Sheep Mountain (Snohomish County, Washington)
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| Sheep Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Sheep Mountain from northwest | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,166 ft (1,879 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 1,126 ft (343 m)[1] |
| Isolation | 1.92 mi (3.09 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 48°01′30″N 121°25′05″W / 48.024873°N 121.418144°W[1] |
| Geography | |
  Sheep Mountain Location in Washington  Sheep Mountain Sheep Mountain (the United States) | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Snohomish |
| Protected area | Henry M. Jackson Wilderness |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Bedal |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Scrambling |
Sheep Mountain is a 6,166-foot-elevation (1,879-meter) summit near the western edge of the North Cascades, in Snohomish County of Washington state.[3] It is located one mile east of Barlow Pass along the Mountain Loop Highway near the Monte Cristo area. It is situated on land administered by the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Back in the old mining days of the late 1800s, the long sub-range stretching from Cadet Peak to Sheep Mountain was known as Pride of the Mountains Range.[4] Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Sauk River.
Sheep Mountain 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 North Cascades, 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 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] The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.
