White Mountain (Olympic Mountains)

Summary

White Mountain is a 6,378-foot (1,944-metre) mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state.[1] Situated in Olympic National Park, its nearest higher neighbor is Mount LaCrosse, 0.95 mi (1.53 km) to the northeast, and an unnamed glacier lies in the north cirque between the two peaks.[2] The Anderson massif lies 3.1 mi (5.0 km) to the north of White Mountain. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Quinault River and Duckabush River.

White Mountain
White Mountain
Highest point
Elevation6,378 ft (1,944 m)[1]
Prominence520 ft (160 m)[2]
Parent peakMount LaCrosse (6,417 ft)[3]
Isolation0.95 mi (1.53 km)[3]
Coordinates47°40′36″N 123°19′43″W / 47.676622°N 123.328645°W / 47.676622; -123.328645[2]
Geography
White Mountain is located in Washington (state)
White Mountain
White Mountain
Location of White Mountain in Washington
White Mountain is located in the United States
White Mountain
White Mountain
White Mountain (the United States)
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyJefferson
Protected areaOlympic National Park
Parent rangeOlympic Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Mount Steel
Geology
Age of rockEocene
Climbing
Easiest routeclass 2 scrambling[4]

Climate edit

 
Mt. La Crosse (left) and White Mountain (right) from the north

Based on the Köppen climate classification, White Mountain is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[5] Weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward the Olympic Mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snow. As a result, the Olympics experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall.[6] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in avalanche danger. 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.[6] The months of July through September offer the most favorable weather for climbing.

Geology edit

The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust.[7] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.

See also edit

 
White Mountain in morning light

References edit

  1. ^ a b "White Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  2. ^ a b c "White Mountain". Peakbagger.com.
  3. ^ a b "White Mountain WA - 6,380'". Lists of John. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  4. ^ White Mountain on Climbersguideolympics.com
  5. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11: 1633–1644. ISSN 1027-5606.
  6. ^ a b McNulty, Tim (2009). Olympic National Park: A Natural History. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press.
  7. ^ Alt, D.D.; Hyndman, D.W. (1984). Roadside Geology of Washington. pp. 249–259. ISBN 0-87842-160-2.

External links edit

  • White Mountain Weather forecast