Luna Peak (Washington)
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| Luna Peak | |
|---|---|
_in_base_of_Luna_Cirque_North_Cascades_Nat._Park_Picket_Range_North_Cascades,_WA.jpg) Luna Peak far left and Mount Fury at far right | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 8,311 ft (2,533 m) NGVD 29[1] |
| Prominence | 3,105 ft (946 m)[1] |
| Coordinates | 48°49′50″N 121°16′23″W / 48.83056°N 121.27306°W[2] |
| Geography | |
  Luna Peak Luna Peak (the United States) | |
 | |
| Interactive map of Luna Peak | |
| Parent range | Picket Range, North Cascades |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Challenger |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | September 1938, by Bill Cox and Will F. Thompson |
| Easiest route | scramble, (class 3/4) |
Luna Peak is the highest mountain in the Picket Range,[3] an extremely rugged subrange of the North Cascades in the American state of Washington. It is located within North Cascades National Park. It is notable for its large local relief and isolated position on a far-flung eastern ridge of the Pickets. For example, it rises over 6,560 ft (2,000 m) in 1.8 mi (2.9 km) above McMillan Creek to the south.
Luna Peak was first climbed in early September 1938, by Bill Cox and Will F. Thompson.[4] The standard route is the Southwest Ridge, approached from Ross Lake and Big Beaver Creek. It requires strenuous off-trail hiking including bushwhacking and tricky route-finding, but offers the promise of solitude, as the peak is rarely climbed. The final climb to the true summit involves exposed scrambling on loose rock, and some parties will want a rope (Class 3/4).
The north and east faces of Luna Peak are steep and dramatic, but are not popular with mountaineers. Fred Beckey stated, "the peak lacks the compelling appeal of attractive alpine climbing problems."[4]
Luna Peak is located 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 Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach the North Cascades, they are forced upward by the peaks of the Cascade Range, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the Cascades (Orographic lift). As a result, the west side of the North 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.[5] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger.[5]