| North Franklin Mountain | |
|---|---|
 North Franklin Mountain, looking northeast from South Franklin Mountain | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,192 feet (2,192 m) |
| Prominence | 2,982 feet (909 m) [1] |
| Coordinates | 31°54′10″N 106°29′36″W / 31.90278°N 106.49333°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Texas, USA |
| Parent range | Franklin Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS North Franklin Mountain |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Mundy's Gap Trail + North Franklin Peak Trail |
North Franklin Mountain (or North Franklin Peak) is a mountain in the Franklin Mountains of El Paso, Texas, located in the Southwestern United States. North Franklin, at 7,192 feet (2,192 m), is the highest point in El Paso, and the 27th-highest mountain in the state of Texas. [2] Surrounded by a state park and with a maintained trail leading to its summit, the mountain is a popular hiking destination.
North Franklin is located entirely within the city of El Paso, approximately 10 miles (16 km) east of the Texas-New Mexico border and 15 miles (24 km) north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The mountain is the highest of the Franklins, clipping nearby Anthony's Nose by just over 200 feet (61 m) and neighboring South Franklin by nearly 300 feet (91 m). North Franklin rises 3,300 feet (1,000 m) above both its western base in the Mesilla Valley and its eastern base in the Hueco Bolson. In spite of its name, North Franklin is actually in the central Franklins, being the northernmost of the range's two key peaks (South Franklin, of course, is the other).
Like most of the Franklins, North Franklin Mountain is visible from many miles away. When observed from the east or west, North Franklin is shaped like a scalene triangle, with its long side facing its dome-shaped sister peak South Franklin Mountain (South Franklin is usually distinguished by the antennae adorning its summit). This quality makes it a valuable navigation point when traversing the desert areas around El Paso.
Geology
The Franklin Mountains are tilted-block fault mountains composed of sedimentary rocks, some of which date back to Precambrian times and are among the oldest in Texas. The mountains represent the southernmost tip of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S., and like the Rockies, were formed 60-70 million years ago during the Laramide orogeny. [3] The Precambrian rocks atop North Franklin Mountain represent "the highest geological structure in the state of Texas." [4]
North Franklin gets its reddish color from the unusually-high levels of oxidized iron in the volcanic rocks coating its summit and higher slopes. [5]
References
- ^ Peakbagger: North Franklin Mountain
- ^ Texas Highest Named Summits
- ^ Robert Miles, " Franklin Mountains." The Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved: 1 April 2007.
- ^ D.V. LeMone, " The Franklin Mountains of El Paso, Texas." University of Texas-El Paso Department of Geology. Retrieved: 1 April 2007.
- ^ Michael Whitelaw, " Geological Excursions To a Transmountain Precambrian Adventure." University of Texas-El Paso Department of Geology. Retrieved: 1 April 2007.
External links
- North Franklin Mountain - SummitPost.org
- Geology of the Franklin Mountains - Hosted by the University of Texas-El Paso
- West Texas Repeater Association - The WTRA maintains the repeater atop North Franklin
- North Franklin Mountain - Photo Gallery by Brian Stansberry
- North Franklin Mountain is located at 31°54′11″N 106°29′37″W / 31.903028°N 106.493649°W
Category:Geography of El Paso, Texas
Category:Mountains of Texas