Virginia Peak (Alaska) - Misplaced Pages

Mountain in Alaska, United States

Virginia Peak
Northeast aspect
Highest point
Elevation	3,760 ft (1,146 m)
Prominence	1,010 ft (308 m)
Parent peak	Helen Peak
Isolation	2.48 mi (3.99 km)
Coordinates	56°13′31″N 132°26′49″W / 56.2254046°N 132.4470205°W / 56.2254046; -132.4470205
Geography
Virginia PeakLocation of Virginia Peak in Alaska
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Borough	Wrangell
Protected area	Tongass National Forest
Parent range	Alexander Archipelago
Topo map	USGS Petersburg A-2

Virginia Peak is a 3,760-foot (1,146 m) mountain summit in Alaska, United States. The peak is located 17 miles (27 km) south-southwest of Wrangell in Tongass National Forest on Etolin Island. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's slopes drains to Anita Bay and Zimovia Strait. Although modest in elevation, topographic relief is significant as the summit rises from sea-level at Anita Bay in 1.3 miles (2.1 km). The mountain was named in 1886 by US Navy Lieutenant Commander Albert Sydney Snow in command of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey steamer Patterson, and the toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names. Virginia Peak is the southernmost peak of the "Three Sisters" along with Helen Peak (3,856 ft) and Bessie Peak (3,915 ft).

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Virginia Peak is located in a subpolar oceanic zone with mild and rainy summers with cool nights. Winters are moderately cold, though not very cold by Alaskan standards. Winter temperatures can drop below 20 °F with wind chill factors below 10 °F. The months of May and June offer the most favorable weather for viewing and climbing this mountain.

References

^ "Virginia Peak - 3,760' AK". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
^ "Virginia Peak, Alaska". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
^ "Virginia Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
Donald J. Orth, Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1967, p. 1022.
Tongass National Forest (N.F.), King George Timber Sale: Environmental Impact Statement, US Forest Service, 1996, Chapter 3, page 11.
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.