Welch Peaks

Welch Peaks is a 6,110-foot (1,860-metre) elevation mountain in the eastern Olympic Mountains in Jefferson County of Washington state. It is set within Buckhorn Wilderness, on land managed by the Olympic National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Townsend, 1.2 mi (1.9 km) to the north, and Mount Worthington rises 2.1 mi (3.4 km) to the southwest. Precipitation runoff from Welch Peaks drains into tributaries of the Big Quilcene River, and Silver Creek which is a tributary of the Dungeness River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,100 feet (945 m) above Townsend Creek in approximately one mile. The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1963 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.[4]

Welch Peaks
North aspect, seen from Mt. Townsend trail
Highest point
Elevation6,110 ft (1,860 m)[1]
Prominence350 ft (110 m)[2]
Parent peakMount Townsend (6,243 ft)[3]
Isolation1.17 mi (1.88 km)[3]
Coordinates47°50′42″N 123°03′50″W[4]
Geography
Welch Peaks is located in Washington (state)
Welch Peaks
Welch Peaks
Location of Welch Peaks in Washington
Welch Peaks is located in the United States
Welch Peaks
Welch Peaks
Welch Peaks (the United States)
LocationBuckhorn Wilderness
Jefferson County, Washington, US
Parent rangeOlympic Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Mount Townsend
Geology
Age of rockEocene
Climbing
Easiest routeclass 2 scrambling[3]

Climate

Welch Peaks is 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 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. 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.[6] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.

  • Welch Peaks seen from Mt. Townsend trail
    Welch Peaks seen from Mt. Townsend trail
  • Welch Peaks
    Welch Peaks
  • Fall colors on Welch Peaks
    Fall colors on Welch Peaks
  • Welch Peaks (left) from Mount Townsend
    Welch Peaks (left) from Mount Townsend
  • Looking south towards Welch Peak
    Looking south towards Welch Peak

See also

References
  1. Olympic Mountain Rescue, Olympic Mountains: A Climbing Guide, 4th Edition, 2006, Mountaineers Books, ISBN 9780898862065, page 136.
  2. "Welch Peaks". Peakbagger.com.
  3. "Welch Peaks – 6,110' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  4. "Welch Peaks". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  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.
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