Mount Angeles | |
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 6,454 ft (1,967 m) NGVD 29 [1] |
Prominence | 1,614 ft (492 m) [1] |
Coordinates | 47°59′43″N123°28′00″W / 47.995368°N 123.4665748°W Coordinates: 47°59′43″N123°28′00″W / 47.995368°N 123.4665748°W [2] |
Geography | |
Parent range | Olympic Mountains |
Topo map | USGS Mount Angeles |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Exposed Scramble, grade II, class 3-4 |
Mount Angeles is located just south of Port Angeles, Washington in the Olympic National Park. It is the highest peak in the Hurricane Ridge area. The summit, which offers panoramic views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and many of the peaks of the interior Olympic Mountains can be climbed from the Klahane Ridge trail. [3]
The southeast side of Mount Angeles drains into Morse Creek, thence into the Strait of Juan de Fuca a couple of miles east of Port Angeles. The northeast side of Mount Angeles drains into Ennis Creek, thence into Port Angeles Harbor. The north and west sides of Mount Angeles drain into the South Branch of Little River, thence into the Juan de Fuca Strait via the Elwha River, whose mouth is located in the Lower Elwha Indian Reservation, a few miles west of Port Angeles.
Mount Angeles is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. [4]
Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel northeast toward the Olympic Mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks of the Olympic Range, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall (Orographic lift). As a result, the Olympics experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. [4] 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.
The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust. [5] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.
Mount Anderson is a 7,330-foot-high (2,234 m) peak in the Olympic Mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Rising in the center of Olympic National Park in Washington state, it is the second highest peak on the Anderson Massif, after West Peak. Anderson Glacier used to be located in a cirque on the mountain's southern flank while Eel Glacier is in another cirque, northwest of the summit. Hanging Glacier is on the east side of a ridge which extends north from the peak.
Mount Dana is a 6,213 feet (1,894 m) mountain summit in Jefferson County of Washington state. Set within Olympic National Park, it is part of the Bailey Range which is a subset of the Olympic Mountains. It was named in honor of Charles Dana who was an editor of The Sun, a New York newspaper. Precipitation runoff from Mount Dana drains into the Elwha River, thence into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Obstruction Peak is a 6,450 feet (1,970 m) summit in the Olympic Mountains and is located in Clallam County of Washington state. It is set within Olympic National Park and is situated at the eastern end of Obstruction Point Road which is a narrow eight mile dirt road on Hurricane Ridge. The road ends below the south slope of Obstruction Peak, and a short hike leads to the summit. Its nearest higher peak is Elk Mountain, 0.46 mi (0.74 km) to the northeast. Obstruction Peak is a major triple divide point such that precipitation runoff drains into tributaries of the Elwha River, Dungeness River, and Morse Creek. All three thence empty into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Eagle Point is a 6,247 feet (1,904 m) summit in the Olympic Mountains and is located in Clallam County of Washington state. It is set on Hurricane Ridge within Olympic National Park. It's situated midway between Steeple Rock and Obstruction Peak, 1.42 mi (2.29 km) to the southeast. Precipitation runoff drains into tributaries of the Elwha River and Morse Creek, thence into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Steeple Rock is a 200 feet (61 m) basalt pillar in the Olympic Mountains, and is located in Clallam County of Washington state. It sets next to the Obstruction Point Road on Hurricane Ridge within Olympic National Park. It's situated midway between Eagle Point and the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. Precipitation runoff drains into tributaries of the Elwha River and Morse Creek, thence into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Rocky Peak is a 6,218 feet (1,895 m) summit in the Olympic Mountains and is located in Clallam County of Washington state. It is situated eight miles south of Port Angeles, Washington within Olympic National Park. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Angeles, 1.87 mi (3.01 km) to the west. Klahhane Ridge connects these two peaks. Travelers on the scenic Hurricane Ridge Road traverse the lower south slope of Rocky Peak en route to the Hurricane Ridge visitor center. The mountain was named Rocky Peak by local people from the time of the earliest settlers in the area. Precipitation runoff from the north side of the peak drains into Rocky Creek, whereas the south slope drains into Morse Creek, thence into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Mount Appleton is a 6,000+ ft double summit mountain located in the Olympic Mountains, in Clallam County of Washington state. It is set within Olympic National Park and is situated northwest of Appleton Pass. Its nearest higher peak is South Appleton, 0.33 mi (0.53 km) to the south. Precipitation runoff from Mount Appleton drains into the Sol Duc River, and Boulder Creek which is a tributary of the Elwha River, thence into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
West Peak is a 7,365-foot-high (2,245 m) peak in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state. Rising in the center of Olympic National Park, it is the highest peak on the Anderson Massif. West Peak is the hydrographic apex of the Olympic Mountains, with precipitation runoff flowing outward to the Pacific Ocean via Quinault River, the Strait of Juan de Fuca via Elwha River, and Hood Canal via the Dosewallips River. The Eel Glacier is situated in a cirque east of the summit, and an unnamed glacier resides in the south cirque. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Mystery, 7.73 miles (12.44 km) to the northeast. The first ascent of the peak was made in 1930 by E. B. Hamilton. Legend has it that the mountain's name is for Mr. West, a participant in the 1890 O'Neil Expedition, rather than for its apparent position on the Anderson Massif. The West Branch of the Quinault River was named after him in 1890.
Elk Mountain is a 6,773 feet (2,064 m) summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Clallam County of Washington state. It is set within Olympic National Park and is situated at the eastern end of Hurricane Ridge. Its nearest higher peak is McCartney Peak, 5.12 mi (8.24 km) to the south-southwest. Precipitation runoff from the south slope of the mountain drains into tributaries of the Dungeness River, whereas the north slope is drained by tributaries of Morse Creek which thence empties into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Stephen Peak is a 6,418-foot (1,956-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Stephen Peak is the fifth-highest peak in the Bailey Range, which is a subrange of the Olympic Mountains. In clear weather, the mountain can be seen from the visitor center at Hurricane Ridge, appearing to the left of Mount Olympus. Mount Ferry is set 2.26 mi (3.64 km) to the southeast, and Stephen's nearest higher neighbor is Ruth Peak which is an outlier of Mount Carrie, 2.1 mi (3.4 km) to the northwest. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Elwha River and Hoh River. The first ascent of this peak was made in 1961 by Kent Heathershaw, Doug Waali, and Robert Wood.
Mount Fitzhenry is a 6,050-foot (1,840-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Clallam County of Washington state. Mt. Fitzhenry is in the Bailey Range, which is a subrange of the Olympic Mountains. In clear weather, the mountain can be seen from the visitor center at Hurricane Ridge. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Fairchild, 1.57 mi (2.53 km) to the south. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Elwha River. Mount Fitzhenry is situated at the head of Fitzhenry Creek, and both are named for Edward Allen Fitzhenry (1868–1937), Clallam County surveyor from 1892-1900. President Woodrow Wilson appointed Fitzhenry as Washington Surveyor General in 1913, and he later served as Deputy State Land Commissioner.
Mount Fairchild, also known as Mount William Fairchild, is a 6,900-foot (2,100-metre) glaciated mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Clallam County of Washington state. Mt. Fairchild is the second-highest peak in the Bailey Range, which is a subrange of the Olympic Mountains. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Carrie, 0.84 mi (1.35 km) to the southwest, and Ruth Peak is set 0.92 mi (1.48 km) to the south. In clear weather, the mountain can be seen from the visitor center at Hurricane Ridge. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Elwha River.
Unicorn Peak is a 5,100-foot-elevation (1,554 meter) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Clallam County of Washington state. Unicorn Peak is situated seven miles southwest of Port Angeles and three miles north-northwest of the park's Hurricane Ridge visitor center, in Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains west to the Elwha River via Little River and Griff Creek. Topographic relief is significant as the west aspect rises 4,800 feet (1,463 meters) above the Elwha valley in approximately three miles.
Blue Mountain is a 6,004-foot-elevation mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Clallam County of Washington state. Blue Mountain is situated in the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness, 13 miles southeast of Port Angeles and 11 miles southwest of Sequim. Topographic relief is significant as the south aspect rises 4,000 feet above Gray Wolf River in approximately 2.5 miles. The mountain's name is due to a soft, blue haze that forms around the mountain in the summer. New settlers to the Olympic Peninsula near the end of the 19th century brought devastating fires started by land clearing and logging activities. The Dungeness Fire of 1891 burned about 30,000 acres, destroying much of the forest around Blue Mountain.
McCartney Peak is a 6,784-foot-elevation (2,068 meter) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Part of the Olympic Mountains, McCartney Peak is situated 18 miles south of Port Angeles, and set within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. Topographic relief is significant as the southwest aspect rises 3,800 feet (1,160 meters) above the Lost River in approximately 1.5 mile. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains north into headwaters of the Lillian River, east to the Gray Wolf River via Cameron Creek, and west to the Elwha River via Lost River. The nearest higher neighbor is line parent Mount Cameron, 3.1 mi (5.0 km) to the southeast.
Mount Lincoln is a 5,868-foot-elevation mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Mason County of Washington state. It is situated on the boundary shared by Daniel J. Evans Wilderness and Mount Skokomish Wilderness, as well as the shared common border of Olympic National Park with Olympic National Forest. Lincoln is the second-highest point on Sawtooth Ridge, and the nearest higher neighbor is Mount Cruiser, 1.1 mi (1.8 km) to the northeast. Lincoln has two sub-peaks: a North Peak (5,690 ft/1,734 m), and a Southwest Peak (5,486 ft/1,672 m). Flapjack Lakes lie immediately west below the north sub-peak. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 5,100 feet (1,555 m) above the Staircase Ranger Station at Lake Cushman in approximately two miles. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the North Fork Skokomish River, and partly into Mildred Lakes, thence Hamma Hamma River.
Mount Wilder is a 5,939-foot (1,810-metre) mountain summit located near the head of the Elwha Valley, deep within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Part of the Olympic Mountains, Wilder represents the southernmost peak of the Bailey Range. It is situated 8.7 miles east-southeast of Mount Olympus, and is set within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. Neighbors include line parent Mount Dana, 2.3 miles (3.7 km) to the northeast, and Mount Seattle rises 3.7 miles to the southwest. The headwaters of the Goldie River form on the south slope of the mountain, and precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Goldie River and other tributaries of the Elwha River. Topographic relief is significant as the south aspect of the peak rises nearly 3,800 feet (1,160 m) in less than two miles.
Mount Delabarre is a remote 6,024-foot (1,836-metre) mountain summit located deep within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Part of the Olympic Mountains, Mount Delabarre is situated 12.4 miles southeast of Mount Olympus, and is set within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. The nearest higher neighbor is line parent Mount Christie, 2.5 miles to the west-northwest. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains north into headwaters of Delabarre Creek, which is a tributary of the Elwha River, and south into Rustler Creek, which is a tributary of the North Fork Quinault River. Topographic relief is significant as the southwest aspect of the peak rises 3,400 feet (1,036 m) above Rustler Creek in approximately one mile.
Ludden Peak is a 5,854-foot (1,784-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Ludden Peak is part of the Bailey Range, which is a subrange of the Olympic Mountains, and is set within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. In clear weather, the mountain can be seen from the park's visitor center on Hurricane Ridge. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Scott, one mile to the south-southeast, line parent Mount Ferry rises 1.6 mi (2.6 km) to the southwest, Dodger Point is 1.9 mi (3.1 km) to the northeast, and Stephen Peak is set 2.7 mi (4.3 km) to the northwest. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Elwha River.
Mount Barnes is a 5,987-foot (1,825-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Mount Barnes is part of the Bailey Range, which is a subrange of the Olympic Mountains, and is set within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. Neighbors include Mount Queets, 1.7 mi (2.7 km) to the southwest, and Mount Olympus is set 6.2 mi (10.0 km) to the west. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains west into the Queets River, south into headwaters of the Elwha River, and northeast into Goldie River which is a tributary of the Elwha. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,200 feet (975 m) above Elwha Basin in approximately two miles.