Poss Mountain is a prominent 6,180-foot (1,880 meter) mountain summit located in the Philip Smith Mountains of the Brooks Range, in the U.S. state of Alaska. The peak is situated 80 miles north of the Arctic Circle, five miles east of Dalton Highway, 11.3 mi (18 km) south of Sukakpak Mountain, and 190 mi (306 km) north-northwest of Fairbanks. The peak was named about 1930 by wilderness activist Robert Marshall after "Poss" Postlethwaite, an early and old gold prospector in this area around Wiseman.[3] Robert Marshall described the then 78-year-old Postlethwaite as "the oldest man in the Koyukuk," having spent 32 winters in the area.[4] The name was officially adopted in 1932 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The Poss Mountain Research Natural Area (8,042 acres) was designated in 1991 to protect natural mineral licks and lambing habitat for Dall sheep. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Middle and South Forks of Koyukuk River.

Poss Mountain
Poss Mountain above Gold Creek, north aspect
Highest point
Elevation6,180 ft (1,880 m)[1]
Prominence4,380 ft (1,340 m)[1]
Parent peakPeak 6450
Isolation23.2 mi (37.3 km)[2]
Coordinates67°25′35″N 149°41′45″W / 67.4262879°N 149.6958076°W / 67.4262879; -149.6958076[3]
Geography
Poss Mountain is located in Alaska
Poss Mountain
Poss Mountain
Location of Poss Mountain in Alaska
LocationYukon–Koyukuk
Alaska, United States
Parent rangePhilip Smith Mountains
Brooks Range
Topo mapUSGS Chandalar B-6

Climate

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Based on the Köppen climate classification, Poss Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with long, cold, winters, and short, cool summers.[5] Temperatures can drop below −30 °C with wind chill factors below −50 °C. The months June through August offer the most favorable weather for viewing and climbing.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Poss Mountain, Alaska". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  2. ^ Poss Mountain, listsofjohn.com
  3. ^ a b "Poss Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  4. ^ "Postlethwaite-Jones Cabin, Nolan, on Smith Creek, Bettles, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK". Library of Congress.
  5. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11 (5): 1633. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606. S2CID 9654551.
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