Golden Horn (Washington)

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Golden Horn
Golden Horn summit 8366'.jpg
Golden Horn summit
Highest point
Elevation 8,366 ft (2,550 m) [1]
Prominence 1,126 ft (343 m) [1]
Parent peak Tower Mountain (8,366 ft) [2]
Isolation 1.66 mi (2.67 km) [2]
Coordinates 48°36′13″N120°43′58″W / 48.6034769°N 120.7327018°W / 48.6034769; -120.7327018 [3] 1
Geography
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Golden Horn
Location in Washington
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Golden Horn
Golden Horn (the United States)
Location Okanogan County, Washington, U.S.
Parent range Okanogan Range
North Cascades
Geology
Age of rock 45 million years old
Type of rock (Rapakivi texture) granite
Climbing
First ascent Fred Beckey in 1946 [4]
Easiest route Climb, class 3

Golden Horn is an 8,366-foot (2,550-metre) mountain summit located in Okanogan County in Washington state. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades Range. [1] Golden Horn is situated north of Methow Pass at headwaters of the Methow River, on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. It ranks as the 95th-highest summit in Washington. [2] The nearest higher peak is Tower Mountain, 1.67 miles (2.69 km) to the southeast. [1] The first ascent of Golden Horn was made by Fred Beckey, Keith Rankin, and Charles Welsh on September 18, 1946. [4]

Contents

Climate

Golden Horn is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. [4] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel northeast toward the Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach the North Cascades, 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 west side of the North 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. [4] Due to maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger. [4]

Geology

The North Cascades features some of the most rugged topography in the Cascade Range with craggy peaks, ridges, and deep glacial valleys. Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to various climate differences.

Golden Horn and Holliway Mountain (right) seen from the north Golden Horn and Holliway.jpg
Golden Horn and Holliway Mountain (right) seen from the north

The history of the formation of the Cascade Mountains dates back millions of years ago to the late Eocene Epoch. [5] With the North American Plate overriding the Pacific Plate, episodes of volcanic igneous activity persisted. [5] In addition, small fragments of the oceanic and continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago. [5] Like many of the peaks of the Washington Pass area, Golden Horn is carved from Rapakivi texture granite of the Golden Horn batholith.

During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured the landscape leaving deposits of rock debris. [5] The U-shaped cross section of the river valleys is a result of 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 North Cascades area.

See also

Golden Horn, south aspect Golden Horn in Washington.jpg
Golden Horn, south aspect

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Big Craggy Peak is a prominent 8,470-foot (2,580-metre) mountain summit located in western Okanogan County in Washington state, USA. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a sub-range of the North Cascades. This remote mountain is situated 12.5 mi (20.1 km) north-northeast of Mazama, on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. Big Craggy has two subsidiary peaks, North Peak (8,205-ft), and West Craggy (8,366-ft), the latter set on the Pasayten Wilderness boundary. The nearest higher peak is Monument Peak, 10 miles (16 km) to the west-northwest. Big Craggy Peak ranks 61st on Washington's highest 100 peaks, and 62nd on the "Bulger List". Precipitation runoff from Big Craggy drains into Eightmile Creek which is a tributary of the Chewuch River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherman Peak</span> Mountain in Washington (state), United States

Sherman Peak is an 8,204-foot (2,501-metre) mountain summit located in western Okanogan County in Washington state. It is part of the Okanogan Range which is a subset of the North Cascades. This remote mountain is on Isabella Ridge, 10.5 mi (16.9 km) north-northeast of Mazama, on land administered by the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is Big Craggy Peak, 2 miles (3.2 km) to the north. Precipitation runoff from Sherman drains into tributaries of the Methow River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mother Lode (Methow Mountains)</span> Mountain in Washington (state), United States

Mother Lode is a 7,905-foot-elevation (2,409-meter) mountain summit located in the North Cascades, in Okanogan County, Washington. It is situated in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, on land managed by Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest. The mountain is part of the Methow Mountains, which are a subset of the Cascade Range, and the peak is approximately two miles east of the crest of the range. Mother Lode is set approximately six miles south of Washington Pass, and the nearest higher neighbor is Gilbert Mountain, three miles to the northeast. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 3,500 feet above the South Fork Twisp River in one mile. The peak was climbed in 1983 by Rick La Belle and Glen Sterr via the north ridge, and the northeast ridge was climbed in 1985 by Carl and Gordon Skoog. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into tributaries of Twisp River, which in turn is a tributary of the Methow River.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Golden Horn, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. 1 2 3 "Golden Horn - 8,366' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  3. "Golden Horn". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Kruckeberg, Arthur (1991). The Natural History of Puget Sound Country. University of Washington Press.