View source for Mount Peale

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{short description|Mountain in Utah, United States}}
{{Infobox mountain
 | name = Mount Peale
 | photo = Mount Peale north face.jpg
 | photo_caption = The north face of Mount Peale, as seen from the summit of [[Mount Mellenthin]]
 | elevation_ft = 12726
 | elevation_ref = {{NAVD88}}<ref name="ngs">{{cite ngs |id=JM0496 |name=Mount Peale |accessdate=2016-04-18}}</ref>
 | prominence_ft = 6161
 | prominence_ref = <ref name="pb">{{cite peakbagger |pid=3879 |name=Mount Peale, Utah |access-date=2012-05-05}}</ref>
 | listing = {{unbulleted list
  | [[List of the most prominent summits of the United States|US most prominent peaks]] 56th
  | Utah County High Points 3rd<ref name="pbl">{{cite peakbagger |lid=13209 |title=Utah County High Points |access-date=2016-04-21}}</ref>
  }}
 | label = Mount<br>Peale
 | label_position = left
 | map = USA Utah
 | map_caption = Location in Utah
 | map_size = 210
 | location = [[San Juan County, Utah|San Juan County]], [[Utah|Utah, U.S.]]
 | range = [[La Sal Mountains]]
 | coordinates = {{coord|38.4384643|N|109.229186525|W|type:mountain_region:US-UT_scale:100000_source:NGS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
 | coords_ref = <ref name="ngs"/>
 | range_coordinates = 
 | topo = [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] Mount Peale (UT)
 | first_ascent = 
 | easiest_route = La Sal Pass Route: 2.5 mile [[hiking|hike]]/[[scrambling|scramble]]
}}

'''Mount Peale''' is the highest point in the [[La Sal Range|La Sal Mountains]] of [[San Juan County, Utah|San Juan County]], in the southeastern part of [[Utah]], [[United States]]. It is also the highest point in Utah outside the [[Uinta Mountains]].<ref>{{cite peakbagger |lid=21350 |title=Utah 12,000-foot Peaks |access-date=2012-05-05}}</ref><ref name="summitpost">{{cite summitpost |id=150468 |name=Mount Peale |accessdate=2012-05-05}}</ref> It is located about {{convert|20|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Moab, Utah|Moab]]. The summit is the highest point in the [[Manti-La Sal National Forest]] and the Mount Peale [[Research Natural Area]]. Mount Peale was named for [[Albert Charles Peale|Albert Peale]], a mineralogist on the [[Hayden Survey]] of 1875.<ref name="summitpost"/>

The La Sal Mountains sit on the arid [[Colorado Plateau]], near such famous desert landmarks as [[Canyonlands National Park]] and [[Arches National Park]]. However, due to their height, the La Sals are heavily forested and usually snow-capped until early summer (there is one snowfield on the north side that usually lasts year round).<ref name="kelsey">Michael R. Kelsey, ''Guide to the World's Mountains'' (third edition), Kelsey Publishing, 1996, {{ISBN|0-944510-02-7}}, pp. 682–683.</ref> Mount Peale can be seen on a clear day from the [[Wasatch Plateau]] of central Utah, near [[Orangeville, Utah|Orangeville]], over {{convert|115|mi|km|-1}} away.

Mount Peale can be accessed from various directions, but is most commonly climbed from the area of La Sal Pass, {{convert|10125|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}, about {{convert|3|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} to the southwest of the peak. La Sal Pass is accessed from the southeast via a graded gravel road. From the pass, the summit is obtained by a short but steep off-trail hike of about {{convert|2.5|mi|km|1|abbr=on}} with about {{convert|2600|ft|m|-2|abbr=on}} of elevation gain. The route often involves some travel on snow, even in summer.<ref name="summitpost"/><ref name="kelsey"/>

==Climate==
Mount Peale has an alpine dry-summer [[subarctic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Dsc]]) with cold, snowy winters with temperatures under freezing all day, and mild and moderately rainy summers with cool nights. The large amount of rain for Utah, as well as the cold overall temperatures are a result of the mountain's altitude of over 12000 ft. 
Due to the cold climate, temperatures aren't consistently above freezing until July, and snow often remains on the mountain until then. 
{{Weather box
|location = Mount Peale 38.4436 N, 109.2271 W, Elevation: {{cvt|12093|ft}} (1991–2020 normals)
|single line = y

|Jan high F = 27.4
|Feb high F = 26.7
|Mar high F = 31.9
|Apr high F = 37.8
|May high F = 46.9
|Jun high F = 59.0
|Jul high F = 64.7
|Aug high F = 62.5
|Sep high F = 54.9
|Oct high F = 43.7
|Nov high F = 33.3
|Dec high F = 27.2

|Jan mean F = 16.2
|Feb mean F = 15.4
|Mar mean F = 20.1
|Apr mean F = 25.2
|May mean F = 34.0
|Jun mean F = 45.0
|Jul mean F = 51.2
|Aug mean F = 49.5
|Sep mean F = 42.4
|Oct mean F = 32.1
|Nov mean F = 22.7
|Dec mean F = 16.4

|Jan low F = 5.1
|Feb low F = 4.2
|Mar low F = 8.3
|Apr low F = 12.6
|May low F = 21.2
|Jun low F = 31.1
|Jul low F = 37.7
|Aug low F = 36.5
|Sep low F = 29.9
|Oct low F = 20.5
|Nov low F = 12.1
|Dec low F = 5.6

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 4.16
|Feb precipitation inch = 4.26
|Mar precipitation inch = 5.12
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.31
|May precipitation inch = 2.93
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.31
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.28
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.65
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.42
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.72
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.74
|Dec precipitation inch = 4.15

|source=PRISM Climate Group<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/
|title= PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University
|publisher= PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University
|access-date= October 2, 2023
|quote= To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clicking ''Coordinates'' (under ''Location''); copy ''Latitude'' and ''Longitude figures'' from top of table; click ''Zoom to location''; click ''Precipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp''; click ''30-year normals, 1991-2020''; click ''800m''; click ''Retrieve Time Series'' button.}}</ref>
}}

==See also==
* [[List of Ultras of the United States]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Mount Peale}}


{{US prominent |state=collapsed}}


[[Category:Mountains of Utah|Peale]]
[[Category:Mountains of San Juan County, Utah]]
[[Category:Manti-La Sal National Forest]]