North Cascades | |
---|---|
Canadian Cascades | |
Highest point | |
Peak | Mount Baker |
Elevation | 3,286 m (10,781 ft) |
Dimensions | |
Length | 434.5 km (270.0 mi)North-South |
Width | 241 km (150 mi)East-West |
Geography | |
Countries | |
Province/State | |
Parent range | Cascade Range |
Borders on | Lillooet Ranges, Skagit Range |
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in the U.S. and Canada [1] as the Cascade Mountains. [2] The portion in Canada is known to Americans as the Canadian Cascades, a designation that also includes the mountains above the east bank of the Fraser Canyon as far north as the town of Lytton, at the confluence of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers.
They are predominantly non-volcanic, but include the stratovolcanoes Mount Baker, Glacier Peak and Coquihalla Mountain, which are part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc.
The U.S. section of the North Cascades and the adjoining Skagit Range in British Columbia are most notable for their dramatic scenery and challenging mountaineering, both resulting from their steep, rugged topography. While most of the peaks are under 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in elevation, the low valleys provide great local relief, often over 6,000 feet (1,800 m). The summits of the rest of the Canadian Cascades are not glaciated in the same way and feature rock "horns" rising from plateau-like uplands, with the Manning Park and Cathedral Park areas known for their extensive alpine meadows, as is also the case with the eastern flank of the US portion of the range. Portions of the US side of the range are protected as part of North Cascades National Park.
The large amount of precipitation, much of it in the form of snow, and the resulting glaciation, combine with the regional uplift to create a dramatic landscape in the western part of the range. Deep, U-shaped valleys carved by glaciers in Pleistocene time separate sharp ridges and peaks carved into steep shapes by more recent snow and ice.
The eastern and northernmost parts of the range are much more plateau-like in character, though in the case of the northernmost areas graven by deep valleys along the flank of the Fraser Canyon, notably that of the Anderson River.
The Fraser River and the adjoining lowland on its south bank form the northern and northwestern boundary of the range. On the east, the Okanogan River and the Columbia River bound the range in the United States, while the northeastern boundary of the range departs the Thompson via the Nicoamen River and runs via Lawless Creek, the Tulameen River and Copper Creek to the Similkameen River. On the west, the foothills of the range are separated by a narrow coastal plain from Puget Sound except along Chuckanut Drive between Bellingham and Mount Vernon, where they abut the Sound directly.
The southern boundary of the North Cascades is less definite. For the purposes of this article, it will be taken as U.S. Highway 2, running over Stevens Pass, or equivalently, the Skykomish River, Nason Creek, and the lower Wenatchee River. This roughly follows Beckey's geologic division in Cascade Alpine Guide [3] and the definition used by Peakbagger.com. [4] Sometimes the southern boundary is defined by Snoqualmie Pass and the approximate route of Interstate 90. [5] Sometimes the term "North Cascades" or "northern Cascades" is used for the entire range north of the Columbia River. [6]
Geologically, the rocks of the North Cascades extend south beyond Stevens Pass and west into the San Juan Islands. The significance of the geologic transitions to the Okanagan Highland to the east and the Interior Plateau and Coast Mountains to the north are less agreed upon. [7]
The climate in the North Cascades varies considerably by location and elevation. The western slope of the range is wet and cool, with 60 to 250 inches (1.5 to 6.4 m) of precipitation per year. This produces a temperate rain forest climate in the low valleys, which then grades into montane and alpine climates on mountain slopes and peaks. Summers are comparatively dry, with far less precipitation than in winter; sometimes the warmer eastern air and cooler western air meet at the Cascades during the summer months, and form thunderstorms. Sometimes, the storms move downwind into lowland cities. [8] The eastern slope lies in the rain shadow of the range, since prevailing winds and most moisture come from the west, and hence is significantly drier than the western side of the main divide, becoming semi-arid in the eastern lowlands. [9] [10] As with most mountainous areas, precipitation increases dramatically with increasing elevation. As a result, there is a great deal of winter snow and glaciation in the high North Cascades.
The eastern slopes and mountain passes can receive significant snowfall. Cold Arctic air can flow south from British Columbia through the Okanogan River valley into the bowl-like basin east of the Cascades. Cold air damming causes this Arctic air to bank up along the eastern Cascade slopes, especially into the lower passes, such as Snoqualmie Pass and Stevens Pass. The milder, Pacific-influenced air moving east over the Cascades is often forced aloft by the cold air held in place in the passes due to cold air damming. As a result, the passes often receive more snow than higher areas in the Cascades. This effect makes the relatively low elevation ski resorts at Snoqualmie Pass (about 3,000 feet (910 m)) and Stevens Pass (about 4,000 feet (1,200 m)) possible. [11]
The following North Cascades peaks are notable for their height (absolute elevation):
Mountain | Height | Coordinates | Prominence | Parent mountain | First ascent | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(ft) | (m) | (ft) | (m) | ||||
Mount Baker | 10,778 | 3,285 | 48°46′N121°48′W / 48.767°N 121.800°W | 8,881 | 2,707 | Mount Rainier | 1868 by Edmund T. Coleman and party |
Glacier Peak | 10,541 | 3,213 | 48°6′45.05″N121°6′49.70″W / 48.1125139°N 121.1138056°W | 7,501 | 2,286 | Mount Rainier | 1898 by Thomas Gerdine |
Bonanza Peak | 9,511 | 2,899 | 48°14′16″N120°51′58″W / 48.23778°N 120.86611°W | 3,711 | 1,131 | Glacier Peak | 1937 by Curtis James, Barrie James, Joe Leuthold |
Mount Fernow | 9,249 | 2,819 | 48°09′44″N120°48′30″W / 48.16222°N 120.80833°W | 2,809 | 856 | Bonanza Peak | 1932 by Oscar Pennington, Hermann Ulrichs |
Goode Mountain | 9,220 | 2,810 | 48°28′58″N120°54′39″W / 48.48278°N 120.91083°W | 3,800 | 1,200 | Bonanza Peak | 1936 by Wolf Bauer, Philip Dickett, Joe Halwax, Jack Hossack, George MacGowan |
(The above table uses a topographic prominence cutoff of 1,000 feet (300 m), in order to list only highly independent peaks.)
The following peaks are notable for their topographic prominence:
Mountain | Height | Prominence | Parent mountain | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
(ft) | (m) | (ft) | (m) | ||
Mount Baker | 10,778 | 3,285 | 8,881 | 2,707 | Mount Rainier |
Glacier Peak | 10,541 | 3,213 | 7,501 | 2,286 | Mount Rainier |
Round Mountain | 5,320 | 1,620 | 4,780 | 1,460 | Three Fingers |
Mount Spickard | 8,979 | 2,737 | 4,779 | 1,457 | Mount Baker |
Welch Peak | 7,976 | 2,431 | 4,728 | 1,441 | Robinson Mountain |
Three Fingers | 6,850 | 2,090 | 4,490 | 1,370 | Glacier Peak |
Mount Shuksan [12] | 9,131 | 2,783 | 4,411 | 1,344 | Mount Baker |
Remmel Mountain | 8,684 | 2,647 | 4,370 | 1,330 | Mount Lago |
Mount Prophet | 7,650 | 2,330 | 4,080 | 1,240 | Luna Peak |
Mount Outram | 8,074 | 2,461 | 3,678 | 1,121 | Hozomeen Mountain |
Mount Lago | 8,743 | 2,665 | 3,300 | 1,000 | Silver Star Mountain |
The following peaks are notable for their large, steep rise above local terrain. Peaks are listed in descending order by elevation.
Mountain | Height | |
---|---|---|
(ft) | (m) | |
Mount Baker | 10,778 | 3,285 |
Glacier Peak | 10,541 | 3,213 |
Goode Mountain | 9,220 | 2,810 |
Mount Shuksan | 9,127 | 2,782 |
Jack Mountain | 9,066 | 2,763 |
North Gardner Mountain | 8,956 | 2,730 |
Mount Redoubt | 8,956 | 2,730 |
Eldorado Peak | 8,876 | 2,705 |
Luna Peak | 8,311 | 2,533 |
Johannesburg Mountain | 8,220 | 2,510 |
Agnes Mountain | 8,115 | 2,473 |
Hozomeen Mountain | 8,066 | 2,459 |
Slesse Mountain | 8,002 | 2,439 |
American Border Peak | 7,994 | 2,437 |
Mount Blum | 7,680 | 2,340 |
Sloan Peak | 7,835 | 2,388 |
Colonial Peak | 7,771 | 2,369 |
Mount Triumph | 7,270 | 2,220 |
Pugh Mountain | 7,201 | 2,195 |
Davis Peak | 7,051 | 2,149 |
Whitehorse Mountain | 6,850 | 2,090 |
Baring Mountain | 6,125 | 1,867 |
The North Cascades are known for having many extremely tall glacial-fed waterfalls; the ten highest measured waterfalls are listed. [13]
Many tall waterfalls occur where meltwater from mountain glaciers drop down a headwall, which are common occurrences in the North Cascades. Many waterfalls, despite their great height, are non-notable as they are not clearly visible and often have low volume. Seahpo Peak Falls, despite its great height at nearly 2,200 feet (670 m), is an example of one of these waterfalls. A few notable exceptions do occur; Sulphide Creek Falls occurs where meltwaters from two of the largest Mount Shuksan glaciers are forced through a narrow chute over a 2,183-foot (665 m) headwall at the head of Sulphide Valley.
The bulk of the North Cascades consists of "deformed and metamorphosed, structurally complex pre-Tertiary rocks". [14] These originated in diverse locations around the globe: the area is built of several ("perhaps ten or more") different terranes of different ages and origins. [15] These terranes are separated by a series of ancient faults, the most significant being the Straight Creek Fault, which runs north–south from north of Yale, British Columbia, through Hope, Marblemount, Washington, and down to Kachess Lake near Snoqualmie Pass. There is evidence of significant strike-slip movement on this fault in the past, with similar rocks on either side of the fault separated by dozens of miles. This is thought to be related to northward tectonic movement of the West Coast relative to the rest of North America. [16]
Since about 35 million years ago, oceanic crust from the Pacific Ocean has been subducting under the continental margin, which has formed the current volcanoes as well as a number of igneous intrusions composed of diorite and gabbro. [16] [17] The current uplift of the Cascade Range began around 8 million years ago. [18]
Rocks similar to those in the North Cascades continue north to the vicinity of Mount Meager massif in the Coast Mountains, where they abut the Stikinia Terrane of the Omineca-Intermontane Province that dominates the Interior Plateau of British Columbia. This geologic similarity between the North Cascades and Coast Mountains results in a fairly arbitrary boundary between the two.
In British Columbia, the western geologic boundary of the North Cascades is defined as the Fraser River as it follows the Straight Creek Fault, while in the United States the western boundary is defined by the Puget Lowlands in the west, although there are significant westward extensions of rocks similar in origin to those in the North Cascades found in the San Juan Islands. [7]
The eastern geologic boundary of the North Cascades may be marked by the Chewack-Pasayten Fault. This fault separates the easternmost portion of the North Cascades, the Methow Terrane, from the Quesnellia Terrane, one of the Omineca and Intermontane Belts. The fault also separates the Methow River valley, part of the Methow Terrane, from the Okanagan Range, part of the Quesnellia Terrane. The Columbia River Basalt Group bounds the North Cascades to the southeast.
The southern limit of what is geologically considered the "North Cascades" may variously be defined as being the southern limit of exposure of igneous and metamorphic terranes which is generally north of Snoqualmie Pass, Snoqualmie Pass itself, or Naches Pass at the White River Fault Zone. [7] [19]
While alpine glaciers are a defining feature of the Cascade Range as a whole, this is especially true of the North Cascades. The stratovolcanoes (Mount Baker and Glacier Peak) are the most obviously glaciated peaks and have the largest glaciers, but many of the smaller, nonvolcanic peaks are glaciated as well. For example, the portion of the Cascades north of Snoqualmie Pass (roughly the North Cascades as defined in this article) These glaciers all retreated from 1900 to 1950. From 1950 to 1975 many but not all North Cascades glaciers advanced. Since 1975 retreat has become more rapid with all 107 glaciers monitored retreating by 1992. 2015 was an especially damaging year for Cascadian Glaciers, an estimated mass loss of five to ten percent, the single greatest loss in over 50 years. [20] There are approximately 700 glaciers in the range, though some have already disappeared. [21] Since a brief advancing period in the 1950s, most of these glaciers have been retreating. This is a serious concern to water managers in the region, as the glaciers (and the winter snowpack) form a large reservoir of water. As snow and ice melts in the summer, the resulting meltwater compensates for the seasonal decrease in precipitation. As glaciers retreat they will provide less summer runoff.
The Cascades north of Snoqualmie Pass have 756 glaciers covering 103 square miles (270 km2) of terrain. For comparison, the entire contiguous United States has about 1,100 glaciers in total, covering 205 square miles (530 km2). [22]
The North Cascades has a diversity of plant species. [23] It contains more than 1630 vascular plant species [24] There are eight distinct life zones that support thousands of plants separately and in their own way. [24] Traveling west to east through the range, one would intersect a number of distinct ecoregions, first getting higher and colder, then getting warmer, yet drier. Each of these component ecoregions can be described by either a tree indicator species, or by a lack of trees: Western hemlock, silver fir, subalpine mountain hemlock, Alpine tundra, subalpine fir, and grand fir/Douglas-fir. [25]
The range also has a rich diversity of animals, including bald eagles, wolves, grizzly bears, mountain lions and black bears. [23] The range is home to at least 75 species of mammals and 200 species of birds that either pass through or use the North Cascades for a breeding area. There are also 11 species of fish on the west side of the Cascades. [23] Examples of amphibian species occurring in the North Cascades include the western toad (Bufo boreas) and the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa). [26]
The biodiversity of the area is threatened by global climate change and invasive exotic plant species. [24] These exotic plants thrive by utilizing manmade structures such as roads and trails. [24] These invasive plants include the diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa) and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea). [27]
On the United States side of the border, early inhabitants of the North Cascades included the Nooksack, Skagit, and Sauk-Suiattle tribes on the west, and the Okanagan people on the eastern side, with the Nlaka'pamux people of what is now Canada claiming hunting territory in the heart of the range, south across the border into Washington. The tribes living and using the range on the Canadian side of the border are the Nlaka'pamux, Sto:lo and the Upper and Lower Similkameen subgroups of the Okanagan. A now-extinct group known as the Nicola Athapaskans also inhabited and hunted in the area now occupied by the Similkameen. Many current geographic names in the region are derived from native terms, either by transliteration or translation. Beckey notes that "Many names were derived from Chinook Jargon, mostly applied by the United States Forest Service from 1910 to 1940...." [28]
Fur traders entered the area in the first half of the 19th century, coming from Canada and from Astoria on the Columbia River. One of the earliest was Alexander Ross of the North West Company, who crossed the range in the summer of 1814, probably via Cascade Pass. [29] The period of uncertainty surrounding the disputed Oregon Country gave way following partition along the 49th Parallel to a period of tentative U.S. Army exploration in tandem with violent subjugation of Indian tribes on the American side of the frontier in the second half of the century. With the partition, the Hudson's Bay Company was forced to seek an alternative to its older Brigade Trail via the Okanogan River and the construction of a new route over the northern spine of the Canadian Cascades from the area of Spuzzum into the valley of the Coldwater River to connect fort Langley on the lower Fraser with its northern posts in New Caledonia. The route was impracticable and was soon abandoned, though more southerly routes through what is now Manning Park laid the foundations for later routes such as the Dewdney Trail and the modern Crowsnest Highway via Allison Pass, and was later similar to a route via the Coquihalla Pass for its southern mainline. South of the boundary, reconnaissance for possible railroad routes (none of which were viable north of the one eventually put in over Stevens Pass, at the southern edge of the North Cascades) and various mining rushes.
Miners dominated the exploration and development of the range from the 1880s through the early 20th century. For example, mines around the boomtown of Monte Cristo, in the southwest portion of the North Cascades, produced "between $1 and $2.7 million in silver and gold". [30] The Holden Mine, on the east side of the main divide, produced 106,000 tons of copper and 600,000 ounces of gold. [31] Discovery of gold by American prospectors on the banks of the Thompson River at its confluence with the Nicoamen River, at the northern tip of the range, helped trigger the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858-1860 which in turn prompted the declaration of the Colony of British Columbia to affirm British possession of territories north of the 49th Parallel. The Fraser rush led to exploration of the Cascades to the east of the canyon and in the valley of the Similkameen River, with minor rushes in the area of Princeton, British Columbia in 1859 through the early 1860s and the creation of non-native towns (on top of much older native ones) at Boston Bar, Lytton and Hope, as well as Princeton.
Early settlers also arrived in the foothills of the North Cascades in the latter half of the 19th century, and utilized the range in a limited way as a source of timber and grazing land. The range is so rugged that this exploitation was less dramatic than in other more gentle landscapes.
Early recreational use of the range included expeditions by the local climbing clubs, The Mountaineers and The Mazamas. These groups did not fully explore the inner reaches of the range and ascend the most difficult peaks until the 1930s and 1940s. It was not until the 1970s, that most peaks were climbed in the most isolated areas, making it one of the last explored ranges in the contiguous United States.[ citation needed ]
The North Cascades are often referred as the "American Alps" by hikers, climbers and mountaineers because of the sea of steep, jagged peaks that span across the range. This range's rugged approaches and exceptional alpine terrain make it a premiere training ground for mountain climbers. [32]
Chief among the protected areas in Washington is North Cascades National Park, occupying much of the area between Mount Baker and the Cascade divide. Contiguous with the Park are Ross Lake National Recreation Area and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. Designated wilderness areas in the range include:
In British Columbia, protected areas include:
The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as many of those in the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades. The small part of the range in British Columbia is referred to as the Canadian Cascades or, locally, as the Cascade Mountains. The highest peak in the range is Mount Rainier in Washington at 14,411 feet (4,392 m).
The Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington is a National Forest extending more than 140 miles (230 km) along the western slopes of the Cascade Range from the Canada–US border to the northern boundary of Mount Rainier National Park. Administered by the United States Forest Service, the forest is headquartered in Everett. There are local ranger district offices in North Bend and Skykomish.
The Sauk River is a tributary of the Skagit River, approximately 45 miles (72 km) long, in northwestern Washington in the United States. It drains an area of the high Cascade Range in the watershed of Puget Sound north of Seattle. The river is a popular destination for fly fishing. It is a National Wild and Scenic River.
The Hozameen Range is a mountain range in southwestern British Columbia and northern Washington, straddling the division between the Coast and Interior regions of that province. It is a subrange of the North Cascades and is neighboured on the east by the Okanagan Range and on the northwest by the unofficially-named Coquihalla Range, which lies between that river and the Fraser. In the northwest part of the range is the one named subrange, the Bedded Range.
The Skagit Range is a subrange of the Cascade Range in southwestern British Columbia, Canada and northwestern Washington, United States, which are known in Canada as the Canadian Cascades or, officially, the Cascade Mountains. It is also known in the Nooksack language as Nexwx̠ex̠tsán. The Skagit Range lies to the west of the Skagit River and east and north of the Chilliwack River and flanks the Upper Fraser Valley region of British Columbia's Lower Mainland.
Lemah Mountain is a mountain peak in the Snoqualmie Crest, a part of the North Cascades Mountains, of the US state of Washington, most noted for its five distinct summits. It is approximately 7.7 miles (12.4 km) from Snoqualmie Pass. The name Lemah comes from the Chinook Jargon word Lemah, in turn derived from a French word, le main, meaning "hand". Lemah Mountain formed by rocks crumpled into mountains by the Cascadia subduction zone where the Juan de Fuca and North American Plates meet.
Mount Blum, or Mount Bald, is a 7,685-foot (2,342 m) summit of the North Cascades range in Washington state, on the western edge of North Cascades National Park. It is the highest summit of a string of mountain peaks located east of Mount Shuksan and west of the Picket Range. Two small active glaciers rest on its northern flank. Mount Blum was named after John Blum, a United States Forest Service fire patrol pilot who perished in a plane crash near Snoqualmie Pass in 1931.
The geography of the North Cascades describes a range of rugged mountains in British Columbia, Canada and Washington, United States. In Canada, the range is officially named the Cascade Mountains but is commonly referred to as the Canadian Cascades.
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.
Mount Redoubt is a mountain in the North Cascades range in Whatcom County, Washington state. The peak is located 3.0 miles (5 km) from the Canada–US border, 16.3 miles (26 km) east-northeast of Mount Shuksan. It is the 21st highest peak in the state, with a height of 8,956 feet (2,730 m) and a prominence of 1,649 feet (503 m). Redoubt is in the Skagit Range, a sub-range of the North Cascades, in the Custer-Chilliwack Group which includes Mount Spickard, Mount Redoubt, Mount Custer and Mox Peaks, among others. Redoubt, Bear, and Depot creeks drain off the mountain, which is composed of Skagit gneiss. Mount Redoubt is listed as one of the "Classic Eight Peaks" in the North Cascades.
Forbidden Peak is an 8,815 feet (2,687 m) glacial horn located in North Cascades National Park, in Skagit County of Washington state. It is part of the North Cascades and is located near Cascade Pass. Forbidden Peak features a rock climbing route named West Ridge route which is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. The peak was first climbed by a party consisting of Fred Beckey, his brother Helmy Beckey, Jim Crooks, Lloyd Anderson and Dave Lind in 1940.
Chimney Rock is a mountain located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of the Central Cascade Range in western Washington, United States. The mountain has two main summits, a northeast spire and a central spire, as well as a minor south peak. Situated 10 miles NNE of Snoqualmie Pass, with its craggy appearance Chimney Rock is the most distinctive peak on the crest dividing the Snoqualmie River and Yakima River drainage areas. Lemah Mountain is to the south on the crest, and Summit Chief Mountain to the northeast. Overcoat Peak is off the main ridge just to the north of Chimney Rock. The mountain has three glaciers: the Overcoat Glacier on the north, the Chimney Glacier on the south and east, and an unnamed glacier on the east side of the North Peak.
Sinister Peak is in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Wenatchee National Forests in the U.S. state of Washington. It is situated in Glacier Peak Wilderness and the North Cascades. Not quite 1 mi (1.6 km) east of Dome Peak, Sinister Peak is along a high ridge connecting the two peaks. The Chickamin Glacier is on the north slopes of Sinister Peak while the Garden Glacier is just southeast. Though some of the routes to the summit are technical, it can be reached by a moderate scramble.
Mount Larrabee is a 7,865-foot (2,397-metre) Skagit Range mountain summit situated 1.4 mile south of the Canada–United States border, in the North Cascades of Washington state. It is located immediately southeast of American Border Peak within the Mount Baker Wilderness, which is part of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, and near North Cascades National Park. It is notable for its reddish coloring caused by oxidation of Iron in the rock. The rock consists of reddish interbedded and interfolded phyllites and greenstone. Originally known as Red Mountain, the name was changed in 1951 to honor Charles F. Larrabee (1895–1950), of the prominent Larrabee family of Bellingham, Washington. The toponym was officially adopted in 1951 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
Ruth Mountain is a 7,115 ft (2,170 m) Skagit Range summit located two miles south of Hannegan Pass in the North Cascades of Washington state. The name honors Ruth Cleveland, daughter of President Grover Cleveland. This mountain's name was officially adopted in 1952 by the United States Board on Geographic Names. Ruth Mountain is situated on the shared border of North Cascades National Park and the Mount Baker Wilderness, which is part of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The summit offers views of Mount Shuksan, East Nooksack Glacier, Seahpo Peak, Nooksack Tower, Icy Peak, Mount Sefrit, Mineral Mountain, and the Picket Range. The melting and receding Ruth Glacier on the north slope of Ruth creates the headwaters for the Chilliwack River. Precipitation runoff also finds its way into the Nooksack and Baker Rivers.
Molar Tooth is a 7,547-foot-elevation (2,300-meter) granite summit located on the shared border of Okanogan County and Skagit County, in Washington state. The mountain is part of the Okanagan Range which is a subrange of the Cascade Range. Set in the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest, Molar Tooth is situated south of Cutthroat Pass, and 0.57 miles (0.92 km) north of Cutthroat Peak, which is also the nearest higher peak. The easiest climbing route is class 4 scrambling, but solid rock provides class 5 technical routes as well. Precipitation runoff from the east side of Molar Tooth drains into tributaries of the Methow River, whereas runoff from the west side drains into tributaries of the Skagit River.
Table Mountain is a Skagit Range summit located west of Mount Shuksan and northeast of Mount Baker in the North Cascades of Washington state. It is situated in the Mount Baker Wilderness, which is managed by the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Table Mountain is located west of Artist Point, at the end of the Mount Baker Highway. From the Artist Point parking lot, a short 1.4 mile trail leads to the summit at the west end of the mountain. The summit offers views of Mount Shuksan, Mount Baker, Mount Hermann, and Mount Larrabee. Remnants of the Table Mountain Glacier are on the northeast slope. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Skagit and Nooksack Rivers.
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.
Mount Chaval is a craggy 7,127-foot (2,172-metre) mountain summit located in Skagit County of Washington state. Situated within the Glacier Peak Wilderness, Mount Chaval is positioned west of the crest of the North Cascades Range, approximately 15 miles northeast of the town of Darrington. It has two subsidiary peaks, East Peak and Middle Peak, each 7040 ft. The nearest higher neighbor is Snowking Mountain, 2.51 miles (4.04 km) to the northeast. Precipitation runoff from Mount Chaval drains into tributaries of the Skagit River.
Snowking Mountain is a 7,433-foot (2,266-metre) summit located in Skagit County of Washington state. Situated within the Glacier Peak Wilderness, Snowking Mountain is positioned west of the crest of the North Cascades, approximately 18 miles northeast of the town of Darrington. It is set within the Glacier Peak Wilderness, on land managed by Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest. Snowking has two subsidiary peaks, West Peak (7,425 ft), and Middle Peak (7,400 ft). A broad unnamed glacier known colloquially as Snowking Glacier rests on the north face. Downslope of that glacier are Snowking Lake, Found Lake, and Cyclone Lake. Mount Tommy Thompson is three miles to the northwest, and the nearest higher neighbor is Mount Misch, 5.75 miles (9.25 km) to the southeast. Precipitation runoff from Snowking Mountain drains into tributaries of the Skagit River.