Chisos Mountains
| Chisos Mountains | |
|---|---|
 A photo of the Chisos mountain range from the desert to the east, 22 February 2002. | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Emory Peak |
| Elevation | 7,825 ft (2,385 m) |
| Geography | |
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| |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
The Chisos Mountains are a mountain range located in the Big Bend area of West Texas, United States.[1] The mountain range is contained entirely within the boundaries of Big Bend National Park. This is the only mountain range in the United States to be fully contained within the boundary of a national park. It is also the southernmost mountain range in the mainland United States.
The highest point in the Chisos Mountain range is Emory Peak at 7,825 ft (2,385 m) above sea level.[1]
Location
The Chisos Mountains are located in Big Bend National Park. The range of mountains extends twenty miles from Punta de la Sierra in the southwest to Panther Junction in the northeast. An extensive trail system and permit-required backcountry campsites are maintained by Big Bend National Park for its visitors. The Northeast Rim and Southeast Rim trails are closed from February 1 through May 31 along with some of the backcountry campsites along these trails to protect the local Peregrine Falcon population.[2]
The mountain area is partly forested (recovering from logging and overgrazing prior to the area's inclusion in the National Park System in the 1930s), and surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert. The nearest towns are Fort Stockton, 135 miles north, Alpine, 105 mi (169 km) northwest and Presidio, about 100 mi (160 km) west. Two Mexican towns (Boquillas and Santa Elena) border the park; and cross-border access was reopened in 2011.[3]
-
Sunset from the South Rim in Big Bend National Park. -
Rain approaching the South Rim of the Chisos. -
View from the South Rim.
Etymology
There are many explanations circulating about the origin of the place name. One is that it derives from the Castillion word 'hechizo' and means enchantment. Another is that it comes from the Athabaskan term 'tic thos' for double edged scrapers and invokes both the sharp rounded shape of the mountains and the abundance of flint.
Peaks
- Emory Peak 7,825 ft (2,385 m)
- Lost Mine Peak 7,535 ft (2,297 m)
- Toll Mountain 7,415 ft (2,260 m)
- Casa Grande Peak 7,325 ft (2,233 m)
Climate
- Coordinates: 29°16′13″N 103°18′01″W / 29.27028°N 103.30028°W
- Elevation: 5,300 feet (1,615 m)[4]
| Climate data for Chisos Basin, Texas (Aug 1, 1943–Mar 31, 2013) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
84 (29) |
96 (36) |
96 (36) |
99 (37) |
103 (39) |
102 (39) |
99 (37) |
97 (36) |
94 (34) |
89 (32) |
87 (31) |
103 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 58.3 (14.6) |
61.8 (16.6) |
68.7 (20.4) |
76.3 (24.6) |
82.8 (28.2) |
86.8 (30.4) |
84.8 (29.3) |
83.7 (28.7) |
79.5 (26.4) |
73.8 (23.2) |
65.2 (18.4) |
59.4 (15.2) |
73.4 (23.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.6 (8.7) |
50.4 (10.2) |
56.4 (13.6) |
63.9 (17.7) |
70.7 (21.5) |
75.1 (23.9) |
74.2 (23.4) |
73.2 (22.9) |
69.0 (20.6) |
62.9 (17.2) |
54.2 (12.3) |
48.7 (9.3) |
62.2 (16.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 36.9 (2.7) |
39.1 (3.9) |
44.1 (6.7) |
51.5 (10.8) |
58.5 (14.7) |
63.3 (17.4) |
63.7 (17.6) |
62.7 (17.1) |
58.6 (14.8) |
51.9 (11.1) |
43.2 (6.2) |
37.9 (3.3) |
51.0 (10.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −3 (−19) |
1 (−17) |
12 (−11) |
25 (−4) |
37 (3) |
45 (7) |
53 (12) |
52 (11) |
34 (1) |
19 (−7) |
13 (−11) |
4 (−16) |
−3 (−19) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.68 (17) |
0.58 (15) |
0.41 (10) |
0.62 (16) |
1.59 (40) |
2.21 (56) |
3.39 (86) |
3.12 (79) |
2.48 (63) |
1.51 (38) |
0.57 (14) |
0.51 (13) |
17.67 (449) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.8 (2.0) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
2.1 (5.3) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.001 in) | 3.59 | 2.99 | 2.22 | 2.74 | 4.51 | 7.30 | 9.60 | 8.88 | 7.64 | 4.77 | 2.90 | 2.83 | 60.19 |
| Source: Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute[5] | |||||||||||||
See also
References
- ^ a b Kohout, Martin Donell. "Chisos Mountains". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
- ^ "National Parks Service Big Bend - Chisos Mountains Backcountry Campsite Publication" (PDF).
- ^ David Elkowitz (February 18, 2011). "Proposal to Open Boquillas Crossing". National Park Service. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
- ^ "US COOP Station Map". Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ^ "CHISOS BASIN, TEXAS (411715), Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary". Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute. Retrieved May 7, 2015.