Cloud Peak is the highest peak within the Bighorn Mountains in the U.S. state of Wyoming.

Location

Located in the 189,000-acre (765km2) Cloud Peak Wilderness within Bighorn National Forest, the peak rises to an elevation of 13,171 feet (4,015m). It can be climbed most easily from the western side,[citation needed] accessed by either the Battle Park or West Tensleep trailheads, which both form 24-mile (39km) round trips from the peak. The northeast slope is a deep cirque which harbors Cloud Peak Glacier, the last active glacier in the Bighorn Mountains.

Cloud Peak is on the border between Johnson County and Big Horn County in Wyoming and is the high point of both counties. As the high point of an isolated range, Cloud Peak has the greatest topographic prominence in the state, 7,077 feet (2,157m), one foot more than the state's highest mountain, 13,810 foot (4,210m) Gannett Peak, and fifteenth greatest in the contiguous United States.

Climate

Cloud Peak has an Alpine climate (ET).

Climate data for Cloud Peak 44.3831 N, 107.1748 W, Elevation: 12,654ft (3,857m) (1991–2020 normals)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)16.6 (−8.6)16.9 (−8.4)23.2 (−4.9)27.7 (−2.4)36.6 (2.6)46.9 (8.3)56.0 (13.3)54.9 (12.7)46.6 (8.1)34.2 (1.2)22.7 (−5.2)16.2 (−8.8)33.2 (0.7)
Daily mean °F (°C)7.8 (−13.4)7.2 (−13.8)12.8 (−10.7)17.5 (−8.1)26.3 (−3.2)36.1 (2.3)44.2 (6.8)43.0 (6.1)35.4 (1.9)24.3 (−4.3)14.3 (−9.8)7.6 (−13.6)23.0 (−5.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)−1.1 (−18.4)−2.5 (−19.2)2.5 (−16.4)7.2 (−13.8)16.0 (−8.9)25.2 (−3.8)32.5 (0.3)31.1 (−0.5)24.1 (−4.4)14.5 (−9.7)5.9 (−14.5)−1.1 (−18.4)12.9 (−10.6)
Average precipitation inches (mm)3.47 (88)3.23 (82)3.78 (96)5.26 (134)5.59 (142)4.40 (112)2.63 (67)1.60 (41)3.19 (81)3.98 (101)3.24 (82)2.87 (73)43.24 (1,099)
Source: PRISM Climate Group

Cloud Peak Reservoir is a mountain lake below Cloud Peak on its eastern slopes. The weather station there has a subalpine climate (Köppen Dfc).

Climate data for Cloud Peak Reservoir, Wyoming, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1989–present, elev. 9860ft (3005m)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °F (°C)58 (14)58 (14)61 (16)67 (19)69 (21)80 (27)81 (27)81 (27)78 (26)70 (21)64 (18)55 (13)81 (27)
Mean maximum °F (°C)48.5 (9.2)47.6 (8.7)52.8 (11.6)58.0 (14.4)63.3 (17.4)70.0 (21.1)75.6 (24.2)74.1 (23.4)70.6 (21.4)62.4 (16.9)53.7 (12.1)46.6 (8.1)76.5 (24.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)30.1 (−1.1)31.0 (−0.6)37.7 (3.2)41.7 (5.4)49.4 (9.7)57.5 (14.2)65.2 (18.4)64.2 (17.9)56.4 (13.6)45.3 (7.4)35.9 (2.2)29.2 (−1.6)45.3 (7.4)
Daily mean °F (°C)18.5 (−7.5)17.9 (−7.8)24.2 (−4.3)28.9 (−1.7)37.7 (3.2)45.7 (7.6)52.4 (11.3)51.3 (10.7)44.1 (6.7)33.5 (0.8)24.1 (−4.4)17.2 (−8.2)33.0 (0.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)7.0 (−13.9)4.8 (−15.1)10.6 (−11.9)16.1 (−8.8)25.9 (−3.4)33.8 (1.0)39.6 (4.2)38.3 (3.5)31.7 (−0.2)21.8 (−5.7)12.3 (−10.9)5.3 (−14.8)20.6 (−6.3)
Mean minimum °F (°C)−16.2 (−26.8)−19.3 (−28.5)−11.3 (−24.1)−4.5 (−20.3)7.6 (−13.6)24.1 (−4.4)31.9 (−0.1)29.6 (−1.3)17.7 (−7.9)−1.1 (−18.4)−12.7 (−24.8)−20.1 (−28.9)−26.1 (−32.3)
Record low °F (°C)−39 (−39)−33 (−36)−33 (−36)−21 (−29)−7 (−22)13 (−11)25 (−4)19 (−7)2 (−17)−25 (−32)−29 (−34)−39 (−39)−39 (−39)
Average precipitation inches (mm)1.70 (43)1.81 (46)2.83 (72)4.17 (106)4.84 (123)2.78 (71)2.04 (52)1.44 (37)2.36 (60)3.04 (77)1.88 (48)1.67 (42)30.56 (777)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm)38.6 (98)47.3 (120)59.5 (151)63.7 (162)58.5 (149)24.3 (62)0.0 (0.0)0.0 (0.0)4.7 (12)11.4 (29)21.0 (53)29.9 (76)69.1 (176)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)9.910.213.317.315.911.29.07.59.112.19.79.4134.6
Source 1: XMACIS2 (snow depth 2006–2020)
Source 2: NOAA (Precipitation)

See also

External links