Mount Skokomish

Mount Skokomish is a 6,434 ft (1,961 meter) mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Mason County of Washington state.[3] 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.[1] 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.[4]

Mount Skokomish
Mount Skokomish (left) and Mount Stone (right) seen from Seattle
Highest point
Elevation6,434 ft (1,961 m)[1][2]
Prominence1,154 ft (352 m)[1]
Coordinates47°35′28″N 123°17′39″W[1]
Geography
Mount Skokomish is located in Washington (state)
Mount Skokomish
Mount Skokomish
Location of Mount Skokomish in Washington
Mount Skokomish is located in the United States
Mount Skokomish
Mount Skokomish
Mount Skokomish (the United States)
LocationMason County, Washington
United States
Parent rangeOlympic Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Mount Skokomish
Geology
Age of rockEocene
Type of rockpillow basalt
Climbing
Easiest routeclass 2 scrambling[2]

Climate

Mount Skokomish is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. 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.

Geology

The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust.[5] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.

  • Mts. Henderson (left), Skokomish (right) from Mt. Gladys
    Mts. Henderson (left), Skokomish (right) from Mt. Gladys
  • Mount Skokomish seen from Mount Stone
    Mount Skokomish seen from Mount Stone
  • Mt. Skokomish (left) and Mt. Stone (upper right) seen from Mt. Ellinor
    Mt. Skokomish (left) and Mt. Stone (upper right) seen from Mt. Ellinor
  • Mount Skokomish seen from Gladys Divide
    Mount Skokomish seen from Gladys Divide

See also

References
  1. "Mount Skokomish". Peakbagger.com.
  2. climbersguideolympics.com Mount Skokomish
  3. "Mount Skokomish". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
  4. Parratt, Smitty (1984). Gods and Goblins: A Field Guide to Place Names of Olympic National Park (1st ed.).
  5. Alt, D.D.; Hyndman, D.W. (1984). Roadside Geology of Washington. pp. 249–259. ISBN 0-87842-160-2.
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