Skyscraper Mountain

Skyscraper Mountain[3] is a 7,078 feet (2,157 m) summit located in Mount Rainier National Park in Pierce County of Washington state. It is part of the Cascade Range. Skyscraper Mountain is situated northwest of the Sunrise Historic District, from which a four-mile hike leads to the mountain, mostly on the Wonderland Trail. However, the trail does not reach the summit, but it is still a walk up to the top from Skyscraper Pass. The summit provides views of Burroughs Mountain, Sluiskin Mountain, and Mount Rainier. Mount Fremont is its nearest higher peak, 1.1 mi (1.8 km) to the east.[1] Access is limited by snowpack closing the Sunrise Road much of the year. July, August, and September are typically the months when the Sunrise Road is seasonally open for vehicle traffic. Precipitation runoff from Skyscraper Mountain drains into tributaries of the White River.

Skyscraper Mountain
Skyscraper Mountain seen from the southeast
Highest point
Elevation7,078 ft (2,157 m)[1]
Prominence398 ft (121 m)[1]
Parent peakMount Fremont (7,317 ft)[2]
Isolation1.19 mi (1.92 km)[2]
Coordinates46°55′38″N 121°41′54″W
Geography
Skyscraper Mountain
Location of Skyscraper Mountain in Washington
Skyscraper Mountain
Skyscraper Mountain (the United States)
LocationMount Rainier National Park
Pierce County, Washington, U.S.
Parent rangeCascades
Topo mapUSGS Sunrise
Climbing
Easiest routeHiking trail class 2

History

The descriptive name Skyscraper Mountain came from its supposed resemblance to a modern style of architecture according to Edmond S. Meany.[4] The name was officially adopted in 1932 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[3]

Climate

Skyscraper Mountain

Skyscraper Mountain is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[5] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel northeast toward the 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 west side of the Cascades experiences 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.

See also

References

  1. "Skyscraper Mountain, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. "Skyscraper Mountain - 7,078' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  3. "Skyscraper Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  4. Mount Rainier National Park Place Names. Gary Fuller Reese (author), 2009.
  5. Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.