Mount Saul

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Mount Saul
Mt. Saul.jpg
Mt. Saul, northeast aspect
Highest point
Elevation 7,293 ft (2,223 m) [1]
Prominence 1,360 ft (410 m) [2]
Parent peak Mount David (7,420 ft) [3]
Isolation 3.1 mi (5.0 km) [3]
Coordinates 48°00′07″N121°01′24″W / 48.00194°N 121.02333°W / 48.00194; -121.02333 [2]
Geography
USA Washington relief location map.jpg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Mount Saul
Location in Washington
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Mount Saul
Location in the United States
Mount Saul
Interactive map of Mount Saul
CountryUnited States
State Washington
County Chelan
Protected area Glacier Peak Wilderness
Parent range North Cascades
Cascade Range
Topo map USGS Glacier Peak East
Geology
Rock age Late Cretaceous [4]
Rock type Tonalitic plutons [4]
Climbing
Easiest route Hiking [5]

Mount Saul is a prominent 7,293-foot (2,223-metre) mountain summit located in Chelan County of Washington state. [1] The mountain is situated in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, on land managed by the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Mount Saul is the fourth-highest point on Wenatchee Ridge, a subrange which also includes Indian Head Peak, Whittier Peak, Mount David, and Mount Jonathan. [2] Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount David, 3.1 mi (5.0 km) to the south-southeast. [2] Precipitation runoff from Mount Saul drains into tributaries of the White River. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant since the south aspect of Mt. Saul rises 4,000 feet above the Indian Creek Valley in a little more than one mile. This peak was named for the biblical Saul because of its gloomy appearance by Albert Hale Sylvester, a pioneer surveyor, explorer, topographer, and forest supervisor in the Cascades who named thousands of natural features. [5]

Contents

Geology

The North Cascades feature some of the most rugged topography in the Cascade Range with craggy peaks, spires, ridges, and deep glacial valleys. Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to the various climate differences.

The history of the formation of the Cascade Mountains dates back millions of years ago to the late Eocene Epoch. [6] With the North American Plate overriding the Pacific Plate, episodes of volcanic igneous activity persisted. [6] Glacier Peak, a stratovolcano that is 8.7 mi (14.0 km) northwest of Mount Saul, began forming in the mid-Pleistocene. [5] Due to Glacier Peak's proximity to Mount Saul, volcanic ash is common in the area. In addition, small fragments of the oceanic and continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago. [6]

During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured and shaped the landscape. [6] Uplift and faulting in combination with glaciation have been the dominant processes which have created the tall peaks and deep valleys of the North Cascades area.

Climate

Weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel east toward the Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach, 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 Cascades experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. 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] The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount David (Washington)</span> Mountain in Washington (state), United States

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spark Plug Mountain</span> Mountain in Washington (state), United States

Spark Plug Mountain is a 6,320-foot (1,926-metre) mountain summit located above the western shore of Glacier Lake, in eastern King County of Washington state. It's part of the Wenatchee Mountains, which are a subset of the Cascade Range, and is situated in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, on land managed by Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is Surprise Mountain, 1.0 mi (1.6 km) to the southeast, and Thunder Mountain is set above the eastern shore of Glacier Lake. The Pacific Crest Trail skirts this lake as it passes between Spark Plug and Thunder. Spark Plug Lake, elevation 5,587-ft, lies immediately below the north aspect of the mountain, and Little Spark Plug is the 6,016-ft peak on the north side of this lake. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Surprise Creek and Deception Creek, both tributaries of the Skykomish River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Whittier (Washington)</span> Mountain in Washington (state), United States

Mount Whittier is a prominent 5,883-ft mountain summit located in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, in Skamania County of southwest Washington state. It is situated in the Cascade Range, 2 mi (3.2 km) north of Spirit Lake, and 1.7 mi (2.7 km) northeast of The Dome. Its closest neighbor is Mount Margaret, 0.93 mi (1.50 km) to the south, and the nearest higher neighbor is Mount St. Helens, 9 mi (14 km) to the south. Whittier is the second-highest peak in the Mount St. Helens area, after Mt. St. Helens. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant as the summit rises 2,000 feet above the head of Coldwater Creek valley in 0.6 mi (0.97 km). Precipitation runoff from Mount Whittier drains into tributaries of the North Fork Toutle River.

References

  1. 1 2 "Mount Saul". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Mount Saul, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  3. 1 2 "Saul, Mount - 7,300' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
  4. 1 2 Geologic map of the North Cascade Range, Washington, Haugerud, R.A., and Tabor, R.W., US Geological Survey, 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Kruckeberg, Arthur (1991). The Natural History of Puget Sound Country. University of Washington Press.