# Face Mountain

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**Face Mountain** is a 5,052 ft (1,540 m) mountain summit located in the [Boundary Ranges](/source/Boundary_Ranges) of the [Coast Mountains](/source/Coast_Mountains), in the [U.S. state](/source/U.S._state) of [Alaska](/source/Alaska). The peak is situated 4.2 mi (7 km) west-northwest of [Skagway](/source/Skagway,_Alaska), and 4.3 mi (7 km) north of [Mount Harding](/source/Mount_Harding_(Alaska)). Although modest in elevation, [relief](/source/Topographic_relief) is significant since Face Mountain rises above tidewater of [Taiya Inlet](/source/Taiya_Inlet) in less than 2.5 miles (4 kilometres). This geographic feature was named "Parsons Peak" in 1897 by the [United States Coast and Geodetic Survey](/source/United_States_Coast_and_Geodetic_Survey), and has had variant names "Gnome Mountain", and "The Sphinx" used locally to describe a face in the rock.[2][3] The mountain's present name and summit location was officially adopted in 1985 by the [U.S. Board on Geographic Names](/source/U.S._Board_on_Geographic_Names), however USGS maps still show the old name, Parsons Peak, as the summit.[2] Precipitation [runoff](/source/Surface_runoff) from the mountain drains into tributaries of Taiya Inlet.

## Climate

Based on the [Köppen climate classification](/source/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification), Face Mountain has a [subarctic climate](/source/Subarctic_climate) with cold, snowy winters, and cool summers.[4] Weather systems coming off the [Gulf of Alaska](/source/Gulf_of_Alaska) are forced upwards by the Coast Mountains ([orographic lift](/source/Orographic_lift)), causing heavy precipitation in the form of rainfall and snowfall. Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. This climate supports a glacier north of the summit. The months May through July offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing Face Mountain.

## See also

- [List of mountain peaks of Alaska](/source/List_of_mountain_peaks_of_Alaska)
- [Geography of Alaska](/source/Geography_of_Alaska)
- [Etymology and the Mythical Stone Woman](/source/Skagway,_Alaska#Etymology_and_the_Mythical_Stone_Woman)

## References

1. 22306. Retrieved 2020-04-05.

1. 1421828. Retrieved 2020-04-05.

1. ["Frank Norris, *The Skagway News*, Aug 29, 2017"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201022091833/https://skagwaynews.com/2017/08/29/name-those-peaks-and-other-geography-lessons/). Archived from [the original](https://skagwaynews.com/2017/08/29/name-those-peaks-and-other-geography-lessons/) on October 22, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020.

1. 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](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1027-5606)

## External links

- Face Mountain: [weather forecast (Skagway)](https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/daily-table/2-5557317/United%20States/Alaska/Skagway/Skagway)
- Face Mountain: [Flickr photo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/brasegaliwa/14849716635/in/photolist-oCdFpa-7M94Lr-vQBr3h-8Yqv9G-dwhakC-dwhaMj-9hSYmR-cZqqpW-em2xBw-KhmrfT-2dWPrnv-CWFKhq-Wb8EGU-p7vwMc-UGTTS5-KhmriD-Wyet4-Khm5Ta-FJWycz-KhmrwV-Khmrre-d5mkH-8DA79s-AfdpfP-2aKFX4-2aQ7rq-bWRF2F-2fARhMS-cee4wj-JHhcRh-RA2MNn-a3Kw9k-6Btaxc-9vzqGQ-x75ATg-uYqsFu-oun2py-9vzqGG-9vzqGC-2hEhjPV-8DA79o-NH41V-HMqfuw-4sDqHH-83Zcf3-6p8T3F-uWDH3L-6uVhmw-r5pgt-2gkyHco)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Face Mountain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_Mountain) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_Mountain?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.