# Sentinel Mesa > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sentinel_Mesa > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sentinel_Mesa.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_Mesa > Source revision: 1355978750 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{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 ={{cite gnis|id=1432327|name=Sentinel Mesa|access-date=2024-08-22}} |prominence_ft = 920. |prominence_ref ={{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/22148|title=Sentinel Mesa - 6,460' UT|website=listsofjohn.com|accessdate=2024-08-22}} |isolation_mi = 2+5/8 |isolation_ref = |parent_peak = [Mitchell Mesa](/source/Mitchell_Mesa) (6,586 ft) |map = Utah#USA |map_caption = Location in Utah |map_size = 230 |label_position = top |location = [Navajo Reservation](/source/Navajo_Reservation)
[San Juan County](/source/San_Juan_County%2C_Utah), [Utah, U.S.](/source/Utah) |range = [Colorado Plateau](/source/Colorado_Plateau){{cite peakbagger|pid=56894|name=Sentinel Mesa, Utah|access-date=2024-08-22}} |coordinates = {{coord|37.0113367|N|110.1044478|W|type:mountain_region:US-AZ_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |coordinates_ref = |topo = [USGS](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey) ''Monument Pass'' |rock = [Sandstone](/source/Sandstone) |type = [Mesa](/source/Mesa) |first_ascent = |easiest_route = {{YDS|5.x}} [climbing](/source/climbing) }} '''Sentinel Mesa''' is a {{convert|6450.|ft|meter|adj=mid|-elevation|abbr=off|sp=us}} [summit](/source/summit) in [San Juan County](/source/San_Juan_County%2C_Utah), [Utah](/source/Utah), United States. It is situated {{convert|1+1/2|mi|km|round=0.5|abbr=off|sp=us}} north of the [Monument Valley](/source/Monument_Valley) visitor center on [Navajo Nation](/source/Navajo_Nation) land and can be seen from [Highway 163](/source/U.S._Route_163). The mesa is immediately northwest of the iconic [West and East Mitten Buttes](/source/West_and_East_Mitten_Buttes). The nearest higher neighbor is [Brighams Tomb](/source/Brighams_Tomb), {{convert|2+5/8|mi|km|1}} to the north-northeast. 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](/source/San_Juan_River_(Colorado_River_tributary)) [drainage basin](/source/drainage_basin). The "Sentinel" name refers to how the mesa oversees Monument Valley which the Navajo consider as one of the "[door post](/source/door_post)s" to Monument Valley.[https://www.aztecnm.com/fourcorners/arizona/monumentvalley/MonumentValley.pdf ''Monument Valley''], City of Aztec, aztecnm.com, Retrieved 2024-08-24. The landform's toponym has been officially adopted by the [U.S. Board on Geographic Names](/source/U.S._Board_on_Geographic_Names). ==Geology== Sentinel Mesa is a [mesa](/source/mesa) composed of three principal strata. The bottom layer is [Organ Rock Shale](/source/Organ_Rock_Shale), the next stratum is [De Chelly Sandstone](/source/De_Chelly_Sandstone), and the upper layer is [Moenkopi Formation](/source/Moenkopi_Formation) capped by [Shinarump Conglomerate](/source/Shinarump_Conglomerate). The rock ranges in age from [Permian](/source/Permian) at the bottom to [Late Triassic](/source/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.[https://www.azgs.arizona.edu/photo/monument-valley-arizona ''Monument Valley, Arizona''], Arizona Geological Survey, Retrieved 2024-08-22. ==Climate== Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Sentinel Mesa. According to the [Köppen climate classification](/source/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification) system, it is located in a [semi-arid climate](/source/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](/source/Diurnal_temperature_variation) 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.[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] ==Gallery==
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](/source/Big_Indian_(Utah)) 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
==See also== * [List of appearances of Monument Valley in the media](/source/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](/source/Brighams_Tomb) | Northeast = [Big Indian](/source/Big_Indian_(Utah)) | East = West Gypsum Creek | Southeast = [West Mitten Butte](/source/West_and_East_Mitten_Buttes) | South = [Arizona](/source/Arizona) | Southwest = Mitchell Butte | West = [Oljato–Monument Valley](/source/Oljato%E2%80%93Monument_Valley%2C_Utah) | Northwest = [Highway 163](/source/U.S._Route_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 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sentinel Mesa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_Mesa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_Mesa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.