The Temple (Washington)

The Temple[3] is an 8,292-foot (2,527-metre) granite mountain summit located in Chelan County of Washington state. The Temple is part of The Enchantments, set within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The Temple belongs to the Stuart Range which is a subset of the Cascade Range. The nearest higher peak is Enchantment Peak, 1.55 miles (2.49 km) to the west, and the nearest town is Leavenworth, 8 miles (13 km) to the northeast. The mountain hosts many granite spires with names like The High Priest, The Boxtop, Flake Tower, Comet Spire, Razorback Spire, The Meteor, The Professor, Lighthouse Tower, Black Pyramid, and the most recognizable Prusik Peak. The highest point of the mountain is called Mt. Temple.[4] Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Snow Creek which is a tributary of Icicle Creek.  

The Temple
The Temple seen from Little Annapurna  
Highest point
Elevation8,292 ft (2,527 m) [1]
Prominence772 ft (235 m) [1]
Coordinates47°29′26″N 120°46′10″W [1]
Geography
The Temple
Washington state, U.S.
The Temple
The Temple (the United States)
Parent rangeStuart Range
Wenatchee Mountains
Cascade Range
Topo mapUSGS Enchantment Lakes
Geology
Type of rockGranite
Climbing
First ascent1942 by Fred Beckey[1]
Easiest routeclass 5.3 Climbing[2]

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.[4]

Geology

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.

The history of the formation of the Cascade Mountains dates back millions of years ago to the late Eocene Epoch.[6] With the North American Plate overriding the Pacific Plate, episodes of volcanic igneous activity persisted.[6] In addition, small fragments of the oceanic and continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago.[6]

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
  • McClellan Peak (left) and The Temple from NE
  • Prusik Peak and The Temple in autumn

References
  1. "The Temple, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. "Temple, The - 8,292' Washington". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  3. "The Temple". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  4. Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
  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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