Crystal Peak (Olympic Mountains)

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Coordinates: 47°43′13″N 123°23′29″W / 47.7201451°N 123.3914829°W / 47.7201451; -123.3914829
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Crystal Peak
North aspect of Crystal Peak centered, as viewed from Hurricane Ridge. (Chimney Peak to right)
Highest point
Elevation6,896 ft (2,102 m)[1]
Prominence896 ft (273 m)[1]
Parent peakChimney Peak (6,917 ft)[2]
Isolation1.98 mi (3.19 km)[2]
Coordinates47°43′13″N 123°23′29″W / 47.7201451°N 123.3914829°W / 47.7201451; -123.3914829[3]
Geography
Crystal Peak is located in Washington (state)
Crystal Peak
Crystal Peak
Location of Crystal Peak in Washington
Crystal Peak is located in the United States
Crystal Peak
Crystal Peak
Crystal Peak (the United States)
CountryUnited States
State
class 2 scrambling[1]

Crystal Peak is a 6,896-foot-elevation (2,102-meter) mountain

Quinault Rainforest
.

History

This landform was originally named "Mount McCullough" in 1890 by the 1889-90 Seattle Press Expedition, for J. B. McCullough, the editor of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.[4] The mountain's present, official, descriptive name is attributable to quartz and silicates found in rocks on the peak's ridges.[5] The first ascent of the summit was made in 1976 by George Bauer, Ron Brown, Bill Foster, Bill Larson, Mike Lonac, Sue Ritter, Roy Teague, and Jim White.[1]

Climate

Left to right: Crystal Peak, Chimney Peak, Elwha Valley, Mount Dana. View from Hurricane Ridge.

Based on 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 June through August offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.[1]

Geology

The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust.[8] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Crystal Peak, climbersguideolympics.com
  2. ^ a b c "Crystal Peak - 6,896' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  3. ^ "Crystal Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  4. ISBN 9781594858284
    .
  5. ^ Parratt, Smitty (1984). Gods and Goblins: A Field Guide to Place Names of Olympic National Park (1st ed.).
  6. ISSN 1027-5606
    .
  7. ^ a b McNulty, Tim (2009). Olympic National Park: A Natural History. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press.
  8. ISBN 0-87842-160-2
    .

External links
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