Mount Saint Nicholas
Mount Saint Nicholas is a peak in the remote southwestern section of Glacier National Park, in Montana. 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."[3]:335
| Mount Saint Nicholas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 9,381 ft (2,859 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 2,456 ft (749 m) [1] |
| Coordinates | 48°23′30″N 113°33′01″W [2] |
| Geography | |
  Mount St Nicholas | |
| Parent range | Lewis Range |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1926 by Conrad Wellen |
| Easiest route | Northeast Ridge: technical rock climb |
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. The mountain had previously been considered by many to be unclimbable.[3]: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.[3]:337
References
- "Mount Saint Nicholas, Montana". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
- "Mount Saint Nicholas". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2013-01-20.
- Edwards, J. Gordon (1995). A Climber's Guide to Glacier National Park. Falcon Press.