Aires Butte | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 6,492 ft (1,979 m)[1][2] |
Prominence | 572 ft (174 m)[1] |
Parent peak | Ant Hill (6,641 ft)[3] |
Isolation | 0.90 mi (1.45 km)[3] |
Coordinates | 37°13′57″N 112°54′27″W / 37.232412°N 112.907481°W[1] |
Geography | |
Country | United States |
State | Utah |
County | Washington |
Protected area | Zion National Park |
Parent range | Colorado Plateau |
Topo map | USGS Springdale East |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Jurassic |
Type of rock | Navajo sandstone |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | class 5.5 climbing[3] |
Aires Butte is a 6,492-foot (1,979 m) summit located in Zion National Park, in Washington County of southwest Utah, United States. It is composed of white Navajo Sandstone, and rises 1,100-foot (340-meter) above the Zion – Mount Carmel Highway. Aires Butte is situated 0.9 mi (1.4 km) east-northeast of Ant Hill, 1.5 mi (2.4 km) north of Nippletop, and 1.9 mi (3.1 km) northwest of Checkerboard Mesa. Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains into tributaries of the Virgin River.
Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Aires Butte. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below 32 °F (0 °C), and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.[4]