Mount Index is a peak in the central part of the

Cascade Range The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, ...

of Washington state. It lies just south of the

Skykomish River The Skykomish River is a long river in the U.S. state of Washington which drains the west side of the Cascade Mountains in the southeast section of Snohomish County and the northeast corner of King County. The river starts with the confluence ...

and U.S. Route 2, at the western edge of the Cascades. Despite its low elevation relative to peaks higher in the Cascades, it is a famous and dramatic landmark due to its topographic prominence. It comprises three pointed spires which rise steeply from a very low base. The main peak is the southernmost of the three, while the North Peak rises even more steeply above the valley. For example, it rises more than 4,250 ft (1,300m) above the lower slopes on the northeast side in less than 1 horizontal mile (1.6 km). The first recorded ascent of Mount Index (the main peak) was on October 29, 1911 by H. B. Hinman, Ernest Martin, Lee Pickett, George E. Wright. However, they found a flagpole already on the summit, so theirs was certainly not the first ascent. Since the easiest route is non-technical, a much earlier ascent by Native Americans is likely. The first ascent of the steeper, more difficult North Peak was in 1929, by Lionel Chute and Victor Kaartinen, by the North Face Route. The standard route on the main peak climbs the east side of the peak from Lake Serene. The standard route on the North Peak is the North Face Route, which is a long, moderately technical climb ( Grade III, Class 5.6). Mount Index was once known as West Index Mountain, and

Baring Mountain Baring Mountain (or Mount Baring), is a peak in the central part of the Cascade Range of Washington, United States. It lies about northeast of the Skykomish River and US Highway 2, at the western edge of the Cascades in the Mount Baker-Snoqu ...

was known as Mount Index instead. They were both renamed in 1917.

Climate

Mount Index is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

.Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008. 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 Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...

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. Due to its temperate climate and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, areas west of the Cascade Crest very rarely experience temperatures below or above . 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. Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger.

References

External links

* Weather forecast
Mount Index
* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Index Mountains of King County, Washington Mountains of Washington (state) Mountains of Snohomish County, Washington

Climate

See also

References

External links