West Peak (Jefferson County, Washington)

West Peak
West Peak in winter
Highest point
Elevation7,365 ft (2,245 m)[1]
Prominence1,965 ft (599 m)[1]
Parent peakMount Mystery[2]
Isolation7.78 mi (12.52 km)[2]
Coordinates47°43′24″N 123°20′56″W / 47.7232516°N 123.3490055°W / 47.7232516; -123.3490055[3]
Geography
West Peak is located in Washington (state)
West Peak
West Peak
Location of West Peak in Washington
West Peak is located in the United States
West Peak
West Peak
West Peak (the United States)
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyJefferson
Protected areaOlympic National Park
Parent rangeOlympic Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Mount Steel
Climbing
First ascent1930 by E. B. Hamilton
Easiest routeScrambling class 3 via Flypaper Pass[4]

West Peak is a 7,365-foot-elevation (2,245 m) summit in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state.[3] Rising in the center of Olympic National Park, it is the highest peak on the Anderson Massif.[5] West Peak is the hydrographic apex of the Olympic Mountains, with precipitation runoff flowing outward to the Pacific Ocean via Quinault River, the Strait of Juan de Fuca via Elwha River, and Hood Canal via the Dosewallips River.[6] The Eel Glacier is situated in a cirque east of the summit, and an unnamed glacier resides in the south cirque. The nearest higher peak is Mount Mystery, 7.73 miles (12.44 km) to the northeast.[1] The first ascent of the peak was made in 1930 by E. B. Hamilton.[4] Legend has it that the mountain's name is for Mr. West, a participant in the 1890 O'Neil Expedition, rather than for its apparent position on the Anderson Massif.[7] The West Branch of the Quinault River was named after him in 1890.[7]

  1. ^ a b c "West Peak, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. ^ a b "West Peak – 7,365' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  3. ^ a b "West Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  4. ^ a b West Peak climbersguideolympics.com
  5. ^ "Anderson Massif". Peakbagger.com.
  6. ^ Olympic Mountain Rescue (2006). Olympic Mountains: A Climbing Guide. Mountaineers Books. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-89886-206-5. OCLC 62430882.
  7. ^ a b Parratt, Smitty (1984). Gods and Goblins: A Field Guide to Place Names of Olympic National Park (1st ed.).