Prairie Mountain
| Prairie Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Prairie Mountain seen with Sauk River | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,678 ft (1,731 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 1,358 ft (414 m)[1] |
| Isolation | 4.87 mi (7.84 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 48°16′31″N 121°28′16″W / 48.275179°N 121.471161°W[1] |
| Geography | |
  Prairie Mountain Location in Washington  Prairie Mountain Prairie Mountain (the United States) | |
| Country | United States |
| State | class 3 scrambling |
Prairie Mountain is a 5,678-foot-elevation (1,731 meter) mountain summit near the western edge of the
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The nearest higher peak is White Chuck Mountain, 4.7 miles (7.6 km) to the south-southeast.[1] Precipitation runoff from Prairie Mountain drains into the Sauk River and Suiattle River, both tributaries of the Skagit River. The mountain was so named because of the beautiful prairie at its base.[4]
Climate
Prairie Mountain is located in the
Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach the North Cascades, they are forced upward by the peaks of the Cascade Range (orographic lift), 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.[5] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger.[5] 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.[5] Due to its temperate climate and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, areas west of the Cascade Crest very rarely experience temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) or above 80 °F (27 °C).[5]
Geology
The North Cascades features some of the most rugged topography in the
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
During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured the landscape leaving deposits of rock debris.[6] 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.
References
- ^ a b c d "Prairie Mountain, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
- ^ "Prairie Mountain - 5,678' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
- ^ "Prairie Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
- ^ Edmond S. Meany, Origin of Washington Geographic Names, University of Washington Press, 1923, pg. 230
- ^ a b c d e Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Kruckeberg, Arthur (1991). The Natural History of Puget Sound Country. University of Washington Press.
External links
- Mountain Forecast: Prairie Mountain
- Prairie Mountain photo: Flickr