The landform's toponym was officially adopted in 1971 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[2] It is unknown how the butte came to be called "Capitol,"[6] however it does resemble a capitol dome in appearance.[7] Previous variant names for the landform included Capital Butte, Gray Mountain, Grayback Mountain, and Judge Oteys Tombstone.[3] Locals call it "Thunder Mountain."[8]
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Capitol Butte is located in a temperate semi-arid climate zone.[9] Climbers can expect afternoon rain and lightning from the seasonal monsoon in late July and August.
^Bruce Grubbs, Hiking Northern Arizona: A Guide to Northern Arizona's Greatest Hiking Adventures, Rowman & Littlefield, 2021, ISBN9781493053384, p. 195.
^Will Croft Barnes, Arizona Place Names, University of Arizona Press, 2016, ISBN9780816534951, p. 76.
^Wayne Ranney, Sedona Through Time: Geology of the Red Rocks, Red Lake Books, 1993, ISBN9780961167899, p. 83.
^Bruce Grubbs, Best Easy Day Hikes Sedona, Rowman & Littlefield, 2019, ISBN9781493041169, p. 79.
^Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN1027-5606.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Capitol Butte.