Whiteface Mountain

Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain
Highest point
Elevation4,867 ft (1,483 m) NGVD 29[1]
Listing#5 Adirondack High Peaks[2]
Coordinates44°21′57″N 73°54′10″W / 44.36583°N 73.90278°W / 44.36583; -73.90278[3]
Geography
Whiteface Mountain is located in New York
Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain
Location of Whiteface, northeast of Lake Placid
Whiteface Mountain is located in the United States
Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain (the United States)
LocationWilmington, New York, U.S.
Parent rangeAdirondacks
Topo mapUSGS Lake Placid
Climbing
First ascent1814 by John Richards and party[4][a]
Easiest routeroad

Whiteface Mountain is the fifth-highest mountain in the U.S. state of New York, and one of the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains, located in the town of Wilmington in Essex County. Set apart from most of the other High Peaks, the summit offers a 360-degree view of the Adirondacks and clear-day glimpses of Vermont and Canada, where Montreal can be seen on a very clear day. Because of its relative isolation, the mountain is exposed to prevailing winds from the west and frequently capped with snow and ice, making it an area of interest to meteorologists. Weather data has been collected on the summit since 1937. The mountain's east slope is home to a major ski area which boasts the greatest vertical drop east of the Rockies, and which hosted the alpine skiing competitions of the 1980 Winter Olympics. Unique among the High Peaks, Whiteface features a developed summit and seasonal accessibility by motor vehicle. The Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway (New York State Route 431) reaches a parking area at an elevation shortly below the summit, with the remaining distance covered by tunnel and elevator. The peak can also be reached on two hiking trails.

  1. ^ Goodwin 2021, p. 286.
  2. ^ "The Peaks – Adirondack 46ers". adk46er.org. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  3. ^ "Whiteface Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  4. ^ Waterman 2003, p. 67.


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