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The Glass Mountain is a geologic feature in Lower Cathedral Valley of Capitol Reef National Park consisting of large
*
Cathedral Valley
National Park Service
selenite
Selenite may refer to:
Substances containing selenium
*A selenium-containing anion or ionic compound with the SeO32− anion:
**Selenite (ion), anion is a selenium oxoanion with the chemical formula SeO32−
***Selenous acid, the conjugate acid, w ...
(gypsum
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard or sidewalk chalk, and drywall. ...
) crystals forming a mound or plug 15 feet high. Gypsum was deposited as sea water evaporated 165 million years ago and then buried under other sediments. The gypsum migrated upwards through fractures in the sediments forming layers and, very rarely, domes like the Glass Mountain. There is only one exposed selenite plug within the park and one other just outside which has been reduced to ground level by collectors.
Climate
Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Glass Mountain. According to theKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, it is located in a Cold semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below 32 °F (0 °C), and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.
See also
* Geology of the Capitol Reef area
The exposed geology of the Capitol Reef area presents a record of mostly Mesozoic-aged sedimentation in an area of North America in and around Capitol Reef National Park, on the Colorado Plateau in southeastern Utah.
Nearly 10,000 feet (3, ...
External links
* Weather ForecastCathedral Valley
National Park Service
References
* http://geology.utah.gov/surveynotes/geosights/cathedralvalley.htm Capitol Reef National Park Geology of Utah {{Utah-geo-stub