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Peak · Montana

Mount Saint Nicholas

Mount Saint Nicholas, seen from above at true elevation

Mount Saint Nicholas rises to 2,857 m in Montana. Mount Stimson stands 3,091 m to the north-northwest, 8.9 miles off. The nearest named place is Salvage Mountain, a peak 1.3 miles away. 93 named places lie within 25 miles, 57 of them named summits.

About

The story

Mount Saint Nicholas is a peak in the remote southwestern section of Glacier National Park, in Montana. It is a particularly steep, pointed rock pinnacle, and its distinctive profile is visible from many summits in the southern half of the park. Because even its easiest ascent route is technical, with poor rock quality, it is "considered the most dangerous and difficult mountain for climbers in Glacier National Park." Mount Saint Nicholas excels in terms of steep vertical relief, even by the high standards prevalent in Glacier National Park. For example, its northwest face rises one vertical mile (5,300 ft; 1,600 m) in approximately 1.5 horizontal miles (7,900 ft; 2.4 km). Due to its pointed shape and isolation from the Continental Divide, it has similarly precipitous drops in all directions. In 1926, Reverend Conrad Wellen of Havre, Montana made the first ascent of Mount Saint Nicholas. The mountain had previously been considered by many to be unclimbable. The standard route is the Northeast Ridge. Starting from the east side of the peak, this route begins with a straightforward scramble up a gully to a prominent notch. From the notch a thousand vertical feet of somewhat technical climbing remain.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Wikidata Q6519953, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

The record

What the record says

Elevation
2,857 m
Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates48.39163, -113.55038
Around it

93 named places within 25 miles

Peaks: 57
Waterfalls: 24
  • Rockwell Falls: 8.0 mi
  • Twin Falls: 8.1 mi
  • Aster falls: 9.7 mi
  • Appistoki Falls: 11.0 mi
  • Running Eagle Falls: 11.7 mi
Cliffs: 3
Museums: 2
Attractions: 2
Ghost towns: 1
Nature reserves: 1
Beaches: 1
  • Silver Dollar Beach: 20.1 mi
Picnic sites: 1
  • Apgar Picnic Area: 21.8 mi
Parks: 1
  • Belton Stage Park: 22.0 mi
On the horizon

Other summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Mount Saint Nicholas. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Mount StimsonNNW3,091 m8.9 mi
Rising Wolf MountainNE2,899 m9.5 mi
Mount PhillipsN2,894 m6.1 mi
Mount RockwellNE2,862 m5.8 mi
Mount PinchotNNW2,836 m7.5 mi
Flinsch PeakNNE2,809 m8.3 mi
Eaglehead MountainNNW2,773 m6.2 mi
Grizzly MountainENE2,755 m7.1 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:3819:0619:47
June solstice05:3420:5121:40
September equinox07:2218:5319:34
December solstice08:2415:4816:42

Local time (America/Denver).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Jun–Sep.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F222228364553605951402922
Precip in3.12.62.62.22.94.01.51.52.22.52.82.6

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — E Glacier, 16 mi away.

In the park

Inside the official boundary of Glacier National Park. Quietest months by visitation: Feb and Jan; busiest: Jul.

NPS visitation statistics, monthly averages 2021–2025 (2020 excluded).

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikidata
  • USGS Geographic Names Information System feature 776128 — Mount Saint Nicholas, Flathead County, Montana.

OpenStreetMap element node/357930325

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