Wedge Mountain (Washington)

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Coordinates: 47°30′57″N 120°42′24″W / 47.5157576°N 120.7067823°W / 47.5157576; -120.7067823
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the mountain in British Columbia, see Wedge Mountain.
Wedge Mountain
North aspect
Highest point
Elevation5,860 ft (1,786 m)[1]
Prominence160 ft (49 m)[2]
Parent peakThree Musketeers Ridge[3]
Isolation2.35 mi (3.78 km)[3]
Coordinates47°30′57″N 120°42′24″W / 47.5157576°N 120.7067823°W / 47.5157576; -120.7067823[1]
Geography
Wedge Mountain is located in Washington (state)
Wedge Mountain
Wedge Mountain
Location in Washington
Wedge Mountain is located in the United States
Wedge Mountain
Wedge Mountain
Wedge Mountain (the United States)
CountryUnited States
State
Washington
CountyChelan
Protected areaAlpine Lakes Wilderness
Parent rangeStuart Range
Wenatchee Mountains
Cascade Range
Topo mapUSGS Leavenworth
Geology
Type of rockgranite
Climbing
Easiest routescrambling

Wedge Mountain is a 5,860-foot-elevation (1,786-meter)

U.S. Board on Geographic Names for the 5,860-foot summit.[1]

Peak 6885

Mountain climbers and

Cascade Alpine Guide refer to Peak 6885 as Wedge Mountain.[4] It is located two miles south-southwest of the official Wedge Mountain summit along McClellan Ridge, and is also known as "South Wedge Mountain."[5] The east face of this peak has three established climbing routes, two of which were first climbed by Jim Yoder and Pete Austin in 1983, and the third route was done in January 1984 by Jim Yoder and Kevin Buselmeier as a winter ascent.[4]

Climate

Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach, 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 Cascades experience 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.[4]

Geology

The Alpine Lakes Wilderness features some of the most rugged topography in the

glacial valleys, and granite walls spotted with over 700 mountain lakes.[6]
Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to the various climate differences.

The history of the formation of the Cascade Mountains dates back millions of years ago to the late

continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago.[7]

During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured the landscape leaving deposits of rock debris.[7] The last glacial retreat in the Alpine Lakes area began about 14,000 years ago and was north of the Canada–US border by 10,000 years ago.[7] The U-shaped cross section of the river valleys is a result of that 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 Alpine Lakes Wilderness area.

See also

Gallery

  • Wedge Mountain, with Peak 6885 seen to the right in back
    Wedge Mountain, with Peak 6885 seen to the right in back
  • North slope of Wedge Mountain from Leavenworth
    North slope of Wedge Mountain from Leavenworth

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Wedge Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  2. ^ "Wedge Mountain, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  3. ^ a b "Wedge Mountain - 5,860' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  4. ^ a b c Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
  5. ^ "South Wedge Mountain, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  6. ^ Smoot, Jeff (2004). Backpacking Washington's Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Helena, Montana: The Globe Pequot Press.
  7. ^ a b c d e Kruckeberg, Arthur (1991). The Natural History of Puget Sound Country. University of Washington Press.

External links

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