Absaroka Range

2025-08-26T04:04:24Z

2600:6C67:9640:129A:DF29:392D:17F5:4EF7:

{{Short description|Mountain range in Montana and Wyoming, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name=Absaroka Range
| photo=Absaroka range2.jpg
| photo_caption=Absaroka range as seen from west of Livingston, Montana
| highest=[[Francs Peak]]
| elevation_ft=13153
| elevation_ref=<ref name=pb>{{cite peakbagger|pid= 5311|name=Francs Peak, Wyoming|access-date=October 18, 2020}}</ref>
| coordinates= {{coord|43|57|41|N|109|19|51|W|type:mountain|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref=<ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis|id= 1599842|name=Francs Peak|access-date=October 18, 2020}}</ref>
| country= United States
| subdivision1_type= States
| subdivision1= {{hlist|Montana|Wyoming}}
| parent= Rocky Mountains
| borders_on= {{hlist|[[Beartooth Mountains]]|[[Wind River Range]]}}
| length_mi=150
| length_orientation=
| length_ref=
| width_mi=75
| width_orientation=
| width_ref=
| map_image=Wpdms nasa topo absaroka range.jpg
| map_caption=Absaroka Range is shown highlighted in pink on a map of the western United States
| range_coordinates=
| range_coordinates_ref=
}}
The '''Absaroka Range''' is a sub-[[mountain range|range]] of the [[Rocky Mountains]] in the [[United States]]. The range stretches roughly north-south around {{cvt|150|mi|-1}} across the [[Montana]]–[[Wyoming]] border, and {{cvt|75|mi|-1}} at its widest east-west extent, forming both the eastern boundary of the [[Paradise Valley (Montana)|Paradise Valley]] and [[Yellowstone National Park]], and the western edge of the [[Bighorn Basin]]. The range borders the [[Beartooth Mountains]] to the east and north and the [[Wind River Range]] to the south and southwest. The northern edge of the range rests along [[I-90 (MT)|I-90]] and [[Livingston, Montana]]. The highest peak in the range is [[Francs Peak]], located in [[Wyoming]] at {{cvt|13153|ft|m}}. There are 46 other peaks over {{cvt|12000|ft|m}}.

==Geography==
The range is drained by the [[Yellowstone River]] and various tributaries, including the [[Bighorn River]].

Most of the range lies within protected lands including Yellowstone Park, the [[Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness]], [[North Absaroka Wilderness]], [[Teton Wilderness]], and [[Washakie Wilderness]], spanning the [[Bridger-Teton National Forest]], [[Custer National Forest]], [[Gallatin National Forest]], and [[Shoshone National Forest]].

[[U.S. Highway 212]] from [[Billings, Montana]] to Yellowstone climbs over [[Beartooth Pass]] {{convert|10947|ft|m|abbr=on}} in the neighboring [[Beartooth Mountains]] before winding through the Absarokas to the northeast gate of [[Yellowstone National Park]]. It is only open during the summer. [[U.S. Route 14|U.S Route 14/16/20]] follows the [[Shoshone River]] from [[Cody, Wyoming|Cody]] through the range to the eastern gate of the park.

==Climate==

{{Weather box
|location = Parker Peak, Wyoming, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1980–present
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = Yes

|Jan record high F = 54
|Feb record high F = 57
|Mar record high F = 61
|Apr record high F = 71
|May record high F = 75
|Jun record high F = 77
|Jul record high F = 82
|Aug record high F = 81
|Sep record high F = 79
|Oct record high F = 70
|Nov record high F = 62
|Dec record high F = 55

|Jan avg record high F = 44.2
|Feb avg record high F = 45.3
|Mar avg record high F = 52.1
|Apr avg record high F = 58.3
|May avg record high F = 64.6
|Jun avg record high F = 70.0
|Jul avg record high F = 75.5
|Aug avg record high F = 74.8
|Sep avg record high F = 70.5
|Oct avg record high F = 61.1
|Nov avg record high F = 49.4
|Dec avg record high F = 41.3
|year avg record high F = 76.4

|Jan high F = 25.3
|Feb high F = 28.3
|Mar high F = 36.0
|Apr high F = 42.1
|May high F = 50.0
|Jun high F = 56.7
|Jul high F = 66.3
|Aug high F = 65.1
|Sep high F = 56.2
|Oct high F = 42.8
|Nov high F = 30.8
|Dec high F = 23.6
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 17.1
|Feb mean F = 18.7
|Mar mean F = 25.3
|Apr mean F = 30.8
|May mean F = 39.4
|Jun mean F = 46.5
|Jul mean F = 55.3
|Aug mean F = 54.5
|Sep mean F = 46.1
|Oct mean F = 33.8
|Nov mean F = 22.8
|Dec mean F = 16.1
|year mean F = 33.9

|Jan low F = 9.0
|Feb low F = 9.1
|Mar low F = 14.7
|Apr low F = 19.6
|May low F = 28.8
|Jun low F = 36.2
|Jul low F = 44.4
|Aug low F = 43.5
|Sep low F = 36.0
|Oct low F = 24.8
|Nov low F = 14.7
|Dec low F = 8.5
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -9.9
|Feb avg record low F = -10.2
|Mar avg record low F = -2.1
|Apr avg record low F = 5.2
|May avg record low F = 14.8
|Jun avg record low F = 25.1
|Jul avg record low F = 35.5
|Aug avg record low F = 32.9
|Sep avg record low F = 21.2
|Oct avg record low F = 6.5
|Nov avg record low F = -3.8
|Dec avg record low F = -10.7
|year avg record low F = -18.1

|Jan record low F = -28
|Feb record low F = -23
|Mar record low F = -19
|Apr record low F = -9
|May record low F = 7
|Jun record low F = 17
|Jul record low F = 26
|Aug record low F = 20
|Sep record low F = 2
|Oct record low F = -12
|Nov record low F = -19
|Dec record low F = -33

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.18
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.16
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.24
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.73
|May precipitation inch = 3.66
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.01
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.44
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.34
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.03
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.05
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.44
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.59
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 15.2
|Feb precipitation days = 14.1
|Mar precipitation days = 15.9
|Apr precipitation days = 17.1
|May precipitation days = 15.9
|Jun precipitation days = 12.8
|Jul precipitation days = 7.7
|Aug precipitation days = 7.0
|Sep precipitation days = 9.0
|Oct precipitation days = 13.5
|Nov precipitation days = 14.5
|Dec precipitation days = 16.0

|Jan snow inch =
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|unit snow days = 0.1 in
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|Jan snow depth inch = 64.3
|Feb snow depth inch = 75.7
|Mar snow depth inch = 82.7
|Apr snow depth inch = 87.5
|May snow depth inch = 75.7
|Jun snow depth inch = 38.7
|Jul snow depth inch = 3.3
|Aug snow depth inch = 0.2
|Sep snow depth inch = 3.3
|Oct snow depth inch = 15.4
|Nov snow depth inch = 32.7
|Dec snow depth inch = 51.2
|year snow depth inch = 88.9

|source 1 = XMACIS2 (snow depth 2006–2020)<ref name = XMACIS2>
{{cite web
|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = xmACIS2
|access-date = May 29, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==History==
The range is named after the [[Crow Nation|Absaroka]] Native People.<ref name=gannett/> The name is derived from the [[Hidatsa language|Hidatsa]] name for the [[Crow people]]; it means "children of the large-beaked bird."<ref>{{cite book|title=Montana Place Names: From Alzada To Zortman |publisher=Montana Historical Society Press| year=2009 |page=2| isbn=9780975919613}}</ref> (In contrast, the Crow name, ''Awaxaawe Báaxxioo'', means "Pointed Mountains [Like Sand Castles].")<ref name=LBHC/>

[[John Colter]], who may have been the first white person to visit the area,<ref name="Harris1993"/> probably traveled along the foot of the Absarokas in 1807 during his reconnaissance of the Yellowstone region.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/grte1/index.htm |chapter-url=http://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/grte1/chap3.htm|title=Colter's Hell and Jackson's Hole |chapter=III. John Colter, The Phantom Explorer—1807-1808 |last=Mattes |first=Merrill J.|year=1962 |publisher= Yellowstone Library and Museum Association & Grand Teton Natural History Association}}</ref> Early explorers also included [[Gustavus Cheyney Doane]] and [[Nathaniel P. Langford]], who climbed the summit of [[Colter Peak]] in 1870.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Langford|first1=Nathaniel Pitt|title=Diary of the Washburn expedition to the Yellowstone and Firehole rivers in the year 1870|date=1905|url=https://archive.org/details/diaryofwashburne00langrich|access-date=28 July 2015}}</ref>

The proposed state of [[Absaroka (proposed state)|Absaroka]] shared the same age with the mountain range.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Frank |date=July 23, 2010 |title=Absaroka, a State of Rebellion Against FDR's New Deal |url=https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/301-look-at-the-state-youre-in-absaroka/ |access-date=2022-11-14 |website=Big Think |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Pedersen |first=Nate |title=The State of Absaroka |url=http://www.southdakotamagazine.com/absaroka |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=www.southdakotamagazine.com |archive-date=November 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106204847/https://www.southdakotamagazine.com/absaroka |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[USS Absaroka (1917)|USS ''Absaroka'']] was named after this mountain range.

==Geology==
Geologically, the section of the range in Wyoming consists of [[volcanic breccia]], whereas there is a transition to [[granite]] and [[Gneiss|gneiss bedrock ]] further north of the state line.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.summitpost.org/absaroka-range/170852|date=June 2, 2013|access-date=July 27, 2015 |title=Absaroka Range|website=summitpost.org}}</ref>

===Absaroka Volcanic Province===
[[Igneous rock]]s of the Absaroka Volcanic Province cover an area of approximately {{convert|23000|km2|sqmi ha|abbr=on}} in southwestern [[Montana]] and northwestern [[Wyoming]], including roughly one third of [[Yellowstone National Park]]. These [[extrusive]] rocks were erupted during the [[Eocene]] [[Epoch (geology)|Epoch]] of the [[Paleogene]] [[Period (geology)|Period]]. [[Radiometric dating]] has shown that eruptive activity lasted from about {{ma|53|43.7|million years ago}}. The eroded remnants of many large [[stratovolcano]]es are found in the area. The dissection of these long [[extinct volcano]]es by [[erosion]] allows [[geologist]]s to see volcanic structures that are impossible to see in [[active volcano]]es. Many terms now widely used in [[volcanology]] originated in nineteenth century field studies of these ancient volcanoes.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hiza|first1=Margaret M.|title=The Geologic History of the Absaroka Volcanic Province|journal=Yellowstone Science|date=Spring 1998|volume=6|issue=2|page=2|url=http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/upload/YS_6_2_sm.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315222255/http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/upload/YS_6_2_sm.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 15, 2016| access-date=28 July 2015}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="165">
File:Pilot and Index Peaks.jpg|Pilot and Index peaks in the Absaroka Mountains
File:WestslopeAbsarokaRangeMontana.jpg|Western face of Absarokas from [[Paradise Valley (Montana)]]
File:Livingston MT 03.jpg|Northern Absaroka range as seen from [[Livingston, Montana]]
File:NorthernAbsarokasNearLivingstonMontana2010.jpg|Northwest expanse of Absarokas as viewed from {{convert|15000|ft|m}} over Livingston, Montana
File:Smoke over the Absarokas.jpg|The mountains on August 19, 1988, smoky due to the [[Yellowstone fires of 1988]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of mountains and mountain ranges of Yellowstone National Park]]
* [[List of mountain ranges in Montana]]
* [[List of mountain ranges in Wyoming]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=gannett>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ |title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States |author=Gannett, Henry |publisher=United States Geological Survey |location=Washington, D.C. |year=1905 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n15 16] |access-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="Harris1993">
{{cite book|last1=Harris|first1=Burton|title=John Colter, his years in the Rockies|date=1993
|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|location=Lincoln|isbn=978-0803272644|edition=1. Bison Book print.}}</ref>
<ref name=LBHC>{{cite web |title=Apsáalooke Place Names Database |url=http://lib.lbhc.edu/index.php?q=node/200&a=A |website=Little Big Horn College Library |access-date=10 October 2020}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Mountains of Wyoming}}
{{Montana}}
{{Wyoming}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ranges of the Rocky Mountains]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Wyoming]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Montana]]
[[Category:Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem]]
[[Category:Landforms of Park County, Montana]]

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Absaroka Range