Mount Muir (Alaska)

This article is about the mountain in Alaska. For other mountains, see Mount Muir (disambiguation).

Mount Muir
Aerial view of Mount Muir above Harriman Fiord
Highest point
Elevation	7,605 ft (2,318 m)
Prominence	3,405 ft (1,038 m)
Parent peak	Mount Gilbert (9,638 ft)
Listing	Mountains of Alaska
Coordinates	61°06′28″N 148°22′52″W
Geography
Mount Muir Location in Alaska
Interactive map of Mount Muir
Location	Chugach National Forest Chugach Census Area Alaska, United States
Parent range	Chugach Mountains
Topo map	USGS Anchorage A-4

Mount Muir is a prominent 7,605-foot (2,318 m) glaciated mountain summit located in the Chugach Mountains, in Chugach National Forest, in the U.S. state of Alaska, approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) north of Harriman Fjord in Prince William Sound.

Etymology and history

The mountain was named in 1908 by geologists Grant and Higgins and officially adopted in 1910 by the United States Geological Survey, probably after of the American naturalist, conservationist and writer John Muir (1838–1914), who visited the Alaska area four times, including as a member of the 1899 Harriman Alaska expedition that explored this immediate area. The first recorded ascent of Mount Muir was completed in April 2014 by climbers Ryan Fisher and Nathan Lane via the north face.

Geography and physical features

Mount Muir is situated in the northern reaches of the Chugach Mountains, near the edge of the Chugach National Forest. It serves as the origin point for several glaciers, including the Penniman Glaciers, Baker Glacier, Detached Glacier, and the Colony Glacier. The Colony Glacier flows northward, draining into Inner Lake George, while the others are hanging glaciers on the mountain's southern slopes, descending toward Harriman Fjord.

Significant prominences relative to Mount Muir include:

Mountain	Elevation (m)	Range	Coordinates	Distance (km)	Prominence (m)
Mount Gannett	2,919	Chugach Mountains	61°14′32″N 148°11′36″W	18	1,310
Denali	6,190	Alaska Range	63°4′10″N 151°9′26″W	258	6,140
Mount Everest	8,848	Himalaya	27°59′17″N 86°55′31″W	8,949	8,848

Nearby glaciers

The following glaciers are located near Mount Muir:

Glacier	Elevation at coordinates (m)	Coordinates	Distance and direction from Mount Muir
Detached Glacier	1,142	61°4′22″N 148°23′46″W	4 km (2.5 mi) south
Penniman Glaciers	1,208	61°5′42″N 148°20′24″W	3 km (1.9 mi) south
Ghiacciai Penniman	924	61°4′37″N 148°29′15″W	7 km (4.3 mi) southwest
Surprise Glacier	713	61°1′5″N 148°29′46″W	6 km (3.7 mi) south
Baker Glacier	1,141	61°4′53″N 148°21′52″W	3 km (1.9 mi) south
Serpentine Glacier	553	61°7′41″N 148°16′2″W	4 km (2.5 mi) east
Colony Glacier	316	61°14′22″N 148°30′27″W	1 km (0.62 mi) west

Nearby mountains

Mount Muir is surrounded by the following peaks, all within the Chugach Mountains:

Mountain	Elevation (m)	Coordinates	Distance and direction from Mount Muir
Mount Doran	1,057	61°1′11″N 148°14′22″W	12 km (7.5 mi) southeast
Mount Gilbert	2,682	61°10′21″N 148°16′6″W	9 km (5.6 mi) northeast
Mount Curtis	1,152	61°4′34″N 148°5′40″W	16 km (9.9 mi) east
Globemaster Peak	2,724	61°12′53″N 148°12′9″W	15 km (9.3 mi) northeast
Mount Coville	1,310	61°7′11″N 148°4′27″W	16 km (9.9 mi) east
Mount Gannett	2,919	61°14′32″N 148°11′36″W	18 km (11 mi) northeast

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Muir is located in a subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. This climate supports the Baker Glacier, Penniman Glaciers, and Detached Glacier on its south slopes, and tributaries of the Colony Glacier on its north, east, and west aspects. May and June are the best months for climbing in terms of favorable weather.

Access and tourism

Mount Muir is prominently visible from Harriman Fjord, accessible only by sea from Whittier (approximately 60 km (37 mi) by sea or 26 km (16 mi) by air) or Valdez (over 150 km (93 mi) by sea). Distances are derived from Google Earth. During the tourist season, boat excursions from Whittier offer views of the Surprise Glacier and the Penniman, Baker, and Detached Glaciers on the mountain's slopes.

Gallery

• 
  Mt. Muir seen from the north with Colony Glacier
• 
  Mount Muir centered, with Mount Gilbert to right
• 
  Mount Muir from airliner
• 
  Looking north at Muir
• 
  Mt. Muir (left) and Mt. Gilbert (right) seen from a jetliner
• 
  Southeast aspect of Mount Muir behind Mount Doran
• 
  Mount Muir as seen from Harriman Fjord
• 
  The Baker Glacier (left) and Penniman Glaciers (right)
• 
  Mount Muir viewed from Harriman Fjord
• 
• 
  The Muir, Gilbert, and Gannett mountain group from Esther Passage

See also

• Geography of Alaska

Sources

• Dufresne, Jim (October 2009). Alaska [Alaska] (in Italian). Turin: EDT srl. ISBN 978-88-6040-464-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Molnia, Bruce F. (2008). Richard S. Williams Jr. & Jane G. Ferrigno (ed.). Glaciers of Alaska - USGS [Glaciers of Alaska - USGS]. Retrieved April 4, 2025.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)

External links

• Weather: Mount Muir
• Mount Muir Flickr photo