Mount Wow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Wow |
|
|---|---|
West aspect, from Ashford
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,040 ft (1,840 m) |
| Prominence | 2,120 ft (650 m) |
| Isolation | 3.62 mi (5.83 km) |
| Parent peak | Iron Mountain (6,286 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Mount Wow
Location in Washington (state)
Mount Wow
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Mount Rainier National Park Pierce County, Washington, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascades |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Wow |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | scrambling |
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. 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. 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.
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. The name was officially adopted in 1913 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.
Climate
Mount Wow 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 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.
Images for kids
-
Mt. Wow from the east
-
Ascending the southwest ridge
