| Mount Saint Nicholas | |
|---|---|
August 2009 |
|
| Elevation | 9,376 ft (2,858 m) |
| Prominence | 2,569 ft (783 m) |
| Location | |
| Location | Glacier National Park, Flathead County, Montana, USA |
| Range | Lewis Range |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1926 by Conrad Wellen |
| Easiest route | Northeast Ridge: technical rock climb |
Mount Saint Nicholas is a peak in the remote southwestern section of Glacier National Park, in Montana, United States. It is a particularly steep, pointed rock pinnacle, and its distinctive profile is visible from many summits in the southern half of the park. Because even its easiest ascent route is technical, with poor rock quality, it is "considered the most dangerous and difficult mountain for climbers in Glacier National Park." [1]
Mount Saint Nicholas excels in terms of steep vertical relief, even by the high standards prevalent in Glacier National Park. For example, its northwest face rises one vertical mile (5,280 ft/1,609 m) in approximately 1.5 horizontal miles (7,920 ft/2.4 km). Due to its pointed shape and isolation from the Continental Divide, it has similarly precipitous drops in all directions.
In 1926, Reverend Conrad Wellen, of Havre, Montana, made the first ascent of Mount Saint Nicholas. This was a significant achievement, since the mountain had been considered by many to be unclimbable. (Edwards 1995:42) The standard route is the Northeast Ridge. Starting from the east side of the peak, this route begins with a straightforward scramble up a gully to a prominent notch. From the notch a thousand vertical feet of somewhat technical climbing remain. (Edwards 1995:337)