Gamma Peak | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 7,005 ft (2,135 m) [1] |
Prominence | 456 ft (139 m) [2] |
Parent peak | Glacier Peak (10,549 ft) [3] |
Isolation | 0.96 mi (1.54 km) [4] |
Coordinates | 48°08′29″N121°04′16″W / 48.1414504°N 121.0710084°W [1] |
Geography | |
Country | United States |
State | Washington |
County | Snohomish |
Protected area | Glacier Peak Wilderness |
Parent range | Cascade Range North Cascades [4] |
Topo map | USGS Gamma Peak |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Quaternary |
Type of rock | Andesite |
Volcanic arc | Cascade Volcanic Arc |
Gamma Peak is a 7,005-foot (2,135-metre) summit in Snohomish County, Washington, United States.
Gamma Peak is located 25 miles (40 km) east-southeast of Darrington in the heart of the Glacier Peak Wilderness on land managed by Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. [4] It is set three miles (4.8 km) northeast of Glacier Peak in the North Cascades. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into Gamma and Dusty creeks which are tributaries of the Suiattle River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,950 feet (1,204 meters) above the Suiattle River in three miles (4.8 km). The approach to the remote peak is via the Gamma Ridge Trail which starts in the upper Suiattle Valley near the Pacific Crest Trail. The summit provides one of the finest views in this part of the Glacier Peak Wilderness. [5] The mountain's toponym was officially adopted in 1963 by the United States Board on Geographic Names. [1]
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. [6] Extensive volcanic activity began to take place in the oligocene, about 35 million years ago. [7] However, mountain building in the area did not begin until the Miocene, approximately 10 million years ago. [6] Glacier Peak, a stratovolcano that is southwest of Gamma Peak, began forming in the mid-Pleistocene. [6] Gamma Peak is composed of Quaternary andesite of the volcanic lava flows from Glacier Peak. [8]
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. [6] As a result, valleys in the area are deep and U-shaped, and mountains tend to be rocky, with steep slopes and narrow summits.
Gamma Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. [6] 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 of the Cascade Range (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. [6] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger. [6] 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. [6] 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). [6]
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.
Prairie Mountain is a 5,678-foot-elevation mountain summit near the western edge of the North Cascades, in Snohomish County of Washington state. It is located six miles east of Darrington, Washington, and northwest of Glacier Peak which is one of the Cascade stratovolcanoes. It is situated on land administered by the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The nearest higher peak is White Chuck Mountain, 4.7 miles (7.6 km) to the south-southeast. Precipitation runoff from Prairie Mountain drains into the Sauk River and Suiattle River, both tributaries of the Skagit River. The mountain was so named because of the beautiful prairie at its base.
Mount Misch is a remote 7,435 ft mountain summit in the North Cascades, in Skagit County of Washington state. It is the highest point of the Buckindy Range, or Buckindy Ridge. It is located 19 miles east-northeast of Darrington, Washington, and 15 miles north-northwest of Glacier Peak which is one of the Cascade stratovolcanoes. It is situated in the Glacier Peak Wilderness on land administered by the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Mount Misch was named by mountaineer and author Fred Beckey for his friend Peter Misch (1909-1987), University of Washington geology professor and mountaineer, who was renowned for his study of the North Cascades. Precipitation runoff from Mount Misch and the unnamed Goat Creek glacier on its east slope drains into tributaries of the Suiattle River and ultimately the Skagit River.
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.
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.
White Mountain is a 7,043-foot (2,147-metre) 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. White Mountain is located 3.04 mi (4.89 km) to the west-southwest of Kololo Peaks, and immediately north of White Pass. The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the south slope of the peak. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into the White River, White Chuck River, and Sauk River. The mountain's name was suggested by The Mountaineers, and officially adopted in 1918 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.
Johnson Mountain is a 6,721-foot (2,049-metre) mountain summit located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades in Washington state. The mountain is situated in eastern Snohomish County, in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Its nearest higher peak is White Mountain, 3.3 mi (5.3 km) to the northeast, along with Indian Head Peak 3.38 mi (5.44 km) to the east. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Sauk River. The mountain's name honors Mackinaw Johnson, a prospector who had a cabin in the vicinity.
Napeequa Peak is an 8,073-foot (2,461-metre) pyramidal 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 neighbor is Cirque Mountain, 0.3 mi (0.48 km) to the north, and the nearest higher peak is Buck Mountain, 2.56 mi (4.12 km) to the east-southeast. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains east to the headwaters of Napeequa River; or west into the Suiattle River. 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.
Cirque Mountain is a 7,966-foot (2,428-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 Napeequa Peak, 0.3 mi (0.48 km) to the south. The peak is set on Chiwawa Ridge with Napeequa, and other notable peaks on this ridge include Fortress Mountain, Buck Mountain, Brahma Peak, Mount Berge, and Chiwawa Mountain. Topographic relief is significant since the western aspect of the mountain rises 4,000 feet above the Suiattle Valley in approximately 1.5 mi (2.4 km). This mountain has small, unnamed, hanging glaciers in cirques surrounding the summit. Precipitation runoff from the peak and meltwater from the glaciers drains east to the headwaters of Napeequa River; or west into the Suiattle River.
Tenpeak Mountain is an 8,312-foot (2,533-metre) mountain summit located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades in Washington state. Tenpeak 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 neighbor is Luahna Peak, 2.5 mi (4.0 km) to the southeast. Topographic relief is significant since the northern aspect of the mountain rises 4,200 feet above the Suiattle Valley in approximately 1.5 mi (2.4 km). This mountain has small, unnamed, hanging glaciers in cirques surrounding the summit, and the terminus of the Honeycomb Glacier lies below the western base of the mountain. Precipitation runoff from the mountain and meltwater from the glaciers drains south into White River; or north into the Suiattle River. This mountain's descriptive name was suggested by The Mountaineers, and was officially adopted in 1918 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The first ascent was made September 21, 1940, by Lloyd Anderson and Tom Campbell.
Mount Berge is a 7,951-foot (2,423-metre) double-summit granitic mountain located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades, in Chelan County of Washington state. The mountain is situated along the crest of the Cascade Range, on land managed by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. Its nearest higher neighbor is Napeequa Peak, 1.2 mi (1.9 km) to the west, and Buck Mountain is 1.7 mi (2.7 km) to the east-southeast. Berge is positioned on Chiwawa Ridge with Buck and Napeequa, and other notable peaks on this ridge include Fortress Mountain, Brahma Peak, Cirque Mountain, Helmet Butte, and Chiwawa Mountain. Precipitation runoff from Berge drains to the headwaters of Napeequa River; or east into tributaries of the Chiwawa River.
Mount David is a prominent 7,420-foot (2,260-metre) mountain summit located in Chelan County of Washington state. The mountain is situated in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, on land managed by the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Mount David is the highest point of Wenatchee Ridge, a subrange which also includes Indian Head Peak, Whittier Peak, Mount Saul, and Mount Jonathan. Its nearest higher neighbor is Bandit Peak, 5.69 mi (9.16 km) to the east-northeast. Precipitation runoff from Mount David drains into tributaries of the White River. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant since Mt. David rises 5,100 feet above the White River Valley in two miles. This peak was named for the biblical David by Albert Hale Sylvester, a pioneer surveyor, explorer, topographer, and forest supervisor in the Cascades who named thousands of natural features. This mountain can be climbed via the strenuous seven-mile Mount David Trail with over 5,000 feet of elevation gain.
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".
Black Mountain is a 7,262-foot-elevation (2,213-meter) summit located in the North Cascades, in Snohomish County of Washington state. The mountain is situated in the Glacier Peak Wilderness on land managed by Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Neighbors include line parent Kololo Peaks, 6 mi (9.7 km) to the east, Painted Mountain two miles west, and Glacier Peak is 5 mi (8.0 km) to the northeast. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains west into tributaries of the North Fork Sauk River, and east into the White Chuck River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,460 feet above the White Chuck in two miles. The first ascent of the summit was likely made in 1897 by a survey team including A. H. Dubor, Thomas G. Gerdine, and Sam Strom, who named the mountain for the dark color of its rock. The ascent from the north via Lake Byrne is non-technical.
Bedal Peak is a 6,554-foot-elevation (1,998-meter) mountain summit located in the North Cascades, in Snohomish County of Washington state. The mountain is situated in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, on land managed by Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is line parent Sloan Peak, 2 mi (3.2 km) to the south-southeast. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains west to the South Fork Sauk River via Bedal Creek, as well as north and east into tributaries of the North Fork. The north and south forks merge at the northwest base of the mountain to form the Sauk River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 5,250 feet above the Sauk River Valley and Mountain Loop Highway in approximately two miles.
Mount Buckindy is a remote 7,320-foot-elevation (2,230-meter) mountain summit located in the North Cascades, in Skagit County of Washington state. It is the second-highest point of the Buckindy Range, or Buckindy Ridge. It is set in the Glacier Peak Wilderness on land managed by the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. It is situated 20 miles east-northeast of Darrington, Washington, and 17 miles north-northwest of Glacier Peak which is one of the Cascade stratovolcanoes. Precipitation runoff from Mount Buckindy drains south to the Suiattle River via Buck Creek and Downey Creek, and north to the Cascade River via Kindy Creek. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 4,700 feet above Kindy Creek in less than two miles. The mountain's toponym is a portmanteau of Buck and Kindy Creeks, and has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.
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.