Mount Wow

Mount Wow is a prominent 6,040+ ft (1,840+ m) mountain summit located in the southwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park, in Pierce County of Washington state.[4] It is part of the Cascade Range, and lies 8.6 mi (13.8 km) southwest of the summit of Mount Rainier. Its nearest higher neighbor is Iron Mountain, 3.6 mi (5.8 km) to the east-northeast.[1] Precipitation runoff from Mount Wow is drained by Tahoma Creek on the east side of the mountain, whereas Goat Creek drains the west side of it, and both are tributaries of the Nisqually River.

Mount Wow
West aspect, from Ashford
Highest point
Elevation6,040 ft (1,840 m)[1]
Prominence2,120 ft (650 m)[1]
Parent peakIron Mountain (6,286 ft)[2]
Isolation3.62 mi (5.83 km)[2]
Coordinates46°46′23″N 121°53′55″W
Geography
Mount Wow is located in Washington (state)
Mount Wow
Mount Wow
Location of Mount Wow in Washington
Mount Wow is located in the United States
Mount Wow
Mount Wow
Mount Wow (the United States)
LocationMount Rainier National Park
Pierce County, Washington, U.S.
Parent rangeCascades
Topo mapUSGS Mount Wow
Climbing
Easiest routescrambling[3]

History

The "wow" name derives from a corruption of a Yakama word meaning "goat", and early tourists would often see mountain goats on this mountain's slopes.[5] The name was officially adopted in 1913 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[4]

Climate

Mount Wow is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[6] 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.

See also

References
  1. "Mount Wow, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. "Wow, Mount - 6,060' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  3. Mount Wow mountaineers.org
  4. "Mount Wow". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  5. Mount Rainier National Park Place Names. Gary Fuller Reese (author), 2009.
  6. Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
  • Mt. Wow from the east
    Mt. Wow from the east
  • Ascending the southwest ridge
    Ascending the southwest ridge
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