Mount Baldy (Arizona)

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Mount Baldy

Mount Baldy from a US Forest Service webcam
Elevation 11,409 ft (3,477 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence 4,723 ft (1,440 m)[2]
Location
Location Apache County, Arizona, U.S.
Range White Mountains
Coordinates 33°54′21″N 109°33′45″W / 33.905940617°N 109.562632281°W / 33.905940617; -109.562632281Coordinates: 33°54′21″N 109°33′45″W / 33.905940617°N 109.562632281°W / 33.905940617; -109.562632281[1]
Topo map USGS Mount Baldy (AZ)

Mount Baldy (Western Apache: Dził Łigai White Mountain[3][4]) is a mountain in northeastern Arizona in the United States. It is the highest point in the White Mountains and Apache County.[2] It is the fifth highest point in the state, and the highest outside the San Francisco Peaks in the Flagstaff area.[5] With a summit elevation of 11,409 feet (3,477 m), the peak of Mount Baldy rises above the tree line and is left largely bare of vegetation, lending the mountain its current name.[6]

The summit of Mount Baldy is within the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and is off-limits to hikers without permission. An unnamed sub-peak with an elevation of 10,890 feet (3,319 m) exists approximately 0.5 miles (0.8 km) to the north of the summit that is off reservation and accessible to the public via maintained trail.[7][8]

Mount Baldy is one of the most sacred mountains to the Apache of Arizona. The Western Apache of Arizona inhabited the areas within their most four sacred mountain ranges: the White Mountains of Eastern Arizona, the Pinaleno Mountains near the town of Safford in southeastern Arizona, the Four Peaks near the City of Phoenix and the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff.

When Captain George M. Wheeler visited the mountaintop in 1873, he described the view as "The most magnificent and effective of any among the large number that have come under my observation". Wheeler named the mountain Mount Thomas after General Lorenzo Thomas, who fought in the Mexican–American War. It later became Mount Baldy.[9] The name Mount Thomas has been assigned to a nearby peak by the U.S. Geological Survey.[10]

Mount Baldy also contains the headwaters of the Salt River and produces the most abundant trout fishing streams in Arizona. No other mountain in Arizona produces as many rivers and streams. Along its slope are numerous man made lakes. The area around Mount Baldy also averages the most abundant precipitation in Arizona. Wildlife is abundant on the mountain and includes the recently introduced Mexican Grey Wolf.

While looking northeast from Historic Fort Apache (elevation 5,290 ft) Mount Baldy rises 6,130 ft in elevation.

Climate

Climate data for Mount Baldy, Arizona (Station Elevation 9,370ft)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 58
(14)		 58
(14)		 59
(15)		 68
(20)		 75
(24)		 83
(28)		 80
(27)		 79
(26)		 75
(24)		 75
(24)		 65
(18)		 60
(16)		 83
(28)
Average high °F (°C) 37.9
(3.3)		 39.3
(4.1)		 41.9
(5.5)		 49.6
(9.8)		 60.4
(15.8)		 68.8
(20.4)		 69.6
(20.9)		 67.7
(19.8)		 64.7
(18.2)		 57.1
(13.9)		 45.9
(7.7)		 40.3
(4.6)		 53.6
(12)
Average low °F (°C) 9.2
(−12.7)		 10.0
(−12.2)		 16.1
(−8.8)		 21.4
(−5.9)		 27.7
(−2.4)		 35.6
(2)		 40.8
(4.9)		 37.5
(3.1)		 34.0
(1.1)		 26.9
(−2.8)		 17.3
(−8.2)		 11.9
(−11.2)		 24.0
(−4.4)
Record low °F (°C) −26
(−32)		 −19
(−28)		 −9
(−23)		 −9
(−23)		 9
(−13)		 16
(−9)		 28
(−2)		 27
(−3)		 19
(−7)		 −5
(−21)		 −16
(−27)		 −20
(−29)		 −26
(−32)
Precipitation inches (mm) 3.10
(78.7)		 2.76
(70.1)		 4.09
(103.9)		 1.45
(36.8)		 0.82
(20.8)		 0.90
(22.9)		 4.85
(123.2)		 4.20
(106.7)		 2.84
(72.1)		 2.08
(52.8)		 1.68
(42.7)		 2.68
(68.1)		 31.47
(799.3)
Snowfall inches (cm) 40.4
(102.6)		 37.5
(95.3)		 42.9
(109)		 16.0
(40.6)		 2.8
(7.1)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0.1
(0.3)		 3.1
(7.9)		 15.7
(39.9)		 29.4
(74.7)		 188.0
(477.5)
Source: The Western Regional Climate Center[11]


View from the summit of Mount Baldy, looking west

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Baldy". NGS data sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. Retrieved 2014-02-06. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Mount Baldy, Arizona". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2014-02-06. 
  3. ↑ Green, Stewart M (2003). Scenic Driving Arizona. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press. p. 133. ISBN 978-0762758036. 
  4. ↑ McNamee, George (December 2000). "In High Spirits". Backpacker: 126, 136. 
  5. ↑ "Arizona 10,000-foot Peaks". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2014-02-06. 
  6. ↑ Deforest, Lisa. "Sheep Crossing Trail". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2014-02-06. 
  7. ↑ "West Baldy Trail". White Mountains Online. 
  8. ↑ "Springerville Ranger District Trail Guide". Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. p. 18. Retrieved 2014-02-06. 
  9. ↑ Byrd H. Granger (1960). Arizona Place Names. University of Arizona Press. p. 3. 
  10. ↑ "Mount Thomas". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2014-02-06. 
  11. ↑ "Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved April 13, 2013. 
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