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Cerro Castellan

Coordinates: 29°08′41″N 103°29′51″W / 29.1446418°N 103.4973938°W / 29.1446418; -103.4973938
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cerro Castellan
West aspect
Highest point
Elevation3,294 ft (1,004 m)[1][2]
Prominence955 ft (291 m)[1]
Isolation3.07 mi (4.94 km)[3]
Coordinates29°08′41″N 103°29′51″W / 29.1446418°N 103.4973938°W / 29.1446418; -103.4973938[4]
Geography
Cerro Castellan is located in Texas
Cerro Castellan
Cerro Castellan
Location of Cerro Castellan in Texas
Cerro Castellan is located in the United States
Cerro Castellan
Cerro Castellan
Cerro Castellan (the United States)
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyBrewster
Protected areaBig Bend National Park[1]
Parent rangeChisos Mountains[1]
Topo mapUSGS Cerro Castellan
Geology
Rock ageOligocene
Mountain typeButte
Rock typeIgneous rock
Climbing
Easiest routeclass 4[3]

Cerro Castellan is a 3,294-foot-elevation (1,004-meter) summit in Brewster County, Texas, United States.

Description

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Cerro Castellan is part of the Chisos Mountains where it is set in Big Bend National Park and the Chihuahuan Desert. The top of the butte is a caprock composed of Burro Mesa Rhyolite which formed 29 million years ago during the Oligocene period.[5] The next lower layer of volcanic rock is composed of Wasp Spring Tuff of the Burro Mesa Formation, followed by Chisos Tuff and Bee Mountain Basalt of the Chisos Formation.[6] Based on the Köppen climate classification, the mountain is located in a hot arid climate zone with hot summers and mild winters.[7] Any scant precipitation runoff from the peak's slopes drains to the Rio Grande which is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the southwest. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 1,000 feet (305 m) above Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive in one-half mile (0.8 km). The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on March 15, 1939, by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[4] The Spanish name Cerro Castellan may translate to "ruler of a castle on a hill,"[8] or "castle-warden's hill" where castellan is the caretaker of a castle.[9] The iconic landmark is also known as Castolon Peak, and the former village of Castolon took its name from the nearby butte.[8][10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Cerro Castellan, Texas". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  2. ^ "Cerro Castellan, Peakvisor.com". Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  3. ^ a b "Cerro Castellan - 3,293' TX". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  4. ^ a b "Cerro Castellan". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  5. ^ Gray, J.E., Geological, Geochemical, and Geophysical Studies by the U.S. Geological Survey in Big Bend National Park, Texas, U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1327, p. 35, Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  6. ^ Crouching Mule - Hidden Canyon: A Trip Down the Maxwell Scenic Highway, Francis Redfern, Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ a b Edward Callary, Texas Place Names, University of Texas Press, 2020, ISBN 9781477320662.
  9. ^ Cerro Castellan, Texas State Historical Association, Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  10. ^ Louis F. Aulbach, The Great Unknown of the Rio Grande, 2007, ISBN 9780976521358, p. 21.
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