Castle Dome (butte)
Encyclopedia
Castle Dome, or Castle Dome Peak is a prominent butte
of the Castle Dome Mountains
northeast of Yuma
, Arizona–Winterhaven
, California, in the northwestern Sonoran Desert
.
The butte is east of the south-flowing Colorado River
, and it is just east of the historical Castle Dome Landing
. It is located on the Castle Dome Plain and is prominent upon the horizon at the west, southwest and south of the Castle Dome Mountains.
Castle Dome is noteworthy for its recreational use for day hiking
. It is also often coated in winter or spring snowstorms as a white landform, with its loss of white being determined by season and duration of storm temperatures. Castle Dome's height is 3788 feet (1,155 m).
, wulfenite
, barite
, and fluorite
.
Butte
A butte is a conspicuous isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; it is smaller than mesas, plateaus, and table landform tables. In some regions, such as the north central and northwestern United States, the word is used for any hill...
of the Castle Dome Mountains
Castle Dome Mountains
The Castle Dome Mountains are a mountain range in Yuma County, Arizona, within the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. Castle Dome peak, the high point of the range, is a prominent and distinctive landmark. The peak is high, and is located at . Castle Dome was named by American soldiers at old Fort...
northeast of Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
, Arizona–Winterhaven
Winterhaven, California
Winterhaven is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. Winterhaven is located east of Pilot Knob, The population was 394 at the 2010 census, down from 529 at the 2000 census. It is part of the 'El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area'...
, California, in the northwestern Sonoran Desert
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
.
The butte is east of the south-flowing Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
, and it is just east of the historical Castle Dome Landing
Castle Dome Landing, Arizona
Castle Dome Landing, Arizona is a ghost town in the Castle Dome Mountains of Yuma County in the U.S. state of Arizona...
. It is located on the Castle Dome Plain and is prominent upon the horizon at the west, southwest and south of the Castle Dome Mountains.
Castle Dome is noteworthy for its recreational use for day hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
. It is also often coated in winter or spring snowstorms as a white landform, with its loss of white being determined by season and duration of storm temperatures. Castle Dome's height is 3788 feet (1,155 m).
Mining and minerals
Some noteworthy minerals from the Castle Dome Mountains region are vanadiniteVanadinite
Vanadinite is a mineral belonging to the apatite group of phosphates, with the chemical formula Pb53Cl. It is one of the main industrial ores of the metal vanadium and a minor source of lead. A dense, brittle mineral, it is usually found in the form of red hexagonal crystals. It is an uncommon...
, wulfenite
Wulfenite
Wulfenite is a lead molybdate mineral with the formula PbMoO4. It can be most often found as thin tabular crystals with a bright orange-red to yellow-orange color, sometimes brown, although the color can be highly variable. In its yellow form it is sometimes called "yellow lead ore".It crystallizes...
, barite
Barite
Baryte, or barite, is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate. The baryte group consists of baryte, celestine, anglesite and anhydrite. Baryte itself is generally white or colorless, and is the main source of barium...
, and fluorite
Fluorite
Fluorite is a halide mineral composed of calcium fluoride, CaF2. It is an isometric mineral with a cubic habit, though octahedral and more complex isometric forms are not uncommon...
.