Mount Saint Nicholas

{{short description|Mountain in Montana, United States}}

{{For|Saint Nicholas Peak in Banff National Park, Canada|Saint Nicholas Peak (Canada)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mount Saint Nicholas

| photo = Mount Saint Nicholas portrait.jpg

| photo_caption =

| elevation_ft = 9381

| elevation_ref = {{navd88}}

| prominence_ft = 2456

| prominence_ref =

| range = Lewis Range

| location = Glacier National Park
Flathead County, Montana, U.S.

| map = USA Montana#USA

| map_alt =

| map_caption = Location in Montana

| map_relief = yes

| map_size =

| label = Mount Saint Nicholas

| label_position = bottom

| coordinates = {{coord|48.3916311|N|113.5503815|W|type:mountain_region:US-MT_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref =

| topo = USGS Mount Saint Nicholas

| first_ascent = 1926 by Conrad Wellen

| easiest_route = Northeast Ridge: technical rock climb

}}

Mount Saint Nicholas is a peak in the remote southwestern section of Glacier National Park, in Montana. It is a particularly steep, pointed rock pinnacle, and its distinctive profile is visible from many summits in the southern half of the park. Because even its easiest ascent route is technical, with poor rock quality, it is "considered the most dangerous and difficult mountain for climbers in Glacier National Park."{{rp|335}}

Mount Saint Nicholas excels in terms of steep vertical relief, even by the high standards prevalent in Glacier National Park. For example, its northwest face rises {{convert|1|mi|ft m|adj=pre|vertical|spell=in}} in approximately {{convert|1.5|mi|ft km|adj=pre|horizontal}}. Due to its pointed shape and isolation from the Continental Divide, it has similarly precipitous drops in all directions.

In 1926, Reverend Conrad Wellen of Havre, Montana made the first ascent of Mount Saint Nicholas. The mountain had previously been considered by many to be unclimbable.{{rp|42}} The standard route is the Northeast Ridge. Starting from the east side of the peak, this route begins with a straightforward scramble up a gully to a prominent notch. From the notch a thousand vertical feet of somewhat technical climbing remain.{{rp|337}}