Mount Cruiser

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Mount Cruiser
Mount Cruiser.jpg
Mt. Cruiser, west aspect, seen from Mt. Gladys,
(Alpha on left)
Highest point
Elevation 6,104 ft (1,860 m) [1]
Prominence 1,104 ft (336 m) [1]
Parent peak Mount Skokomish (6,434 ft)
Coordinates 47°33′52″N123°18′56″W / 47.56433°N 123.315682°W / 47.56433; -123.315682 Coordinates: 47°33′52″N123°18′56″W / 47.56433°N 123.315682°W / 47.56433; -123.315682 [1]
Geography
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Mount Cruiser
Location of Mount Cruiser in Washington
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Mount Cruiser
Mount Cruiser (the United States)
Location Mason County, Washington, US
Parent range Olympic Mountains
Topo map USGS Mount Skokomish
Geology
Age of rock Eocene
Type of rock Basalt
Climbing
First ascent 1937 Paul Crews, Ray Layton [2]  
Easiest route class 5 South corner [2]

Mount Cruiser is a 6,104-foot-elevation (1,860 meter) mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Mason County of Washington state. [3] It is situated in Mount Skokomish Wilderness on land managed by Olympic National Forest. Cruiser is the highest point on Sawtooth Ridge, and its nearest higher peak is Mount Skokomish, 2.1 mi (3.4 km) to the north-northeast. [1] Cruiser has two sub-peaks, Alpha (6040 ft/1841 m), and Beta (5920 ft/1804 m), the latter of which lies on the Olympic National Park boundary. [1] The first ascent of the peak was made in 1937 by Paul Crews and Ray Layton. The mountain was named by the first ascent party to recognize their club, the Bremerton Ski Cruisers. [4] The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1961 by the United States Board on Geographic Names. [3] Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into the Hamma Hamma River.

Contents

Climate

Mt. Cruiser (directly above ferry) seen from the Seattle area Ferry on Puget Sound.jpg
Mt. Cruiser (directly above ferry) seen from the Seattle area

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

Geology

The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust. [6] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.

Cruiser summit Cruiser summit.jpg
Cruiser summit

Climbing Routes

Established rock climbing routes on Mt. Cruiser: [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Mount Pershing

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Mount Skokomish

Mount Skokomish is a 6,434 ft mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Mason County of Washington state. It is situated on the shared boundary of Olympic National Park with Mount Skokomish Wilderness, and is the highest point of the wilderness. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Stone, 1.66 mi (2.67 km) to the northeast. It is visible on the Olympic skyline from as far away as Seattle. Mt. Skokomish has three summits, the south peak being the highest. Precipitation runoff drains into the Hamma Hamma River and Skokomish River. Like the river, the mountain's name honors the Skokomish people.

Mount Clark (Washington)

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Mount Fricaba

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Mount Henderson (Washington)

Mount Henderson is a 6,003 ft mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Mason County of Washington state. It is situated on the shared boundary of Olympic National Park with Mount Skokomish Wilderness. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Skokomish, 0.91 mi (1.46 km) to the east-northeast. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into the Hamma Hamma River and Skokomish River. The mountain's name honors Louis Forniquet Henderson (1853-1942), a pioneering botanist and mountaineer who accompanied Lieutenant O'Neil on his 1890 expedition into the Olympic Mountains.

Stephen Peak

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Ruth Peak

Ruth Peak is a 6,850+ ft glaciated mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Clallam County of Washington state. Ruth Peak is the third-highest peak in the Bailey Range, which is a subrange of the Olympic Mountains. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Carrie, 0.91 mi (1.46 km) to the northwest, and Mount Fairchild is set 0.92 mi (1.48 km) to the north. In clear weather, the mountain can be seen from the visitor center at Hurricane Ridge. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Hoh and Elwha Rivers. The first ascent of this peak was made in 1961 by Bert Brown, Roy Etten, and Victor Nelson.

Sundial (Olympic Mountains)

Sundial is a 7,200+ ft mountain summit located within Olympic National Park, in Jefferson County of Washington state. Sundial is part of The Needles range, which is a subrange of the Olympic Mountains. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Clark, 0.27 mi (0.43 km) to the northwest, and Mount Johnson is set 0.45 mi (0.72 km) to the west. The climbing routes on Sundial start at class 3 scrambling via the East Face, and range up to class 5 via the South Side Face. The first ascent of the mountain was made in 1944 by Adel and William Degenhardt. The mountain is so named because the time of day can be approximated as an observer in Royal Basin watches the sun's rays make their way down the east face of this mountain in the morning. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Royal Creek which is a tributary of the Dungeness River.

Mount Lena (Washington)

Mount Lena is a 5,995-foot-elevation mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated within Olympic National Park, immediately north and 1,500 feet above the shore of Upper Lena Lake. Mt. Lena has a subsidiary peak, East Peak (5800+ ft/1768+ m), which lies northeast of the lake. Mount Bretherton lies across the lake to the south, Mount Stone is three miles to the southwest, and The Brothers approximately 3.5 miles to the northeast. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains north to the Duckabush River, and south into the Hamma Hamma River via Lena Creek. The non-technical ascent of Mount Lena involves hiking eight miles (one-way) and 5,300 feet elevation gain via the Upper Lena Lake Trail and cross-country above the lake, with most favorable conditions from July through September. There are pleasant campsites at the lake, and the ascent to the summit takes 1.5 hour from the lake. This mountain's name has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.

Mount Bretherton

Mount Bretherton is a 5,960-foot-elevation (1,817 meter) mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated within Olympic National Park, immediately south and 1,400 feet above the shore of Upper Lena Lake. Mount Lena lies across the lake to the north, Mount Stone is 2.8 miles to the west-southwest, and The Brothers approximately four miles to the northeast. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains south to the Hamma Hamma River via Boulder, Delta, and Lena Creeks. Topographic relief is significant as it rises over 5,100 feet (1,555 meters) above the river in two miles. The non-technical ascent of Mount Bretherton involves hiking eight miles (one-way) and 5,300 feet elevation gain via the Upper Lena Lake Trail and cross-country above the lake, with most favorable conditions from July through September. There are pleasant campsites at the lake, and the ascent to the summit takes two hours from the lake. This mountain's name has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.

Mount Noyes (Washington)

Mount Noyes is a 6,173-foot (1,882-metre) mountain summit located deep within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Part of the Olympic Mountains, Mount Noyes is situated seven miles southeast of Mount Olympus, and set within the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Meany, 0.6 mile to the north, and Mount Seattle rises one mile to the southeast. Noyes is a major triple divide point with precipitation runoff from the mountain draining east into the headwaters of the Elwha River, west into headwaters of Saghalie Creek which is a tributary of the Queets River, and south into headwaters of Seattle Creek which is a tributary of the Quinault River. Topographic relief is significant as the east, west, and south aspects of the peak each rise 2,200 feet (670 m) in approximately one mile.

Mount Lincoln (Washington)

Mount Lincoln is a 5,868-foot-elevation mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Mason County of Washington state. It is situated on the boundary shared by Daniel J. Evans Wilderness and Mount Skokomish Wilderness, as well as the shared common border of Olympic National Park with Olympic National Forest. Lincoln is the second-highest point on Sawtooth Ridge, and the nearest higher neighbor is Mount Cruiser, 1.1 mi (1.8 km) to the northeast. Lincoln has two sub-peaks: a North Peak (5,690 ft/1,734 m), and a Southwest Peak (5,486 ft/1,672 m). Flapjack Lakes lie immediately west below the north sub-peak. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 5,100 feet (1,555 m) above the Staircase Ranger Station at Lake Cushman in approximately two miles. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the North Fork Skokomish River, and partly into Mildred Lakes, thence Hamma Hamma River.

Mount Steel

Mount Steel is a 6,225-foot-elevation mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated in Olympic National Park and the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Duckabush, 1.36 mi (2.19 km) to the southwest. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains south into tributaries of the North Fork Skokomish River, and north into headwaters of the Duckabush River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 3,400 feet (1,036 m) above the Duckabush River in approximately one mile.

ONeil Peak

O'Neil Peak is a 5,758-foot-elevation mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is situated in Olympic National Park and the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Duckabush, 1.6 mi (2.6 km) to the east-northeast, and O'Neil Pass lies 1.5 mile to the northeast. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Quinault River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 4,300 feet (1,310 m) above the Quinault River in approximately 1.5 mile, and 2,700 feet above O'Neil Creek in one-half mile.

Mount Rose (Washington)

Mount Rose is a 4,301-foot-elevation (1,311 meter) mountain summit located in the southeast portion of the Olympic Mountains, in Mason County of Washington state. It is situated in the Mount Skokomish Wilderness, on land managed by Olympic National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is line parent Copper Mountain, 1.2 mi (1.9 km) to the north, and Mount Ellinor is 1.7 mi (2.7 km) to the northeast. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Lake Cushman, and topographic relief is significant as the summit rises approximately 3,600 feet (1,100 m) above the lake in less than one mile. Old-growth forests of Douglas fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar grow on the slopes surrounding the peak. In 2006, the Bear Gulch Fire scorched 750 acres of forest on the slopes of Mount Rose from lake level to the summit. Access to the summit is via the 3.2-mile-long Mt. Rose Trail which gains 3,500 feet of elevation.

Copper Mountain (Mason County, Washington)

Copper Mountain is a 5,425-foot-elevation (1,654 meter) mountain summit located in the southeast portion of the Olympic Mountains, in Mason County of Washington state. It is situated on the boundary shared by Daniel J. Evans Wilderness and Mount Skokomish Wilderness, as well as the shared common border of Olympic National Park with Olympic National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Ellinor, 1.67 mi (2.69 km) to the east. Wagonwheel Lake lies immediately north of the peak. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises nearly 4,700 feet (1,430 m) above the Staircase Ranger Station at Lake Cushman in approximately 1.5 mile. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains north into the Hamma Hamma River, and south into the North Fork Skokomish River, thence Lake Cushman.

Jefferson Peak

Jefferson Peak is a 5,720-foot-elevation (1,743 meter) mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains in Mason County of Washington state. It is situated in the Mount Skokomish Wilderness, on land managed by Olympic National Forest. The mountain's name honors Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), the third president of the United States. The nearest higher neighbor is line parent Mount Pershing, 1.3 mi (2.1 km) to the southwest. Precipitation runoff drains into Jefferson Creen and the Hamma Hamma River. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises over 4,100 feet (1,250 m) above the Hamma Hamma valley in approximately one mile.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mount Cruiser". Peakbagger.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Mount Cruiser at climbersguideolympics.com
  3. 1 2 "Mount Cruiser". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 2020-01-21.
  4. Kitsap Sun, May 8, 1997
  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. ISSN   1027-5606.
  6. Alt, D.D.; Hyndman, D.W. (1984). Roadside Geology of Washington. pp. 249–259. ISBN   0-87842-160-2.
Mount Cruiser's Beta (left) and Mount Lincoln (right) seen from Mt. Gladys Mount Cruiser and Mount Lincoln.jpg
Mount Cruiser's Beta (left) and Mount Lincoln (right) seen from Mt. Gladys