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The Organ (Arches National Park)

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Coordinates: 38°38′11″N 109°35′52″W / 38.6363699°N 109.5978962°W / 38.6363699; -109.5978962
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The Organ
South aspect
Highest point
Elevation4,735 ft (1,443 m)[1][2]
Prominence435 ft (133 m)[2]
Isolation0.72 mi (1.16 km)[2]
Coordinates38°38′11″N 109°35′52″W / 38.6363699°N 109.5978962°W / 38.6363699; -109.5978962[3]
Geography
The Organ is located in Utah
The Organ
The Organ
Location in Utah
The Organ is located in the United States
The Organ
The Organ
The Organ (the United States)
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
CountyGrand
Protected areaArches National Park
Parent rangeColorado Plateau[1]
Topo mapUSGS The Windows Section
Geology
Rock ageJurassic
Rock typeEntrada Sandstone
Climbing
First ascent1986
Easiest routeclass 5.10 climbing[2]

The Organ is a 4,735-foot-elevation (1,443-meter) pillar in Grand County, Utah, United States

Description

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The Organ is located within Arches National Park and 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] The double summit butte is 500 feet tall,[5] and topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 500 feet (152 meters) vertically above the main park road in 0.1 mile (0.16 km). Precipitation runoff from The Organ drains to the nearby Colorado River via Courthouse Wash. This landform's descriptive toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[3] This landform was shown briefly in the opening scene credits of the 1989 American action-adventure film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Climbing

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The first ascent of the true summit was made in March 1986 by Pete Gallagher and Steve Sommers via the class 5.11 Death By Hands route.[6][7] In April 1986, Duane Raleigh climbed it solo via the class 5.10 Dune route, but he became disconnected from the rope while descending the second rappel and free-fell 160 feet until miraculously arrested by his haul line which jammed in a crack during the fall.[6] The lower northeast summit was first climbed on October 29, 1986, by Pete Gallagher and John Gatto via the class 5.10 Gates of Hell route.[6][7]

Climate

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According to the Köppen climate classification system, The Organ is located in a cold semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers.[8] 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.

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  • South aspect
    South aspect
  • Northwest aspect of The Organ (with shadow of Three Gossips)
    Northwest aspect of The Organ (with shadow of Three Gossips)
  • Southeast aspect
    Southeast aspect
  • North aspect in winter
    North aspect in winter
  • East aspect
    East aspect
  • The Organ, with Tower of Babel to left
    The Organ, with Tower of Babel to left
  • Southwest aspect
    Southwest aspect

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "The Organ, Utah". Peakbagger.com.
  2. ^ a b c d "Organ, The - 4,735' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  3. ^ a b "The Organ". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  4. ^ Lucy Chronic, Pages of Stone, The Mountaineers Books, 2004, ISBN 9781594853180, p. 42.
  5. ^ Stewart M. Green, Rock Climbing Utah, Rowman & Littlefield, 2012, ISBN 9780762792849, p. 12.
  6. ^ a b c Desert Climbing, Eric Bjørnstad, American Alpine Journal, 1987, americanalpineclub.org
  7. ^ a b First Ascent Timeline, deserttowersbook.com, Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  8. ^ 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.
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