Half Moon (Washington)

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Coordinates: 48°30′36″N 120°36′49″W / 48.509867°N 120.613489°W / 48.509867; -120.613489
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Half Moon
Half Moon, west aspect
Highest point
Elevation7,960 ft (2,430 m)[1]
Prominence200 ft (61 m)[1]
Coordinates48°30′36″N 120°36′49″W / 48.509867°N 120.613489°W / 48.509867; -120.613489
Geography
Half Moon is located in Washington (state)
Half Moon
Half Moon
Location of Half Moon in Washington
Half Moon is located in the United States
Half Moon
Half Moon
Half Moon (the United States)
CountryUnited States
State
class 5+ [3]

Half Moon is a 7,960+ ft (2,430+ m)

North Cascades Highway at Washington Pass. The nearest higher neighbor is Wallaby Peak, 0.23 mi (0.37 km) to the south.[1] Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into Early Winters Creek, and Cedar Creek, both of which are tributaries of the Methow River
.

Geology

Half Moon seen from Wallaby Peak

The North Cascades features some of the most rugged topography in the

continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago.[4] Half Moon 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.[4] 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.

Climate

Half Moon (left) and Wallaby Peak

Weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean 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] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in avalanche danger.[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]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Half Moon, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-1-59485-136-0
    .
  3. ^ "Half Moon", listsofjohn.com
  4. ^ a b c d Kruckeberg, Arthur (1991). The Natural History of Puget Sound Country. University of Washington Press.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kangaroo Ridge.
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