Mineral Mountain (Mount Rainier National Park)

Mineral Mountain is a 6,503 feet (1,982 m) mountain in Mount Rainier National Park, in Pierce County of Washington state.[4] It is part of the Cascade Range, and lies 5 mi (8.0 km) due north of the summit of Mount Rainier. The Wonderland Trail provides an approach to this mountain, and the summit offers views of Old Desolate and the Winthrop and Carbon glaciers on Mount Rainier. Old Desolate is its nearest higher neighbor, 1.16 mi (1.87 km) to the southeast.[1]

Mineral Mountain
Mineral Mountain from its southwestern base
Highest point
Elevation6,503 ft (1,982 m)[1]
Prominence100 ft (30 m)[1]
Parent peakOld Desolate (7,137 ft)[2]
Isolation1.16 mi (1.87 km)[2]
Coordinates46°54′31″N 121°45′19″W / 46.908717°N 121.755146°W / 46.908717; -121.755146
Geography
Mineral Mountain is located in Washington (state)
Mineral Mountain
Mineral Mountain
Location of Mineral Mountain in Washington
Mineral Mountain is located in the United States
Mineral Mountain
Mineral Mountain
Mineral Mountain (the United States)
LocationMount Rainier National Park
Pierce County, Washington, US
Parent rangeCascades
Topo mapUSGS Sunrise
Climbing
Easiest routescrambling from Mystic Lake[3]

History

edit

The descriptive name Mineral Mountain derives from the hope to find minerals there.[5] The name was officially adopted in 1932 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[4]

Climate

edit

Mineral Mountain is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[3] 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. The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.[citation needed]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Mineral Mountain, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. ^ a b "Mineral Mountain – 6,500' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
  4. ^ a b "Mineral Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  5. ^ Mount Rainier National Park Place Names. Gary Fuller Reese (author), 2009.
edit