Petunia Peak

Last updated
Petunia Peak
Petunia Peak, Olympic Mountains.jpg
North aspect
Highest point
Elevation 6,953 ft (2,119 m) [1]
Prominence 433 ft (132 m) [1]
Isolation 0.62 mi (1.00 km) [2]
Coordinates 47°50′04″N123°11′46″W / 47.834338°N 123.196105°W / 47.834338; -123.196105 [3]
Geography
USA Washington relief location map.jpg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Petunia Peak
Location of Petunia Peak in Washington
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Petunia Peak
Petunia Peak (the United States)
CountryUnited States
State Washington
County Jefferson
Protected area Olympic National Park
Buckhorn Wilderness
Parent range Olympic Mountains
Topo map USGS Mount Deception
Geology
Rock age Eocene
Climbing
Easiest route class 2 scrambling via Royal Lake [1]

Petunia Peak is a 6,953-foot (2,119-metre) mountain summit located in Jefferson County of Washington state.

Contents

Description

Petunia Peak is set in the northeastern Olympic Mountains, and is situated on the boundary shared by Olympic National Park with the Buckhorn Wilderness, on land partially managed by the Olympic National Forest. Precipitation runoff from Petunia Peak drains into tributaries of the Dungeness River, and topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 3,750 feet (1,143 m) above the river in approximately 1.7 mile, and the west aspect rises 2,000 feet above Royal Basin in less than one mile. Old-growth forests of Douglas fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar grow on the lower slopes surrounding the peak. Like the town of Sequim 17 miles to the north, Petunia Peak lies in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains. It is also called "Petunia Peaks", as a higher summit known as North Petunia Peak (6,998 ft) rises 0.6 mile (1 km) to the north. [4] [5] This landform's name has not been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, so the mountain is not labeled on USGS maps.

Climate

Petunia Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. [6] Weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward the Olympic 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 snow. As a result, the Olympics experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. [7] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in 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. [7] The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Mountain (Jefferson County, Washington)</span> Mountain in Washington, USA

Iron Mountain is a 6,826-foot (2,081-metre) elevation summit located in the eastern Olympic Mountains in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is set within Buckhorn Wilderness, on land managed by Olympic National Forest. It is situated between Buckhorn Mountain, 0.58 mi (0.93 km) to the southwest, and Mount Worthington, 0.76 mi (1.22 km) to the northeast. Precipitation runoff from Iron Mountain drains south into the Big Quilcene River, and north into Copper Creek which is a tributary of the Dungeness River. Topographic relief is significant as the southeast aspect rises 2,800 feet above the Big Quilcene River in less than one mile, and the north aspect rises 1,700 feet above Buckhorn Lake in one-half mile. Old-growth forests of Douglas fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar grow in the valleys surrounding the peak. The nearest community is Quilcene 11 miles to the east.

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

Maiden Peak is a 6,434-foot (1,961 m) summit located in Olympic National Park, in Clallam County of Washington state. It is part of the Olympic Mountains and is situated near the eastern end of Hurricane Ridge within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. The nearest higher neighbor is Elk Mountain, 1.62 mi (2.61 km) to the west-southwest, and Blue Mountain is set 3.14 mi (5.05 km) to the east-northeast. The peak is set approximately midway along the trail which connects Deer Park and Obstruction Point. Precipitation runoff from the south slope of the mountain drains into Grand Creek, whereas the north slope is drained by Maiden Creek, and all ultimately reaches the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,000 feet (910 m) above Grand Creek in one mile. This landform's name was officially adopted in 1961 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. One story has the origin of the name being derived from nearby Maiden Lake where young men and women camped around 1913, and the other being from a group of hikers that passed this area.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Petunia Peak, climbersguideolympics.com
  2. "Petunia Peak - 6,953' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  3. "Petunia Peak". Peakbagger.com.
  4. Petunia Peaks, Mountaineers.org
  5. "North Petunia Peak". Peakbagger.com.
  6. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN   1027-5606.
  7. 1 2 McNulty, Tim (2009). Olympic National Park: A Natural History. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press.