Devils Thumb (Washington)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Devils Thumb | |
|---|---|
 North aspect, from Darrington | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,172 ft (1,576 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 744 ft (227 m)[1] |
| Parent peak | Devils Peak (5,456 ft)[2] |
| Isolation | 0.83 mi (1.34 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 48°07′43″N 121°32′55″W / 48.1286039°N 121.5485423°W[3] |
| Geography | |
  Devils Thumb Location in Washington  Devils Thumb Devils Thumb (the United States) | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Snohomish |
| Protected area | Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Helena Ridge |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Scrambling |
Devils Thumb is a 5,172-foot-elevation (1,576-meter) mountain summit in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is located near the western edge of the North Cascades, 10 miles south of Darrington, Washington, and 20 miles west of Glacier Peak which is one of the Cascade stratovolcanoes. The peak is situated on land administered by Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The nearest higher neighbor is Devils Peak, 0.79 miles (1.27 km) to the southwest.[1] Precipitation runoff from the south slope of Devils Thumb drains into Coal Creek which is a tributary of the Stillaguamish River, whereas the other slopes drain into Helena Creek → Clear Creek → Sauk River. Although modest in elevation, topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over 2,100 feet (640 meters) above Helena Lake in one-half mile (0.8 km). This mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[3]
Devils Thumb is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[4] Most weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward the Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach the Cascades, they are forced upward by the peaks (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 North Cascades experiences high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall.[4] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger.[4] 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.[4] Due to its temperate climate and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, areas west of the Cascade Crest very rarely experience temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) or above 80 °F (27 °C).[4]
