Mount Alpenglow is a landmark mountain located in the Kenai Mountains, in the U.S. state of

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

. The peak is situated in

Chugach National Forest The Chugach National Forest is a United States National Forest in south central Alaska. Covering portions of Prince William Sound, the Kenai Peninsula and the Copper River Delta, it was formed in 1907 from part of a larger forest reserve. The Ch ...

, southwest of

Girdwood, Alaska Girdwood is a resort town within the southern extent of the Municipality of Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska. Located near the end of the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet, Girdwood lies in a valley in the southwestern Chugach Mountains, surrounde ...

, on the south shore of Turnagain Arm, opposite Bird Point from where it can be prominently seen from the

Seward Highway The Seward Highway is a highway in the U.S. state of Alaska that extends from Seward to Anchorage. It was completed in 1951 and runs through the scenic Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest, Turnagain Arm, and Kenai Mountains. The Seward H ...

and the

Alaska Railroad Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

. Mount Alpenglow is the highest peak alongside Turnagain Arm, and although modest in elevation,

relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...

is significant since the northern aspect of the mountain rises nearly a vertical mile in only one mile from the sea-level shores. The summit of

Penguin Peak Penguin Peak is a mountain summit located in the Chugach Mountains, in Anchorage Municipality, Alaska, Anchorage Municipality in the U.S. state of Alaska. The peak is situated in Chugach State Park, southeast of downtown Anchorage, and east of ...

offers another good view of Alpenglow directly across the arm. The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1969 by the

United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...

. The mountain was so named since it often displays the post-sunset pink glow known as

alpenglow Alpenglow (from german: Alpenglühen, lit=Alps glow; it, enrosadira) is an optical phenomenon that appears as a horizontal reddish glow near the horizon opposite to the Sun when the solar disk is just below the horizon. Description Strictl ...

for travelers on the Seward Highway and skiers at Alyeska Resort.

Climate

Based on the

Köppen 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 ...

, Mount Alpenglow is located in a

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, ge ...

zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. May and June are the best months for climbing in terms of catching favorable weather. Mount Alpenglow from Alyeska Ski Resort

References

{{reflist

External links

* Local weather
NOAA Girdwood, AK
* Weather forecast
Mount Alpenglow
Chugach Mountains and Kenai Mountains from Bird Point

Alpenglow Alpenglow (from german: Alpenglühen, lit=Alps glow; it, enrosadira) is an optical phenomenon that appears as a horizontal reddish glow near the horizon opposite to the Sun when the solar disk is just below the horizon. Description Strictl ...

Climate

See also

References

External links