{{Short description|Mountain in Utah, United States}} {{Infobox mountain |name = Sentinel Mesa |image = Monument Valley 04.jpg |image_caption = South aspect |elevation_ft = 6450. |elevation_ref =<ref name="gnis">{{cite gnis|id=1432327|name=Sentinel Mesa|access-date=2024-08-22}}</ref> |prominence_ft = 920. |prominence_ref =<ref name="listsofjohn">{{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/22148|title=Sentinel Mesa - 6,460' UT|website=listsofjohn.com|accessdate=2024-08-22}}</ref> |isolation_mi = 2+5/8 |isolation_ref =<ref name="listsofjohn"/> |parent_peak = Mitchell Mesa (6,586 ft)<ref name="listsofjohn"/> |map = Utah#USA |map_caption = Location in Utah |map_size = 230 |label_position = top |location = Navajo Reservation<br/>San Juan County, Utah, U.S. |range = Colorado Plateau<ref name="pb">{{cite peakbagger|pid=56894|name=Sentinel Mesa, Utah|access-date=2024-08-22}}</ref> |coordinates = {{coord|37.0113367|N|110.1044478|W|type:mountain_region:US-AZ_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |coordinates_ref =<ref name="gnis"/> |topo = USGS ''Monument Pass'' |rock = Sandstone |type = Mesa |first_ascent = |easiest_route = {{YDS|5.x}} climbing<ref name="listsofjohn"/> }}
'''Sentinel Mesa''' is a {{convert|6450.|ft|meter|adj=mid|-elevation|abbr=off|sp=us}} summit in San Juan County, Utah, United States.<ref name="gnis"/> It is situated {{convert|1+1/2|mi|km|round=0.5|abbr=off|sp=us}} north of the Monument Valley visitor center on Navajo Nation land and can be seen from Highway 163. The mesa is immediately northwest of the iconic West and East Mitten Buttes. The nearest higher neighbor is Brighams Tomb, {{convert|2+5/8|mi|km|1}} to the north-northeast.<ref name="listsofjohn"/> Precipitation runoff from this mesa's west slope drains to Mitchell Butte Wash, whereas the east slope drains to West Gypsum Creek, which are both part of the San Juan River drainage basin.<ref name="pb"/> The "Sentinel" name refers to how the mesa oversees Monument Valley which the Navajo consider as one of the "door posts" to Monument Valley.<ref>[https://www.aztecnm.com/fourcorners/arizona/monumentvalley/MonumentValley.pdf ''Monument Valley''], City of Aztec, aztecnm.com, Retrieved 2024-08-24.</ref> The landform's toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.<ref name="gnis"/>
==Geology== Sentinel Mesa is a mesa composed of three principal strata. The bottom layer is Organ Rock Shale, the next stratum is De Chelly Sandstone, and the upper layer is Moenkopi Formation capped by Shinarump Conglomerate. The rock ranges in age from Permian at the bottom to Late Triassic at the top. The buttes and mesas of Monument Valley are the result of the Organ Rock Shale being more easily eroded than the overlaying sandstone.<ref>[https://www.azgs.arizona.edu/photo/monument-valley-arizona ''Monument Valley, Arizona''], Arizona Geological Survey, Retrieved 2024-08-22.</ref>
==Climate== Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Sentinel Mesa. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers. Summers average 54 days above {{convert|90|°F|°C}} annually, and highs rarely exceed {{convert|100|°F|°C}}. Summer nights are comfortably cool, and temperatures drop quickly after sunset. Winters are cold, but daytime highs are usually above freezing. Winter temperatures below {{convert|0|°F|°C}} are uncommon, though possible. This desert climate receives less than {{convert|10|in|mm|abbr=off|sp=us}} of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=875420&cityname=Kayenta%2C+Arizona%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Kayenta, Arizona]</ref>
==Gallery== <div style="max-width: 500px;"> <gallery mode=slideshow> File:Sentinel Mesa from Main Monument Valley Road, Oljato-Monument Valley, AZ.jpg|West aspect File:Sentinel Butte and West Mitten Butte (45819382014).jpg|Sentinel Mesa (left) and West Mitten Butte (right) File:Sentinel Mesa, Oljato-Monument Valley, AZ.jpg|West aspect of Sentinel Mesa, with Big Indian to left File:Sentinel Mesa, Monument Valley.jpg|South aspect viewed from Monument Valley Visitors Center File:Sunrise at Monument Valley.jpg|Sunrise on Sentinel Mesa File:Sentinel Mesa in Monument Valley, AZ.jpg|Southwest aspect File:Monument Valley 2004 10.jpg|South aspect File:Over Monument Valley, Navajo Nation - 3814248279.jpg|Aerial view, northeast aspect File:Over Monument Valley, Navajo Nation - 3815057924.jpg|Aerial view, north aspect File:Over Monument Valley, Navajo Nation - 3814238915.jpg|Aerial view, east aspect File:Monument Valley 15.jpg|Sentinel Mesa and West Mitten Butte File:Monument Valley, Arizona, US - panoramio (5).jpg|South aspect viewed from Monument Valley Visitors Center File:John Ford Point in Monument Valley.jpg|Sentinel Mesa (left) viewed from John Ford Point File:2011-MonumentValley-panoram.jpg|Sentinel Mesa centered in the distance File:Monument Valley Panorama.jpg|Sentinel Mesa to the left </gallery> </div>
==See also== * List of appearances of Monument Valley in the media
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * Weather forecast: [https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/daily-table/2-5546618/United%20States/Utah/San%20Juan/Sentinel%20Mesa Sentinel Mesa]
{{Geographic Location 2 | Center = Sentinel Mesa | North = Brighams Tomb | Northeast = Big Indian | East = West Gypsum Creek | Southeast = West Mitten Butte | South = Arizona | Southwest = Mitchell Butte | West = Oljato–Monument Valley | Northwest = Highway 163 }} {{Portal bar|Geography|Geology|Utah}}
Category:Colorado Plateau Category:Landforms of San Juan County, Utah Category:One-thousanders of the United States Category:Geography of the Navajo Nation Category:Sandstone formations of the United States