Mount Witherspoon

In 1947 the National Board of Geographic Names designated a mountain peak in the Chugach Mountain Range in Southeastern Alaska in honor of UT graduate David C. Witherspoon, class of 1894. Witherspoon served with the United States Geographical Survey from 1897 to 1920. Mount Witherspoon rises to an altitude of 12,030 feet. Vast snow fields cover the Chugach Range at this point and are the source of several glaciers. In 1897 when he began the laborious process of mapping, little was known of the interior of Alaska. Gold had been discovered in the Klondike region, and since there were many reports of its fabulous riches, the Geological Survey decided to send engineers experienced in topographic mapping and geologists to investigate the mineral deposits.

Citation Information

The following information is provided for citations.

  • Title Mount Witherspoon
  • Author
  • Keywords Mount Witherspoon
  • Website Name Volopedia
  • Publisher University of Tennessee Libraries
  • URL
  • Access Date July 14, 2025
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update October 9, 2018