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Bullion Mountain

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Coordinates: 61°47′45″N 149°18′33″W / 61.7958012°N 149.3090665°W / 61.7958012; -149.3090665
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Bullion Mountain
Southeast aspect
Highest point
Elevation5,086 ft (1,550 m)[1]
Prominence400 ft (122 m)[2]
Isolation0.95 mi (1.53 km)[2]
Coordinates61°47′45″N 149°18′33″W / 61.7958012°N 149.3090665°W / 61.7958012; -149.3090665[1]
Naming
EtymologyBullion
Geography
Bullion Mountain is located in Alaska
Bullion Mountain
Bullion Mountain
Location in Alaska
Map
Interactive map of Bullion Mountain
CountryUnited States
StateAlaska
BoroughMatanuska-Susitna
Parent rangeTalkeetna Mountains[3]
Topo mapUSGS Anchorage D-7

Bullion Mountain is a 5,086-foot-elevation (1,550-meter) summit in Alaska, United States.

Description

Bullion Mountain is located 14 miles (22.5 km) northwest of Palmer, Alaska, in the Talkeetna Mountains, on land managed as the Hatcher Pass Management Area of the state park system. It is also immediately west of the Independence Mine State Historic Park. Precipitation runoff from this mountain's east slope drains to the nearby Little Susitna River via Fishhook Creek, whereas the west side drains to the Susitna River via Willow Creek.[2] Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,580 feet (482 meters) above the Independence Mines in 0.75 miles (1.21 km). Access is via the Palmer-Fishhook Road (also called Hatcher Pass Road). This mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names as a local name reported in 1951 by U.S. Geological Survey.[3] The Gold Bullion Mine located high on the northwest slope of the mountain produced 77,000 ounces of gold from 1908 to 1951.[4]

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Bullion Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and short cool summers.[5] Winter temperatures can drop below 0 °F with wind chill factors below −10 °F. The months of May through June offer the most favorable weather for climbing or viewing.[6]

Geology

The Willow Creek mining district at Hatcher Pass is historically the third-largest lode-gold producing district in Alaska, having produced 624,000 ounces of gold.[7] Mining of placer gold deposits began in 1906. Hardrock gold mining began a few years later from high-grade vein lode deposits.[8]

The Willow Creek mining district lies at the southwestern edge of a great mass of granitic intrusions that form much of the Talkeetna Mountains and is within the Wrangellia composite terrane.[9] At Hatcher Pass a pervasively altered zoned 74 million years old quartz diorite to tonalite pluton underlies the headwaters of Willow Creek and Fishhook Creek, with most of the gold deposits occurring in these rocks. A 67 Ma quartz monzonite pluton lies west and north of the older quartz diorite, a Cretaceous quartz diorite pluton lies to the east. South of Bullion Mountain, a high angle east–west fault passing through Hatcher Pass separates plutonic rocks on the north side of the fault from schist south of the fault.[10]

  • East aspect of Bullion (right), Independence Mines centered at bottom.
    East aspect of Bullion (right), Independence Mines centered at bottom.
  • Southeast aspect of Bullion viewed from Independence Mines
    Southeast aspect of Bullion viewed from Independence Mines
  • Southeast aspect
    Southeast aspect
  • Southeast aspect of Bullion (upper right), Independence Mines centered
    Southeast aspect of Bullion (upper right), Independence Mines centered
  • East aspect of Bullion Mountain reflected in Gold Cord Lake
    East aspect of Bullion Mountain reflected in Gold Cord Lake
  • The reddish ridge is part of Bullion Mountain with switchbacks that lead up to Gold Bullion Mine. On the horizon are Mount Foraker and Denali. View from Skyscraper Mountain.
    The reddish ridge is part of Bullion Mountain with switchbacks that lead up to Gold Bullion Mine. On the horizon are Mount Foraker and Denali. View from Skyscraper Mountain.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bullion Mountain
  2. ^ a b c "Bullion Mountain, Alaska". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
  3. ^ a b Donald J. Orth, Dictionary of Alaska Place Names, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1967, p. 167.
  4. ^ Gold Bullion Mine, Willow Creek Mining District, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, USA, mindat.org, Retrieved 2024-09-27.
  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. ISSN 1027-5606.
  6. ^ Denali FAQ, American Alpine Institute, alpineinstitute.com, Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  7. ^ "Age and Cooling History of Gold Deposits and Host Rocks in the Willow Creek Mining District, Talkeetna Mountains, South-Central Alaska". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-09-01.
  8. ^ Ray, 1954, USGS Bulletin 1004, Geology and Ore Deposits of the Willow Creek Mining District, Alaska
  9. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-09-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-12-24. Retrieved 2017-08-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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