Selenite Peak


Selenite Peak is a summit located in Pershing County, Nevada, United States.

Description

Selenite Peak is the fifth-highest peak of the Selenite Range which is a subset of the Great Basin Ranges. This peak is set on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and is the highest point of the BLM's Selenite Mountains Wilderness Study Area. It is situated southeast of the town of Gerlach, and northeast of Empire. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises above the valley floor in three miles. This landform's toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.

Climate

Selenite Peak is set in the Black Rock Desert which has hot summers and cold winters. The desert is an example of a cold desert climate as the desert's elevation makes temperatures cooler than lower elevation deserts. Due to the high elevation and aridity, temperatures drop sharply after sunset. Summer nights are comfortably cool. Winter highs are generally above freezing, and winter nights are bitterly cold, with temperatures often dropping well below freezing.