Bannock Mountain | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 7,769 ft (2,368 m) [1] |
Prominence | 640 ft (195 m) [2] |
Parent peak | Plummer Mountain (7,870 ft) [2] |
Isolation | 2.98 mi (4.80 km) [3] |
Coordinates | 48°15′21″N120°59′31″W / 48.2557532°N 120.9920552°W [1] |
Naming | |
Etymology | Bannock |
Geography | |
Interactive map of Bannock Mountain | |
Country | United States |
State | Washington |
County | Snohomish / Chelan |
Protected area | Glacier Peak Wilderness |
Parent range | Cascade Range North Cascades [3] |
Topo map | USGS Agnes Mountain |
Geology | |
Rock age | Cretaceous |
Rock type | Metamorphic Gneiss [4] |
Climbing | |
First ascent | 1936 |
Bannock Mountain is a 7,769-foot (2,368-metre) summit in the North Cascades of Washington state.
Bannock Mountain is located 28 miles (45 km) east of Darrington, Washington, in the heart of the Glacier Peak Wilderness, on land managed by Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest and Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. [3] The mountain is situated on the crest of the Cascade Range, along the common border shared by Snohomish County and Chelan County. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's east slope drains to the Stehekin River via Agnes Creek, whereas the west slope drains into Sulphur Creek and the south slope into Canyon Creek, which are both tributaries of the Suiattle River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,770 feet (1,149 meters) above Sulphur Creek in 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and 2,370 feet (722 meters) above Bannock Lakes in one-half mile (0.8 km). The first ascent of the summit was made on July 28, 1936, by Hermann Ulrichs, Art Johnson, and Dwight Watson. [5] The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names, [1] and refers to bannock, which is a variety of flatbread or quick bread that early surveyors prepared over campfires. [5]
Subduction and tectonic activity in the area began during the late cretaceous period, about 90 million years ago. The area was previously an oceanic environment, consisting mainly of sedimentary and volcanic rocks. [5] Extensive volcanic activity began to take place in the oligocene, about 35 million years ago. [6] However, mountain building in the area did not begin until the miocene, approximately 10 million years ago. [5] Bannock Mountain is located in the Cloudy Pass batholith, an intrusive formation that was formed approximately 20 million years ago, during the early miocene. [5] [7] Glacier Peak, a stratovolcano that is 11 mi (18 km) south of Bannock Mountain, began forming in the mid-Pleistocene. [5] Due to Glacier Peak's proximity to Bannock Mountain, volcanic ash is quite common in the area.
Throughout the ice age, the North Cascades were mostly covered in thick glaciers, extending to near Puget Sound. Glaciation was most prevalent approximately 18,000 years ago, and most valleys were ice-free by 12,000 years ago. [5] As a result, valleys in the area are deep and u-shaped, and mountains tend to be rocky, with steep slopes and narrow summits.
Bannock Mountain is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. [5] Most weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward the Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach the North Cascades, they are forced upward by the peaks (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the Cascades. As a result, the west side of the North Cascades experiences high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. [5] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger. [5] During winter months weather is usually cloudy, but due to high pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean that intensify during summer months, there is often little or no cloud cover during the summer. [5] Due to its temperate climate and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, areas west of the Cascade Crest very rarely experience temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) or above 80 °F (27 °C). [5] The months of July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.
Buckner Mountain is a tall peak in the North Cascades of Washington state and in the Stephen Mather Wilderness of North Cascades National Park. At 9,114 feet (2,778 m) in elevation it is the highest in Skagit County and one of about ten of Washington's non-volcanic peaks above 9,000 feet high. It is ranked as the 14th highest peak in the state, and the third highest peak in North Cascades National Park.
Sentinel Peak is a 8,266-foot (2,519-metre) mountain located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of Washington's North Cascades. The summit is part of the Ptarmigan Traverse. The mountain is situated on the crest of the Cascade Range, on the shared border of Snohomish County and Chelan County, also straddling the boundary between the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Wenatchee National Forest. The South Cascade Glacier lies below its western slope, and the LeConte Glacier lies on the northeast slope. Its nearest higher peak is Spire Point, 3.03 mi (4.88 km) to the south-southwest.
Plummer Mountain is a prominent summit of the North Cascades, in Snohomish County of Washington state. It is located west of Suiattle Pass in the heart of the Glacier Peak Wilderness on land managed by Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Plummer Mountain is the high point and eastern culmination of Miners Ridge. Image Lake on Miners Ridge provides a campsite from which to climb Plummer. Kennecott Copper Corporation, as of 1988, planned to dig an open-pit copper mine on the slopes of Plummer Mountain. However, protests by various advocacy groups prevented the plan from developing further.
Sitting Bull Mountain is a 7,759-foot (2,365-metre) double summit mountain in the North Cascades of Washington state. The north summit is higher than the south peak, and easier to climb, however neither peak sees much climbing activity. Sitting Bull Mountain is located 2.1 mi (3.4 km) northwest of Suiattle Pass in the heart of the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Its nearest higher peak is Plummer Mountain, 1.51 mi (2.43 km) to the south-southwest. The mountain is situated on the crest of the Cascade Range, on the shared border of Snohomish County and Chelan County. Precipitation runoff from Sitting Bull Mountain drains east into Agnes Creek which is a tributary of the Stehekin River, or west into Canyon Creek which is a tributary of the Suiattle River.
Dumbell Mountain is an 8,416-foot (2,565-metre) double summit massif located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades, in Chelan County of Washington state. The Dumbell summit is slightly higher than the northeast subpeak (8,408 ft) which is unofficially called Greenwood Mountain. The nearest higher neighbor is Chiwawa Mountain, 2.4 mi (3.9 km) to the east-southeast. Precipitation runoff from Dumbell Mountain drains into tributaries of the Chelan River and the Wenatchee River. The mountain's descriptive name was applied by Albert Hale Sylvester (1871-1944), pioneer surveyor, explorer, topographer, and forest supervisor in the Cascades.
Chiwawa Mountain is an 8,459-foot (2,578-metre) mountain summit located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades in Washington state. The mountain is situated on the crest of the Cascade Range, on the shared border of Snohomish County and Chelan County, also straddling the boundary between the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Wenatchee National Forest. Its nearest higher peak is Fortress Mountain, 1.12 mi (1.80 km) to the west. Chiwawa Mountain is a triple divide peak, so precipitation runoff from it drains northeast to Lake Chelan via Railroad Creek; northwest into Miners Creek which is a tributary of the Suiattle River; and south into the Chiwawa River headwaters. The mountain's name is taken from the river's name, which was applied by Albert Hale Sylvester (1871-1944), a pioneer surveyor, explorer, topographer, and forest supervisor in the Cascades. Chiwawa comes from the Columbia-Moses language and means a kind of creek.
Kololo Peaks is an 8,200+ ft mountain located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades in Washington state. The mountain is situated on the crest of the Cascade Range, on the shared border of Snohomish County and Chelan County, and also straddling the boundary between Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest higher peak is Glacier Peak, 3.29 mi (5.29 km) to the north. Precipitation runoff and meltwater from the White River Glacier on the southeast slope drains into White River. On the west slope, the White Chuck Glacier drains into the White Chuck River, and the Suiattle Glacier and Honeycomb Glacier on the north and east sides drain into the Suiattle River. Surrounded by these glaciers, Fred Beckey in his Cascade Alpine Guide describes the mountain as being almost a nunatak.
Colchuck Peak is an 8,705-foot (2,653-metre) mountain summit located in the Stuart Range, in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Chelan County of Washington state. The nearest higher peak is Dragontail Peak, 0.49 mi (0.79 km) to the east, and Argonaut Peak lies 0.9 mi (1.4 km) to the southwest. The Colchuck Glacier which lies on the northeast slopes of the peak melts into Colchuck Lake. The mountain and glacier take their name from the lake, which in Chinook jargon means "cold water". Precipitation runoff from the peak drains north into Mountaineer Creek, a tributary of Icicle Creek, or south into Ingalls Creek, all of which winds up in the Wenatchee River. Colchuck Peak is more notable for its steep rise above local terrain than for its absolute elevation as topographic relief is significant with the summit rising 3,130 feet (954 m) above Colchuck Lake in 1 mi (1.6 km), and 4,600 feet (1,402 m) above Ingalls Creek in 1.9 mi (3.1 km).
Sherpa Peak is an 8,630-foot (2,630-metre) granite summit located in the Stuart Range, in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Chelan County of Washington state. The nearest higher peak is Mount Stuart, 0.41 mi (0.66 km) to the west, and Argonaut Peak lies 1.29 mi (2.08 km) to the east. The Sherpa Glacier lies on the northern slope of the peak. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains north into Mountaineer Creek, a tributary of Icicle Creek, or south into Ingalls Creek, all of which winds up in the Wenatchee River. According to the USGS, this peak is named for a local climbing club that was active in the area in the 1950s, and the toponym was officially adopted in 1988 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Castle Rock is an 8,166-foot (2,489-metre) mountain summit located on the shared border of Glacier Peak Wilderness and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area in the North Cascades of Washington state. The mountain is situated above the western shore of Lake Chelan in Chelan County, on land managed by Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest higher peak is Flora Mountain, 0.7 mi (1.1 km) to the south. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into Lake Chelan via Castle Creek, Canyon Creek, and Bridal Veil Creek. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 7,066 feet above the lake in 2.5 mile (4 km).
Cloudy Peak is a 7,915-foot (2,412-metre) mountain summit located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades, in Chelan County of Washington state. Its nearest higher peak is North Star Mountain, 0.67 mi (1.08 km) to the northeast. Precipitation runoff from Cloudy Peak drains into Agnes Creek and Railroad Creek, both tributaries of the Chelan River.
North Star Mountain is an 8,096-foot (2,468-metre) mountain summit located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades, in Chelan County of Washington state. Its nearest neighbor is Cloudy Peak 0.9 mi (1.4 km) to the southwest, and the nearest higher neighbor is Bonanza Peak, 1.9 mi (3.1 km) to the northeast. North Star Mountain was originally named Bonanza Peak, and vice versa, but the USGS’ first 1904 topographic map of the region mistakenly interchanged the names. Precipitation runoff from North Star drains into Agnes Creek and Railroad Creek, both tributaries of the Chelan River.
Harding Mountain is a 7,173 ft (2,190 m) mountain summit located in Chelan County of Washington state. It is the seventh-highest point in the North Wenatchee Mountains. Harding Mountain is situated within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, 5.35 mi (8.61 km) northwest of Mount Stuart, and 4.1 mi (6.6 km) west of Eightmile Mountain, on land managed by Wenatchee National Forest. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into tributaries of Icicle Creek, which in turn is a tributary of the Wenatchee River. This mountain was named after President Warren G. Harding by Albert Hale Sylvester.
Skykomish Peak is a 6,368-foot (1,941-metre) mountain summit located in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness in the North Cascades of Washington state. The mountain is situated on the crest of the Cascade Range, on the shared border of Snohomish County with Chelan County, and also straddling the boundary between Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Skykomish Peak is located 15 mi (24 km) to the north of Stevens Pass, and the Pacific Crest Trail traverses the east slope of this peak. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains west into the Skykomish River, or east into Cady Creek which is a tributary of Little Wenatchee River. This mountain's name derives from its position at the head of the North Fork Skykomish River, and "Skykomish" comes from the Lushootseed word for the Skykomish people, sq̓ixʷəbš, meaning "upriver people".
Helmet Butte is a 7,400-foot (2,256-metre) summit located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades in Washington state.
Kennedy Peak is an 8,381-foot (2,555-metre) summit in Snohomish County, Washington, United States.
Gamma Peak is a 7,005-foot (2,135-metre) summit in Snohomish County, Washington, United States.
Portal Peak is a 6,999-foot (2,133-metre) mountain summit in Snohomish County, Washington, United States.
Baekos Peak is a 7,529-foot (2,295-metre) mountain summit in Snohomish County, Washington, United States.
Kodak Peak is a 6,132-foot-elevation (1,869-meter) summit on the border shared by Chelan and Snohomish counties in Washington, United States.