Wallaby Peak | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 7,995 ft (2,437 m) [1] |
Prominence | 475 ft (145 m) [1] |
Coordinates | 48°30′24″N120°36′55″W / 48.506773°N 120.615238°W |
Geography | |
Interactive map of Wallaby Peak | |
Country | United States |
State | Washington |
County | Okanogan County |
Protected area | Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness |
Parent range | Cascade Range |
Topo map | USGS Silver Star Mountain |
Geology | |
Rock age | 45 million years old |
Rock type | (Rapakivi texture) granite |
Climbing | |
First ascent | brothers Helmy and Fred Beckey, Walt Varney, June 17, 1942 [2] |
Easiest route | Scrambling via south ridge |
Wallaby Peak is a 7,995-foot (2,437-metre) mountain summit located on the boundary line of the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, in Okanogan County, Washington. The mountain is part of the Methow Mountains, which are a subset of the Cascade Range. Wallaby Peak is situated on Kangaroo Ridge which is approximately two miles east and within view of Washington Pass. The nearest higher peak is Big Kangaroo, 0.86 mi (1.38 km) to the north. [1] Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into Early Winters Creek, Cedar Creek, and North Fork Twisp River, all of which are tributaries of the Methow River.
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 (Orographic lift) by the peaks of the Cascade Range, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the Cascades. As a result, the west side of the North Cascades experiences high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. [2] 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. [2] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in avalanche danger. [2]
The North Cascades features some of the most rugged topography in the Cascade Range with craggy peaks, 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. These climate differences lead to vegetation variety defining the ecoregions in this area. The history of the formation of the Cascade Mountains dates back millions of years ago to the late Eocene Epoch. [3] With the North American Plate overriding the Pacific Plate, episodes of volcanic igneous activity persisted. [3] In addition, small fragments of the oceanic and continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago. [3] Wallaby Peak is located in the Golden Horn batholith and composed of granite like many of the peaks in the Washington Pass area.
During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured the landscape leaving deposits of rock debris. [3] 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.
Silver Star Mountain is an 8,876-foot (2,705-metre) mountain located in Okanogan County, Washington. The mountain is part of the Methow Mountains, a subset of the Cascade Range. Silver Star is the dominant feature in the Washington Pass area and visible from the North Cascades Highway. It was first climbed by Lage Wernstedt in 1926.
Big Kangaroo is an 8,326-foot (2,538-metre) mountain summit in Okanogan County, Washington, United States.
Golden Horn is an 8,366-foot (2,550-metre) mountain summit located in Okanogan County in Washington, United States. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades Range. Golden Horn is situated north of Methow Pass at headwaters of the Methow River, on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. It ranks as the 101st-highest summit in Washington. The nearest higher neighbor is Tower Mountain, 1.67 miles (2.69 km) to the southeast. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises approximately 3,366 feet above the West Fork Methow River in one mile (1.6 km). The first ascent of Golden Horn was made by Fred Beckey, Keith Rankin, and Charles Welsh on September 18, 1946.
Mount Hardy is an 8,099-foot (2,469-metre) mountain summit located on the common border of Okanogan County with Skagit County in Washington state. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades Range. Mount Hardy is situated west of Methow Pass, at headwaters of the Methow River, on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises approximately 2,500 feet above the West Fork Methow River in one-half mile (0.8 km). The nearest higher peak is Golden Horn, 1.75 miles (2.82 km) to the northeast. Mount Hardy can be seen from the North Cascades Highway which traverses below the southwestern base of the mountain. This mountain's toponym was officially adopted in 1973 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.
The Needles is an 8,160-foot (2,487-metre) granite mountain located in Okanogan County in Washington state. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades Range. The Needles is situated on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into tributaries of the Methow River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,660 feet above Pine Creek in approximately 1.25 mile (2 km). The nearest higher neighbor is Tower Mountain, 2.26 miles (3.64 km) to the southwest.
Gilbert Mountain is an 8,023-foot (2,445-metre) massif located in Okanogan County in Washington state. It is part of the Methow Mountains which are a subrange of the North Cascades. The mountain is situated within the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness which is managed by Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. The northwestern extreme of the Gilbert massif connects to the southern end of Kangaroo Ridge. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into the Twisp River. Topographic relief is significant as it rises over 4,000 feet above the river in approximately one mile.
Azurite Peak is an 8,434-foot (2,571-metre) double-summit mountain located at the common boundary point of Okanogan County, Skagit County, and Whatcom County in Washington state. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades Range. Azurite Peak ranks as the 81st-highest summit in the state. Azurite Peak is situated north of Azurite Pass on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is Tower Mountain, 5.24 miles (8.43 km) to the south-southeast, and Mount Ballard lies 1.97 miles (3.17 km) to the north. Remnants of a small pocket glacier are found on the east aspect. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains north into tributaries of the Skagit River, and south into the Methow River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 3,000 feet above Mill Creek in one mile (1.6 km). The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the base of Azurite Peak.
Snagtooth Ridge is a jagged granitic ridge located in Okanogan County of Washington state. It is part of the Methow Mountains which are a subrange of the North Cascades. Snagtooth Ridge is situated between Silver Star Mountain and Kangaroo Ridge on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. Precipitation runoff from the ridge drains into tributaries of the Methow River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises approximately 3,000 feet above West Fork Cedar Creek in one mile (1.6 km).
Stiletto Peak is a 7,660 ft summit located in the Methow Mountains, a sub-range of the North Cascades in Washington state. It is situated in the Stephen Mather Wilderness on a ridge which also has Switchblade Peak and Jackknife Peak to its east. Stiletto Peak is also located on the boundary of North Cascades National Park, 2.24 miles (3.60 km) due north of Hock Mountain. Precipitation runoff on the north side of the mountain drains to Bridge Creek via Copper Creek, whereas the south side of the mountain drains into the East Fork Bridge Creek.
Blue Lake Peak is a 7,808-foot (2,380-metre) mountain summit in the North Cascades of Washington state. It is located in the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest on the shared border of Okanogan County and Chelan County. The peak is situated south of Early Winters Spires, Liberty Bell Mountain, and Washington Pass. Blue Lake is set below its west slope, and Stiletto Peak is to its south. Blue Lake Peak can be seen from the North Cascades Highway at the Blue Lake Trailhead. Precipitation runoff from Blue Lake Peak drains into tributaries of the Chelan River and Methow River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2,800 feet above Early Winters Creek in one mile (1.6 km). The mountain's toponym has not been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names. An alternate name, "Wamihaspi Peak," was published by mountaineer and author, Fred Beckey, in his guidebook.
Holliway Mountain is an 8000+ ft granite summit located in Okanogan County in Washington state. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades Range. Holliway Mountain is situated near the headwaters of the Methow River on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest higher peak is Golden Horn, 0.91 miles (1.46 km) to the south. Azurite Peak is located three miles to the north-northwest.
Copper Benchmark, also known as Copper Point, is a 7,844-foot-elevation (2,391-meter) mountain summit located on the shared border between Okanogan County and Chelan County in Washington state. Copper Benchmark is part of the Methow Mountains which are a subrange of the North Cascades, and it is situated on the crest of the Cascade Range between Kangaroo Pass and Copper Pass. It was used as a triangulation station for early surveying. It is protected by the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness within the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. Copper Benchmark has a subsidiary peak, Pica Peak (elevation 7,565 feet, which is 0.52 miles northwest of the summit. The nearest higher peak is Wallaby Peak, 0.9 miles to the northeast. Precipitation runoff on the north side of the mountain drains to the Methow River via Early Winters Creek, whereas the other sides of the mountain drain into tributaries of the Chelan River.
Monument Peak is an 8,597-foot (2,620-metre) mountain summit located in western Okanogan County in Washington state. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades. The mountain is situated in the Pasayten Wilderness, on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest higher peak is Mount Lago, 2.42 miles (3.89 km) to the north. Precipitation runoff from Monument Peak drains east into Monument Creek, and west into Eureka Creek, which are both part of the Methow River drainage basin. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,800 feet above Eureka Creek in 1.25 mile (2 km).
Windy Peak is an 8,335-foot (2,541-metre) mountain summit located in Okanogan County in Washington state. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades and Cascade Range. The mountain is situated five miles (8.0 km) south of the Canada–United States border, on the east side of the Cascade crest, in the Pasayten Wilderness, on land managed by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest higher peak is Haystack Mountain, 9.24 miles (14.87 km) to the northwest in Canada. Precipitation runoff from Windy Peak drains into tributaries of the Methow River and Similkameen River.
Mount Lago is a prominent 8,745-foot (2,665-metre) mountain summit located in the Okanogan Range of the North Cascades, in Okanogan County of Washington state. The mountain is situated on the eastern side of the Cascade crest, in the Pasayten Wilderness, on land managed by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest higher peak is Jack Mountain, 19.5 miles (31.4 km) to the west-southwest. Mount Lago is the highest summit of the Okanogan Range, and follows only Jack Mountain {9,075 ft} as the highest peak in the Pasayten Wilderness. Lago is the fourth-most prominent mountain in the Pasayten Wilderness. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Pasayten River and Methow River. The mountain was named for Lage Wernstedt (1878–1959), a Forest Service surveyor who made numerous first ascents of the mountains he was mapping in the North Cascades. Lago, is a play on the way Americans pronounced his name. Lage, pronounced Loggy, had a son named Lago.
Half Moon is a 7,960+ ft summit located in Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest, in Okanogan County, of Washington state. The mountain is part of the Methow Mountains, which are a subset of the Cascade Range. Half Moon is situated on Kangaroo Ridge which is approximately two miles east and within view of the North Cascades Highway at Washington Pass. The nearest higher neighbor is Wallaby Peak, 0.23 mi (0.37 km) to the south. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into Early Winters Creek, and Cedar Creek, both of which are tributaries of the Methow River.
Switchback Peak is an 8,321-foot (2,536-metre) mountain summit located in the Methow Mountains, a subset of the North Cascades in Washington state. It is the eighth-highest peak in the Methow Mountains, and ranks 95th in the state of Washington. Switchback Peak is set on Sawtooth Ridge, on land managed by the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Other peaks of Sawtooth Ridge include Oval Peak, Star Peak, Hoodoo Peak, Courtney Peak, Mount Bigelow, and Martin Peak, which is the nearest higher neighbor, 0.96 miles (1.54 km) to the north.
Pica Peak is a 7,565-foot (2,306-metre) summit located in the Methow Mountains, a subset of the North Cascades, on the shared border between Okanogan County and Chelan County in Washington state. Pica Peak is situated 1.7 mi (2.7 km) southeast of Washington Pass, within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is Copper Benchmark, 0.58 miles (0.93 km) to the southeast, and Blue Lake Peak is set 0.93 miles (1.50 km) to the west-northwest. Although modest in prominence, relief is significant as the peak rises 2,000 feet above Early Winters Basin in only 0.5 mi (1 km). Precipitation runoff on the north side of the mountain drains to the Methow River via Early Winters Creek, whereas the south side of the mountain drains into tributaries of the Stehekin River.
Hock Mountain is a 7,750-foot-elevation summit located in the Methow Mountains which are a subset of the North Cascades in Washington state. It is situated on the triple-shared boundary of North Cascades National Park, Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, as well as the shared border between Chelan County and Okanogan County. Additionally, it lies one mile southwest of Twisp Mountain, and 2.24 miles (3.60 km) due south of Stiletto Peak, the nearest higher neighbor. The north face is steep, granitic rock, but the west slope is more moderate, allowing a scramble ascent. Precipitation runoff from the north and west sides of Hock drains to the Stehekin River via Bridge Creek, whereas the south and east sides of the mountain drain into the South Fork Twisp River.
Mother Lode is a 7,905-foot-elevation (2,409-meter) mountain summit located in the North Cascades, in Okanogan County, Washington. It is situated in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, on land managed by Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. The mountain is part of the Methow Mountains, which are a subset of the Cascade Range, and the peak is approximately two miles east of the crest of the range. Mother Lode is set approximately six miles south of Washington Pass, and the nearest higher neighbor is Gilbert Mountain, three miles to the northeast. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 3,500 feet above the South Fork Twisp River in one mile. The peak was climbed in 1983 by Rick La Belle and Glen Sterr via the north ridge, and the northeast ridge was climbed in 1985 by Carl and Gordon Skoog. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into tributaries of Twisp River, which in turn is a tributary of the Methow River.