Mount Mystery | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 7,639 ft (2,328 m) [1] |
Prominence | 1,119 ft (341 m) [1] |
Isolation | 1.32 mi (2.12 km) [2] |
Coordinates | 47°47′45″N123°13′17″W / 47.795903°N 123.221465°W [1] |
Geography | |
Location | Olympic National Park Jefferson County, Washington, US |
Parent range | Olympic Mountains |
Topo map | USGS Mount Deception |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Eocene |
Type of rock | Tilted pillow Basalt |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | class 3 scrambling [2] |
Mount Mystery is a prominent 7,639-foot (2,328-metre) mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is located within Olympic National Park on the Olympic Peninsula. Mount Mystery is the sixth-highest peak of the Olympic Mountains, after Mount Olympus, Mount Deception, Mount Constance, Mount Johnson, and Inner Constance. [3] Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Deception, 1.32 mi (2.12 km) to the north-northwest. Little Mystery (6941 ft) is a subsidiary summit south of Mount Mystery.
Mount Mystery is located in the eastern portion of the Olympic Mountains just south of Mount Deception at the headwaters of Deception Creek. This location puts it in the rain shadow of the Olympic Range, resulting in far less precipitation than Mount Olympus and the western Olympics receive.
Mount Mystery sits on the boundary between the drainage basins of the Dungeness River, to the north, and the Dosewallips River to the east. Deception Creek, a tributary of the Dosewallips River, drains the east and west slopes of Mount Mystery, including a small melting glacier on the east side referred to colloquially as Mystery Glacier.
Mount Mystery was given its name circa 1915 by G.A. Whitehead of the U.S. Forest Service because he admired its regal appearance in foggy weather. [4]
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Mystery is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. [5] 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 (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall. As a result, the Olympics experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger. 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 months July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing and climbing this mountain.
The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust. [6] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.
While not a particularly technical climb, Mount Mystery is steep and exposed. If a climber falls and does not arrest immediately, loose rock and rotten snow may make it difficult to stop falling for some distance. The nearby Needles are typically regarded as providing better, and somewhat more difficult, mountaineering objectives in the Royal Basin area.
Mount Constance is a peak in the Olympic Mountains of Washington and the third highest in the range. It is the most visually prominent peak on Seattle's western skyline. Despite being almost as tall as the ice-clad Mount Olympus to the west, Mount Constance has little in the way of glaciers and permanent snow because the eastern, and particularly this northeastern, portion of the Olympics receives far less precipitation. However the narrow and steep Crystal Glacier still exists on the mountain's north face, shaded by the bulk of the main peak and with a small lake at its terminus. In addition, the treeline is higher here than mountains to the west, also hinting at the drier alpine conditions.
Mount Deception is a peak in the Olympic Mountains of Cascadia. It is in Olympic National Park on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington.
Mount Johnson is a summit in the Olympic Mountains and is located in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated within Olympic National Park, and is set within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. At 7,680 feet (2,340 m) high, Mount Johnson is the fourth-highest peak of the Olympic Mountains, after Mount Olympus, Mount Deception, and Mount Constance. It is the highest peak in The Needles range which is a subset of the Olympic range. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Deception, 1.34 mi (2.16 km) to the south. Mount Johnson is set in the eastern portion of the Olympic Mountains within the drainage basin of the Dungeness River. This location puts it in the rain shadow of the Olympic Range, resulting in less precipitation than Mount Olympus and the western Olympics receive.
Inner Constance is a summit of the Olympic Mountains and is located in Jefferson County of Washington state. It's located near the eastern edge of Olympic National Park on the Olympic Peninsula. At 7,667 feet (2,337 m) high, Inner Constance is the fifth highest peak of the Olympic Mountains, after Mount Olympus, Mount Deception, Mount Constance, and Mount Johnson. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Constance, 0.9 mi (1.4 km) to the east. Within this nearly mile-wide separation resides a deep glacially carved canyon called "Avalanche Canyon". Precipitation runoff on the north side of the peak drains into tributaries of the Dungeness River, whereas the south side drains into tributaries of the Dosewallips River.
Mount Jupiter is a 5,700-foot (1,700-meter) mountain summit in the Olympic Mountains and is located in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated in The Brothers Wilderness on land managed by Olympic National Forest. Mount Jupiter is easy to identify from Seattle, since it appears as the prominent peak between The Brothers and Mount Constance. The Jupiter name was applied by the Seattle Press Expedition in an effort to link the peak with the Greco-Roman mythological names associated with Mount Olympus. Jupiter was a Roman god on Olympus.
Mount Tom is a remote 7,076-foot (2,157-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Olympus, 1.76 mi (2.83 km) to the east. Due to heavy winter snowfalls, Mount Tom supports the massive White Glacier on its northeast slope, despite its modest elevation. This glacier is the westernmost glacier in the contiguous states, and the summit is the westernmost peak higher than 7000+ feet elevation. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Hoh River.
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.
Mount Fricaba is a 7,139-foot-elevation (2,176 m) double summit mountain located in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated on the shared border of Olympic National Park with Buckhorn Wilderness, and is the highest point in that wilderness, as well as the Olympic National Forest. Its nearest higher peak is Hal Foss Peak, 0.74 miles (1.19 km) to the southwest. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains east into headwaters of the Dungeness River, or west into Deception Creek which is a tributary of the Dosewallips River. The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1961 by the United States Board on Geographic Names based on usage by The Mountaineers since 1907, and inclusion in Fred Beckey's "Climber's Guide to the Cascade and Olympic Mountains of Washington" published in 1949. The first ascent of the mountain was made in 1957 by Don Bechlem and Jack Newman.
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.
Martin Peak is a mountain summit in the Olympic Mountains and is located in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is located within Olympic National Park. At 7,638 feet (2,328 m) high, Martin Peak is the seventh-highest peak of the Olympic Mountains, and the second-highest peak in The Needles range, which is a subset of the Olympic range. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Johnson, 0.53 mi (0.85 km) to the north-northwest. Precipitation runoff from this peak drains west into headwaters of Gray Wolf River, or east into Royal Creek, both of which are part of the Dungeness River drainage basin. Martin Peak was given its name based on the first ascent in 1940 by George W. Martin (1901–1970), and Elvin Johnson.
Mount Mathias is a 7,156-foot (2,181-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Olympus, 1.76 mi (2.83 km) to the east. Mount Mathias is wedged between the massive Blue Glacier below its west slope, and the Hoh Glacier on the east side. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into the Hoh River.
Aries is a 6,533-foot (1,991-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Its neighbors include Mount Olympus, 2.46 mi (3.96 km) to the west, Athena 1.7 mi (2.7 km) to the southwest, and Mount Mathias 1.11 mi (1.79 km) to the northwest. Aries is wedged between the Hoh Glacier and the Humes Glacier, and immediately northeast of Blizzard Pass. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into headwaters of the Queets and Hoh Rivers. This mountain was named by glaciologists Richard Hubley and Edward LaChapelle in 1955, in preparation for the International Geophysical Year. It is named for Aries in keeping with the Greek and Roman mythology naming theme surrounding Mount Olympus.
Mount Claywood is a 6,836-foot (2,084-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated at the head of Lost River, and 15 mi (24 km) east of Mount Olympus. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Cameron, 2.4 mi (3.9 km) to the northeast. Other nearby peaks include Mt. Fromme, 0.58 mi (0.93 km) to the southeast, and Sentinel Peak, 2 mi (3.2 km) also to the southeast. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains north and west into tributaries of the Elwha River, and east into Claywood Lake, thence Dosewallips River.
Woden is a 6,038-foot (1,840-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Tom, 3 mi (4.8 km) to the north-northwest, and Mount Olympus rises 3.8 mi (6.1 km) to the north-northeast. Woden is the highest point in The Valhallas, a sub-range south of Mount Olympus. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the South Fork Hoh River and Queets River. The Geri-Freki Glacier, which descends north from Woden. is the only glacier in The Valhallas.
Athena is a 7,365-foot-elevation (2,245 meter) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Athena is situated at the head of the Hoh Glacier, and the Hubert Glacier lies below the west aspect. Its neighbors include Mount Olympus, 1.7 mi (2.7 km) to the northwest, and Aries 1.7 mi (2.7 km) to the northeast. Athena has subpeaks "Athena II" (7,259 ft), and "Athena's Owl" (7,000 ft). Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into the Queets and Hoh Rivers, with Athena being the highest point within the Queets drainage basin.
Mount Cameron is a 7,190-foot-elevation (2,190-meter) triple-summit mountain located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Mount Cameron is situated 21 miles southwest of Sequim, and set within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. Topographic relief is significant as the southeast aspect rises over 3,300 feet above the Dosewallips River in approximately one mile. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains south into the Dosewallips River, north to the Gray Wolf River via Cameron Creek, and west into headwaters of Lost River. Neighbors include line parent Mount Deception, 4.5 mi (7.2 km) to the east, and proximate parent Mount Johnson, 4.5 mi (7.2 km) to the east.
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.
Cat Peak is a 5,940-foot (1,810-metre) mountain summit within Olympic National Park in Clallam County of Washington state.
Mount Fromme is a 6,705-foot (2,044-metre) mountain summit in Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated at the head of Dosewallips River, within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Claywood, 0.6 mi (0.97 km) to the northwest. Other nearby peaks include Lost Peak, 1.8 mi (2.9 km) to the northeast, and Sentinel Peak, 1.4 mi (2.3 km) to the southeast. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains east into headwaters of the Dosewallips River, and west into Hayes River, which is a tributary of the Elwha River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2,250 feet (685 m) above Dose Meadows in approximately one mile.
Mount Elk Lick is a 6,517-foot-elevation (1,986 meter) mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated within Olympic National Park, and is set within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness at the head of Elk Lick Creek. The nearest neighbor is Mount La Crosse, 2.54 mi (4.09 km) to the west, and the nearest higher neighbor is Diamond Mountain, 3.73 mi (6.00 km) to the north-northwest. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains south into the Duckabush River, and north into the Dosewallips River. Topographic relief is significant as the south aspect rises over 4,300 feet (1,310 m) above the Duckabush valley in approximately one mile. The mountain is remote and an ascent can take four days and involves 46 miles of hiking.