Squaretop Mountain - Misplaced Pages

Mountain in the American state of Wyoming

Squaretop Mountain
Squaretop Mountain, northwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation	11,695 ft (3,565 m)
Prominence	655 ft (200 m)
Parent peak	Peak 11830
Isolation	2.17 mi (3.49 km)
Coordinates	43°13′25″N 109°47′27″W / 43.22361°N 109.79083°W / 43.22361; -109.79083
Geography
Squaretop MountainLocation in WyomingShow map of WyomingSquaretop MountainSquaretop Mountain (the United States)Show map of the United States
Location	Sublette County, Wyoming, U.S.
Parent range	Wind River Range
Topo map	USGS Squaretop Mountain
Geology
Rock type	Migmatite
Climbing
First ascent	< 1921 by William Stroud
Easiest route	class 2 hiking SE ledges

Squaretop Mountain is an 11,695-foot-elevation (3,565-meter) mountain summit located in Sublette County of Wyoming, United States.

Geography

The peak is the emblematic geographical feature of the remote Wind River Range and is set seven miles west of the Continental Divide. It is situated in the Bridger Wilderness on land managed by Bridger-Teton National Forest. Topographic relief is significant as the northeast aspect rises 3,700 feet (1,100 meters) above the Green River in one-half mile. The iconic view of Squaretop and Green River Lakes has been on the Wyoming license plate since 2016.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Squaretop Mountain is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers. Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains north into the Green River.

Climbing

The first ascent of Squaretop was made sometime before 1921 by William John Stroud (1854–1946), via the class 2 southeast ledges. Fred Beckey and Layton Kor climbed the Northeast Face in 1960.

Other established climbing routes on Squaretop's walls:

West Gully – 1937 – class 3 – H. H. Bliss
East Face Center – 1958 – (IV 5th) – Bill Byrd, Dave Dingman, Roland Wyatt
North Buttress – 1960 – (III 5.7) – Ed Cooper, Ron Niccoli
East Face Right – 1965 – (V 5.8) – Fred Beckey, Jerry Fuller
Southeast Face – 1971 – (II 5.6) – Vince Lee, E. Park, M. Stephens, C. Zukowski
West Couloir – 1972 – (II 5.5) – Vince Lee, Bo Beckham, Greg Smith
West Face Dihedral – 1974 – (V 5.10) – Greg Lowe, Jeff Lowe, Kent Christensen
East Face Left – 1984 – (V 5.10d) – Jeff Lowe, Renato Casarotto
West Face Right – 1992 – (IV 5.9 A2) – Scott Cole, John Malken
AC/DC – 1998 – (IV 5.10) – Andy Carson, Dan Carson
Miscreant Line and Conveyor Belt (East Face) – 2001 – (V 5.10d) – Tod Anderson, Skyler Crane, James Donnell, Ernest Moskovics
Marginally Orange – 2009 – (IV 5.10) Norm Goltra, Steve Walker

Hazards

Main articles: Hazards of outdoor recreation and Mountaineering § Hazards

Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range. There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures.

Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths, due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain) and due to falling rocks, over the years, including 1993, 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader), 2015 and 2018. Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain in 2005, and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue. The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.

Gallery

from Green River Lakes
from Green River Lakes with White Rock on left, "Tabletop" on right
from Green River Lakes
from Green River Lakes
2020 Wyoming license plate featuring Squaretop Mountain with Green River Lakes
White Rock (left), Squaretop Mountain (right) reflected in Green River Lakes.
White Rock is a dolomite and limestone cliff that rises 3,300 feet above the lake.