Three Penguins is a 4,488-foot-elevation (1,368-meter) summit in Grand County, Utah, United States.
| Three Penguins | |
|---|---|
 West aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,488 ft (1,368 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 120 ft (37 m)[2] |
| Isolation | 0.65 mi (1.05 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 38°37′09″N 109°37′05″W / 38.6192228°N 109.6179263°W[1] |
| Geography | |
  Three Penguins Location in Utah  Three Penguins Three Penguins (the United States) | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Grand |
| Protected area | Arches National Park |
| Parent range | Colorado Plateau[3] |
| Topo map | USGS Moab |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | Jurassic |
| Rock type | Entrada Sandstone[4] |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1976 |
| Easiest route | class 5.10a climbing[2] |
Description
editThree Penguins is located within Arches National Park and it is the first notable rock feature to greet visitors as they enter the park on the main road.[5] Like many of the rock formations in the park, it is composed of Entrada Sandstone, specifically the Slick Rock Member overlaying the Dewey Bridge Member.[4][6] The tower is 140 feet tall,[7] and topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 350 feet (107 meters) above Moab Canyon in 0.15 miles (0.24 km). Precipitation runoff from Three Penguins drains to the nearby Colorado River via Moab Canyon. This landform's descriptive toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[1]
Climbing
editThe first ascent of the summit was made in November 1976 by Larry Bruce, Molly Higgins, and Michael Kennedy via the class 5.10 Center Chimney.[8][9]
Other rock-climbing routes on Three Penguins:
- Right Chimney - class 5.10+ - Michael Kennedy, Molly Higgins - (1976)[10]
- Anorexia - class 5.10a - Alan Nelson, Alan Bartlett[11]
- Petrified Bear's Dick - class 5.10 - Todd Gordon, Margie Floyd, Maryann Loehr - (1998)[12]
The Right Chimney is considered one of the best rock-climbing routes in the park.[7]
Climate
editAccording to the Köppen climate classification system, Three Penguins is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers.[13] Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to experience Arches National Park, when highs average 60 to 80 °F (15 to 25 °C) and lows average 30 to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C). Summer temperatures often exceed 100 °F (40 °C). Winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C), and lows averaging 0 to 20 °F (−20 to −5 °C). As part of a high desert region, it can experience wide daily temperature fluctuations. The park receives an average of less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain annually.
See also
editGallery
edit-
West aspect -
East aspect -
Three Penguins from Arches National Park Road -
East aspect -
South aspect
References
edit- ^ a b c "Three Penguins". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ a b c "Three Penguins - 4,540' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ "Three Penguins, Utah". Peakbagger.com.
- ^ a b Pages of Stone, Lucy Chronic, The Mountaineers Books, 2004, ISBN 9781594853180, p. 44.
- ^ Fodor's National Parks of the West, Fodor's Travel Publications, 2004, ISBN 9781400013296, p. 360.
- ^ The Geologic Story of Arches National Park, Stanley William Lohman, US Geological Survey, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1975, p. 57, 59.
- ^ a b Stewart M. Green, Best Climbs Moab: Over 150 Of The Best Routes In The Area, Rowman & Littlefield, 2020, ISBN 9781493039364.
- ^ First Ascent Timeline, deserttowersbook.com, Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ North America, United States, Utah, Three Penguins, Arches National Park, Michael Kennedy, 1977, Publications.americanalpineclub.org
- ^ Right Chimney, Mountain Project, Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ Anorexia, Mountain Project, Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ Petrified Bear's Dick, Mountain Project, Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ^ 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): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606. S2CID 9654551.
External links
edit
- Weather: Three Penguins
- The Three Penguins Rock Climbing: Mountainproject.com
- Arches National Park: National Park Service
- Three Penguins east aspect photo: Flickr
