Mica Peak
47°35′52″N117°02′05″W/ 47.597721°N 117.034755°W
| Mica Peak, Idaho & Mica Peak, Washington | |
|---|---|
 Mica Peak, Idaho (left) and Mica Peak, Washighton (right) as viewed from Eagle Peak in Spokane County. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | |
| Prominence | 2,661 ft (811 m)[1] |
| Coordinates | 47°37′20″N116°59′18″W/ 47.62219°N 116.988438°W(ID) 47°34′24″N117°04′52″W/ 47.5732330°N 117.0810287°W(WA) |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Parent range | Selkirk Mountains |
| Topo map | USGSRockford Bay |
Mica Peakis the name of two separate mountain summits in theUnited Stateslocated approximately 5.49 miles (9 km) apart; one inSpokane County,Washingtonand the other inKootenai County,Idaho.The two peaks are located along the same ridge, which separates theSpokane ValleyandRathdrum Prairiefrom thePalouse.The mountains have an elevation difference of only 31 ft (9.4 m) and are the southernmost peaks of theSelkirk Mountains.
Other summits located along the same ridge include the 4,045 ft (1,233 m) Round Mountain, the 4,924 ft (1,501 m) Cable Peak, the 4,852 ft (1,479 m) Shasta Butte, and the 4,377 ft (1,334 m) Blossom Mountain.
During theProhibition EraMica Peak was the site of numerous bootlegging operations. The mountainous and thickly forested terrain provided cover that allowed the bootleggers to hide their stills. Most were small, individual operations but some larger commercial endeavors existed as well. The mountain's location on the state line, which inconsistently demarcated in the area, made the location even more ideal for the illegal ventures as Idaho and Washington authorities could be easily tricked into believing the stills were located just outside of their jurisdiction.[3]
Mica Peak (Idaho)
[edit]Mica PeakorSignal Point—located inKootenai County—is the higher of the two peaks with an elevation of 5,243 feet (1,598 m).State Lineis the closest city at seven miles (11 km) away.
The name Signal Point is derived from a ski lodge of the same name that operated on the northeast face of the mountain in the1950s–1960s.[4][5][6]The ski lodge utilized arope towand the lodge building (47°37′39″N116°58′53″W/ 47.6275°N 116.9813°W) can be seen as a dot on topographic maps from the time period but is no longer standing.[7][8][9]
Mica Peak (Washington)
[edit]
Mica Peak(Washington)—located inSpokane County—is the lower of the two peaks with an elevation of 5,209 feet (1,588 m). The mountain is the southernmost peak in theSelkirk range.[10]The peak is home to the now-decommissionedMica Peak Air Force Station.The northern slopes are drained bySaltese Creek.The mountain dominates the view to the east and southeast from the city ofSpokane Valley.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ab "Mica Peak, Idaho".Peakbagger.Retrieved2018-01-10.
- ^ "Mica Peak, Washington".Peakbagger.Retrieved2018-01-10.
- ^Bell, Jessica L."Mica Peak and Prohibition".Spokane Historical.Retrieved22 October2021.
- ^"Skiing promised at Signal Point".Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). January 10, 1953. p. 8.
- ^Williams, Dick (December 6, 1956)."Sacheen, Signal tows ready".Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). p. 23.
- ^Williams, Dick (November 18, 1958)."New owners revive Signal area".Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). p. 17.
- ^Williams, Dick (November 19, 1950)."New Inland Empire ski area near Post Falls, Idaho, nearly finished".Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). p. 5.
- ^Williams, Dick (November 18, 1953)."Rope tow facilities bettered on ski slopes at Signal Point".Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). p. 14.
- ^"Ski Signal Point".SignalPointGraphics.Retrieved2013-12-05.
- ^"SummitPost".SummitPost.org.Retrieved2016-09-01.
External links
[edit]- Montana Memory Project– Signal Point ski tow and lodge (photo)
 | ThisSpokane County, Washingtonstate location article is astub.You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
 | ThisKootenai County,Idahostate location article is astub.You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |