Spider Mountain | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 8,286 ft (2,526 m) [1] |
Prominence | 926 ft (282 m) [1] |
Parent peak | Mount Formidable (8,325 ft) [2] |
Isolation | 1.33 mi (2.14 km) [2] |
Coordinates | 48°24′34″N121°02′10″W / 48.409454°N 121.036096°W [1] |
Geography | |
Location | Chelan County, Washington, U.S. |
Parent range | North Cascades Cascade Range |
Topo map | USGS Cascade Pass |
Geology | |
Type of rock | Schist |
Climbing | |
First ascent | 1938, Calder Bressler, Ralph Clough, Bill Cox, Tom Myers [3] |
Easiest route | Scrambling Glacier travel |
Spider Mountain is an 8,286-foot (2,526-metre) mountain summit located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness in western Chelan County of Washington state. [4] It is part of the North Cascades, which is a subset of the Cascade Range. Meltwater from the Spider Glacier on the steep north face, and other surface runoff from the mountain drains into Flat Creek, which is a tributary of the Stehekin River. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Formidable 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the west. [1] The Middle Cascade Glacier lies between these two mountains, and the Ptarmigan Traverse passes through also.
Spider Mountain is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. [3] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel northeast toward the Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach the North Cascades, they are forced upward by the peaks of the Cascade Range, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the Cascades (Orographic lift). As a result, the west side of the North Cascades experiences 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. [3] In terms of favorable weather, July through September are best for climbing.
The North Cascades features some of the most rugged topography in the Cascade Range with craggy peaks and ridges, deep glacial valleys, and granite spires. Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to various climate differences.
The history of the formation of the Cascade Mountains dates back millions of years ago to the late Eocene Epoch. [5] With the North American Plate overriding the Pacific Plate, episodes of volcanic igneous activity persisted. [5] In addition, small fragments of the oceanic and continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago. [5]
During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured the landscape leaving deposits of rock debris. [5] The U-shaped cross section of the river valleys is a result of recent glaciation. 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.
Columbia Peak is a mountain peak in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness in the U.S. state of Washington. Columbia Peak rises to 7,172 feet (2,186 m). Together with Monte Cristo Peak and Kyes Peak it forms a basin that contains Columbia Glacier and Blanca Lake.
Mount Logan is located in North Cascades National Park in the U.S. state of Washington. Mount Logan is in a remote location of North Cascades National Park that requires hiking 20 mi (32 km) from a trailhead to reach the peak. The mountain itself is not a difficult climb, though the easiest approaches require traversing glaciers and ropes are recommended. The peak supports three glaciers including Banded Glacier to the north, Fremont Glacier to the southwest and Douglas Glacier on the southeast slopes.
Klawatti Peak is located in North Cascades National Park in the U.S. state of Washington. Klawatti Peak is a nunatak, a peak surrounded by glaciers. These are Klawatti Glacier to the east, McAllister Glacier to the northwest and Inspiration Glacier to the south.
Primus Peak is located in North Cascades National Park in the U.S. state of Washington. Primus Peak is flanked by North Klawatti Glacier to the south and Borealis Glacier to the northeast. Tricouni Peak is situated immediately east of Primus 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.
Whatcom Peak is in North Cascades National Park in the U.S. state of Washington. Whatcom Peak is .50 mi (0.80 km) north of Challenger Glacier and the Whatcom Glacier descends from the northeast slopes of the peak. An unnamed hanging glacier descends along the northwest flank of the peak. This mountain is set between Mount Challenger and Easy Peak.
Kimtah Peak, elevation 8,600+ feet, is in North Cascades National Park in the U.S. state of Washington. Kimtah Peak is a summit along a ridge known as Ragged Ridge. Kimtah Glacier is on the northwest slopes of the peak, while Katsuk Glacier is to the northeast.
Neve Peak is in North Cascades National Park in the U.S. state of Washington. Located in the south unit of the park, Neve Peak is .66 mi (1.06 km) west of Colonial Peak. The Neve Glacier is just south of Neve Peak while the Colonial Glacier descends from the north slopes of the mountain.
Fortress Mountain is a 8,671-foot (2,643 m) peak in the Cascade Range located about 15 miles (24 km) west of Lake Chelan in Chelan/Snohomish Counties, Washington, United States. It straddles the border between the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Wenatchee National Forest, and is also part of the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Fortress Mountain is the highest point on Chiwawa Ridge, and other notable peaks on this ridge include Napeequa Peak, Buck Mountain, Brahma Peak, Bandit Peak, Mount Berge, Helmet Butte, and Chiwawa Mountain.
White Chuck Mountain, or native name Hi Khaed, is a 6,989 ft (2,130 m) summit near the western edge of the North Cascades, in Snohomish County of Washington state. It is located southeast of Darrington, Washington, east of the Mountain Loop Highway, and northwest of Glacier Peak which is one of the Cascade stratovolcanoes. It is situated at the confluence of the White Chuck River and the Sauk River on land administered by the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The mountain is named for the White Chuck River, which "chuck" in Chinook Jargon means "water". The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Pugh, 4.9 miles (7.9 km) to the south-southeast.
Magic Mountain is a 7,610-foot (2,320-metre) mountain summit located on the shared boundary of Skagit County and Chelan County in Washington state. It is part of the North Cascades Range, a subset of the Cascade Range. Magic Mountain is situated southeast of Cascade Pass on the shared border of North Cascades National Park and Glacier Peak Wilderness. The nearest peak is Pelton Peak 0.4 miles (0.64 km) to the northeast, and the nearest higher peak is Hurry-up Peak 0.83 miles (1.34 km) to the south. The Yawning Glacier and Cache Col Glacier rest on its northern flank. Magic Mountain is at the northern end of the Ptarmigan Traverse. Surface runoff on the north side the mountain drains into the Stehekin River, while precipitation drains into the Cascade River from the southwest side.
Mix-up Peak, also known as Mixup Peak, is a 7,440-foot (2,270-metre) mountain summit located on the shared boundary of Skagit County and Chelan County in Washington state. It is part of the North Cascades Range and is situated one mile south of Cascade Pass on the shared border of North Cascades National Park and Glacier Peak Wilderness. The nearest higher peak is Magic Mountain, 1.02 miles (1.64 km) to the east-southeast. Mix-up Peak is at the northern end of the Ptarmigan Traverse which is an alpine route to remote mountains such as Mount Formidable and Dome Peak. The Cache Glacier occupies a cirque below its eastern flank. Surface runoff on the east side the mountain drains into the Stehekin River, whereas precipitation runoff drains into the Cascade River from the west side.
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.
Hurry-up Peak is a 7,821-foot-elevation summit located on the shared boundary of Skagit County and Chelan County in Washington state. It is positioned on the crest of the North Cascades Range, and is set at the northern end of the Ptarmigan Traverse. Hurry-up Peak is situated southeast of Cascade Pass on the shared border of North Cascades National Park and Glacier Peak Wilderness. The nearest higher peak is Spider Mountain, 1.49 miles (2.40 km) to the south, with Magic Mountain 0.83 miles (1.34 km) to the north, and Trapper Mountain 0.7 miles (1.1 km) to the east. The S Glacier rests on the eastern flank of the peak and meltwater from it drains into Trapper Lake. Precipitation runoff on the east side the mountain drains into tributaries of the Stehekin River, while precipitation drains into the Cascade River from the west side. Ess Mountain and S Mountain are variant names for Hurry-up Peak. This geographical feature's name was officially adopted in 1969 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
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 Range, 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 (7425 ft), and Middle Peak (7400 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.
Tricouni Peak is an 8,102-foot (2,469-metre) mountain summit located in Skagit County of Washington state. It is situated in North Cascades National Park, north of the North Klawatti Glacier and southeast of the Borealis Glacier. Its nearest higher peak is Primus Peak, 0.54 mi (0.87 km) to the west. Precipitation runoff from Tricouni drains into Thunder Creek. The peak is named for the tricouni which was used for traction on ice, and the approach to the peak involves traversing a glacier.
Buck Mountain is an 8,528-foot (2,599-metre) mountain summit located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades in Washington state. The mountain is situated in Chelan County, in the Wenatchee National Forest. Its nearest higher peak is Clark Mountain, 3.98 mi (6.41 km) to the southwest, and Brahma Peak is set 1.8 mi (2.9 km) to the south. Precipitation runoff from it drains into Buck Creek, Chiwawa River, and Napeequa River, each a tributary of the Wenatchee River. The mountain's name was applied by Albert Hale Sylvester (1871-1944), a pioneer surveyor, explorer, topographer, and forest supervisor in the Cascades.
Luahna Peak is an 8,400+ ft double summit mountain located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the North Cascades in Washington state. The true summit is 7400+ feet in elevation, and the northwest subpeak is 8,320+ feet. The mountain is situated in Chelan County, in the Wenatchee National Forest. Luahna Peak is the second highest in the Dakobed Range after Clark Mountain which is 1.04 mi (1.67 km) to the southeast, and Luahna lies 6.95 mi (11.18 km) southeast of Glacier Peak. The Richardson Glacier lies to the southeast of the summit, with the Pilz Glacier and Butterfly Glacier stretching across the northern slope. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into the White River and Napeequa River, both tributaries of the Wenatchee River.
Brahma Peak is a remote 8,078-foot (2,462-metre) mountain summit located on Chiwawa Ridge in the North Cascades, in Chelan County of Washington state. The mountain is situated in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, on land managed by the Wenatchee National Forest. Its nearest higher neighbor is Buck Mountain, 1.8 mi (2.9 km) to the north. Brahma and Buck are set on Chiwawa Ridge, and other notable peaks on this ridge include Fortress Mountain, Cirque Mountain, Napeequa Peak, Mount Berge, Bandit Peak, and Chiwawa Mountain. Precipitation runoff from Brahma and meltwater from its glacier remnants drains into Chiwawa River and Napeequa River, both tributaries of the Wenatchee River. Topographic relief is significant since the southwest lavender-colored schist cliffs of this peak rise nearly 4,000 feet above the Napeequa River Valley in approximately one mile.
Le Conte Mountain is a 7,762-foot-elevation (2,366-meter) summit located on the shared boundary of Skagit County and Chelan County in Washington state. It is positioned on the crest of the North Cascades Range, and is set within the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Le Conte Mountain is situated on the shared border of Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Access to the peak is via the Ptarmigan Traverse. The nearest higher neighbor is Sentinel Peak, 1.87 miles (3.01 km) to the south-southeast, and Spider Mountain is 2.4 miles (3.9 km) to the northeast. The Le Conte Glacier and South Cascade Glacier lie to the south of the peak. Precipitation runoff on the east side the mountain drains into Flat Creek which is a tributary of the Stehekin River, while precipitation drains into headwaters of the South Fork Cascade River from the west side. Topographic relief is significant as the southwest aspect rises nearly 2,500 feet above South Cascade Lake in less than one-half mile, and the northeast aspect rises 3,200 feet above Flat Creek in one mile.