Muddy Mountain is a peak in the Laramie Mountains approximately 12 miles (19 km) south-south-east of Casper, Wyoming. There is a two-mile (3.2 km) "interpretive nature trail" maintained by the Bureau of Land Management, as well as a series of trails popular with mountain bikers, horseback riders, and ATVs in the summer, and snowmobiles in the winter.[1]
| Muddy Mountain | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 8287 ft (2527 m) |
| Coordinates | 42°40′55″N 106°16′16″W / 42.68187°N 106.27104°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Natrona County, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Parent range | Laramie Mountains |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | County Road 505 |
In May 2024, the Federal Highway Administration began to improve the access road to the mountain, which was previously a graded dirt road. Natrona County and the Bureau of Land Management assisted with improving the road by paving it and creating more day-use parking. [2] The project included upgrades to Casper Mountain Circle Drive, of which 2.3 miles (4 km) was previously unpaved. On Muddy Mountain itself, 7 miles (11 km) of road was paved. The project is expected to be complete by the fall of 2024.[3]
Climate
editThe summit of Muddy Mountain has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb). However, it could be classified as a subalpine climate (Köppen Dfc), with September only just averaging over 10°C, making there four months with an average temperature of 10°C or more. For a climate to be classified as subarctic/subalpine, it must have an average temperature of at least 10°C for one month but no more than three months, whereas humid continental climates have four or more months. Muddy Mountain is within the 5a USDA Hardiness Zone (-20°F to -15°F).[4]
There is no weather station at the summit, but this climate table contains interpolated data for an area around the summit.
| Climate data for Muddy Mountain 42.6756 N, 106.2576 W, Elevation: 8,199 ft (2,499 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 26.4 (−3.1) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
37.2 (2.9) |
44.2 (6.8) |
53.8 (12.1) |
66.1 (18.9) |
75.5 (24.2) |
73.9 (23.3) |
63.7 (17.6) |
48.8 (9.3) |
35.0 (1.7) |
25.9 (−3.4) |
48.2 (9.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 18.9 (−7.3) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
27.6 (−2.4) |
33.7 (0.9) |
43.2 (6.2) |
54.1 (12.3) |
62.9 (17.2) |
61.5 (16.4) |
52.1 (11.2) |
38.9 (3.8) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
18.8 (−7.3) |
38.2 (3.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 11.4 (−11.4) |
11.3 (−11.5) |
17.9 (−7.8) |
23.3 (−4.8) |
32.5 (0.3) |
42.0 (5.6) |
50.4 (10.2) |
49.1 (9.5) |
40.5 (4.7) |
29.0 (−1.7) |
19.2 (−7.1) |
11.6 (−11.3) |
28.2 (−2.1) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.70 (43) |
1.87 (47) |
2.53 (64) |
3.59 (91) |
3.98 (101) |
2.13 (54) |
1.07 (27) |
0.98 (25) |
1.69 (43) |
2.57 (65) |
1.84 (47) |
1.87 (47) |
25.82 (654) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[5] | |||||||||||||
Bates Creek #2 is a weather station located on the southwestern flank of Muddy Mountain, at an elevation of 6042 ft (1842 m).[6] Bates Creek #2 has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk), bordering on a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb).
| Climate data for Bates Creek #2, Wyoming, 1991–2020 normals, 1969-2020 records: 6042ft (1842m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 60 (16) |
62 (17) |
74 (23) |
79 (26) |
88 (31) |
97 (36) |
98 (37) |
98 (37) |
98 (37) |
84 (29) |
71 (22) |
63 (17) |
98 (37) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 48.8 (9.3) |
51.1 (10.6) |
63.5 (17.5) |
72.4 (22.4) |
80.0 (26.7) |
87.8 (31.0) |
92.5 (33.6) |
90.7 (32.6) |
86.7 (30.4) |
75.8 (24.3) |
62.2 (16.8) |
51.2 (10.7) |
93.4 (34.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 34.3 (1.3) |
35.6 (2.0) |
45.9 (7.7) |
53.2 (11.8) |
63.0 (17.2) |
74.8 (23.8) |
83.6 (28.7) |
82.0 (27.8) |
71.8 (22.1) |
57.5 (14.2) |
44.0 (6.7) |
34.4 (1.3) |
56.7 (13.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 23.1 (−4.9) |
24.5 (−4.2) |
34.2 (1.2) |
41.1 (5.1) |
50.5 (10.3) |
60.7 (15.9) |
68.6 (20.3) |
67.2 (19.6) |
57.6 (14.2) |
44.7 (7.1) |
32.6 (0.3) |
23.7 (−4.6) |
44.0 (6.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 12.0 (−11.1) |
13.4 (−10.3) |
22.4 (−5.3) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
37.9 (3.3) |
46.6 (8.1) |
53.7 (12.1) |
52.3 (11.3) |
43.4 (6.3) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
21.3 (−5.9) |
13.0 (−10.6) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −7.7 (−22.1) |
−6.8 (−21.6) |
4.9 (−15.1) |
14.8 (−9.6) |
25.0 (−3.9) |
35.2 (1.8) |
44.4 (6.9) |
41.9 (5.5) |
29.9 (−1.2) |
14.0 (−10.0) |
2.0 (−16.7) |
−6.4 (−21.3) |
−14.4 (−25.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −26 (−32) |
−29 (−34) |
−11 (−24) |
−3 (−19) |
17 (−8) |
29 (−2) |
32 (0) |
35 (2) |
14 (−10) |
−8 (−22) |
−16 (−27) |
−38 (−39) |
−38 (−39) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.76 (19) |
0.76 (19) |
0.93 (24) |
1.64 (42) |
2.28 (58) |
1.37 (35) |
0.91 (23) |
0.76 (19) |
1.05 (27) |
1.40 (36) |
0.65 (17) |
0.74 (19) |
13.25 (338) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 11.90 (30.2) |
11.10 (28.2) |
10.50 (26.7) |
9.20 (23.4) |
2.30 (5.8) |
0.10 (0.25) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.60 (1.5) |
5.80 (14.7) |
5.60 (14.2) |
11.90 (30.2) |
69 (175.15) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 9.1 (23) |
10.1 (26) |
7.6 (19) |
5.5 (14) |
2.3 (5.8) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.6 (1.5) |
5.0 (13) |
4.2 (11) |
7.8 (20) |
14.5 (37) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.1 | 5.8 | 6.0 | 8.3 | 9.1 | 7.2 | 5.7 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 5.9 | 75.3 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.4 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 30.5 |
| Source 1: NOAA[7] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS2 (records, monthly max/mins & snow depth)[8] | |||||||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Muddy Mountain Environmental Education Area". Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ Phil Ellsworth (August 27, 2024). "Not-so Muddy Mountain Road". Casper Star Tribune.
- ^ "BLM, Natrona County to begin road construction on Casper, Muddy mountains". Oil City News. April 17, 2024.
- ^ "Wyoming Hardiness Zones Map - 2023". Plantmaps.com. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^ "PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University". PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
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.
- ^ "Station Details - BATES CREEK NUMBER 2, WY US". NOAA. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^ "Bates Creek #2, Wyoming 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^ "xmACIS". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
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