West Unicorn Peak

West Unicorn Peak
Highest point
Elevation 6,840 ft (2,080 m) [1]
Prominence 200 ft (61 m) [1]
Coordinates 46°44′39″N 121°42′18″W / 46.744154°N 121.705127°W / 46.744154; -121.705127Coordinates: 46°44′39″N 121°42′18″W / 46.744154°N 121.705127°W / 46.744154; -121.705127 
Geography
West Unicorn Peak
Location in Washington
West Unicorn Peak
West Unicorn Peak (the US)
Location Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, U.S.
Parent range Cascades
Topo map USGS Tatoosh Lakes
Climbing
Easiest route Climbing

West Unicorn Peak is the second highest point in the Tatoosh Range which is a sub-range of the Cascade Range. It is located south of Mount Rainier within Mount Rainier National Park, in Lewis County of Washington state. The nearest higher peak is Unicorn Peak, 0.17 miles (0.27 km) to the east-northeast.[1] Precipitation runoff and meltwater from the peak's small glacier, Unicorn Glacier, drain into tributaries of the Cowlitz River.

Climate

West Unicorn Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[2] 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 North Cascades experiences high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall.[2] 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.[2] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "West Unicorn Peak, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
Unicorn Peak (left), West Unicorn (center), and Foss Peak (right)


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.