Ladies Peak

Ladies Peak is a 7,708-foot (2,349-metre) mountain summit located in Chelan County of Washington state. Ladies Peak is situated 13 mi (21 km) west-northwest of Leavenworth, within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, on land managed by Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Ladies Peak is part of the Chiwaukum Mountains, a subset of the Cascade Range. Its nearest higher neighbor is Snowgrass Mountain, 1.27 mi (2.04 km) to the north, and Cape Horn is set 0.9 mi (1.4 km) to the southeast.[1] Precipitation runoff from Ladies Peak drains west to Icicle Creek, whereas the east slopes drain into Chiwaukum Creek, and both are tributaries of the Wenatchee River. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant since this peak rises over 4,700 feet above Icicle Creek Valley in approximately two miles. This unofficially named peak is named in association with the nearby officially named Ladies Pass, which like many geographical features in this region was named by Albert Hale Sylvester.[4]

Ladies Peak
Sourheast aspect, from Ladies Pass
Highest point
Elevation7,708 ft (2,349 m)[1]
Prominence428 ft (130 m)[1]
Parent peakSnowgrass Mountain (7,993 ft)[2]
Isolation1.27 mi (2.04 km)[2]
Coordinates47°39′56″N 120°55′59″W[1]
Geography
Ladies Peak
Location in Washington
Ladies Peak
Location in the United States
LocationChelan County
Washington state, U.S.
Parent rangeChiwaukum Mountains
Wenatchee Mountains
Cascade Range
Topo mapUSGS Chiwaukum Mountains
Climbing
Easiest routeIcicle Ridge Trail (#1570) + hiking the Southeast Ridge from Ladies Pass[3]

Climate

Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks of the Cascade Range, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the Cascades (Orographic lift). 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.[3] The months June through October offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.

Geology

Ladies Peak upper right corner, from northwest

The Alpine Lakes Wilderness features some of the most rugged topography in the Cascade Range with craggy peaks and ridges, deep glacial valleys, and granite walls spotted with over 700 mountain lakes.[5] Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to the various climate differences.

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 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.[6] The "U"-shaped cross section of the river valleys are 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

References

  1. "Ladies Peak, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. ""Ladies Peak" - 7,708' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
  3. Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
  4. "Ladies Pass". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
  5. Smoot, Jeff (2004). Backpacking Washington's Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Helena, Montana: The Globe Pequot Press.
  6. Kruckeberg, Arthur (1991). The Natural History of Puget Sound Country. University of Washington Press.
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