076 m) |
| Prominence | 240 ft (73 m) |
| Isolation | 0.39 mi (0.63 km) |
| Coordinates | 36°06′29″N 115°29′25″W / 36.1080189°N 115.4902738°W / 36.1080189; -115.4902738 |
| Geography | |
  Rainbow MountainLocation in NevadaShow map of Nevada Rainbow MountainRainbow Mountain (the United States)Show map of the United States
| |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| County | Clark |
| Protected area | Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Rainbow Mountain Wilderness |
| Parent range | Spring Mountains Great Basin Ranges |
| Topo map | USGS Blue Diamond |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | Early Jurassic |
| Rock type | Aztec Sandstone |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | class 3 scrambling |
Rainbow Mountain is a 6,811-foot-elevation (2,076-meter) mountain summit in Clark County, Nevada, United States.
Description
Rainbow Mountain is located 17 miles (27 km) west of downtown Las Vegas in the Spring Mountains which are a subrange of the Great Basin Ranges. It is set on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management as the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, part of the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness Area. The peak is 0.62 miles (1.00 km) immediately north of Mount Wilson. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's slopes drains north into Red Rock Wash and south into Oak Creek. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2,500 feet (762 meters) above Oak Creek Canyon in less than one-half mile (0.8 km). This mountain's descriptive toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Climate
Rainbow Mountain is set within the Mojave Desert which has hot summers and cold winters. The desert is an example of a cold desert climate as the desert's elevation makes temperatures cooler than lower elevation deserts. Due to the high elevation and aridity, temperatures drop sharply after sunset. Summer nights are comfortably cool. Winter highs are generally above freezing, and winter nights are bitterly cold, with temperatures often dropping well below freezing.
Geology
Rainbow Mountain is composed of Aztec Sandstone which formed about 180–190 million years ago as lithified sand dunes in a desert during the Early Jurassic. The red, orange, and brown coloring of the sandstone is caused by the presence of iron oxide or hematite. Red spots in the buff sandstone are iron oxide concretions called "Moqui marbles."
Climbing routes
Established rock climbing routes
- Beelzebub – class 5.11b – First Ascent 2012
- Rockingstone Groove – class 5.9+
- The Growler – class 5.9+ – FA 2013
- Tickled Pink – class 5.11a
- Pure Snark – class 5.10b – FA 2021
- Wise Guys Off Size – class 5.10c – FA 1973
- Solar Slab – class 5.6 – FA 1975
See also
Gallery
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Mount Wilson (left) and Rainbow Mountain (right)
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Rainbow Mountain (centered) at sunrise
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Southeast aspect
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Rainbow Mountain viewed from Mount Wilson
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References
- ^ "Rainbow Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ "Rainbow Mountain - 6,820' NV". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ^ "Rainbow Mountain, Nevada". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.
- Geology Highlights, Southern Nevada Conservancy, Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- Rainbow Mountain - East Face Rock Climbing, Mountainproject.com, Retrieved 2024-06-17.
External links
- Rainbow Mountain Classic Climbs: Mountainproject.com
| Places adjacent to Rainbow Mountain (Clark County, Nevada) | ||||||||||||||||
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Rainbow Mountain
