Mount Formidable is a mountain in the North Cascades of Skagit County, in Washington state.[3] Its first ascent was undertaken by members of the original Ptarmigan Traverse.[1]: 265–267 It was named by early mountaineer Herman Ulrichs in 1935 because of the rugged appearance of its north face.[1]: 265–267 The peak can be accessed from Cascade Pass via the Ptarmigan Traverse.
| Mount Formidable | |
|---|---|
 Mount Formidable | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 8,325 feet (2,537 m)[1]: 265–267 |
| Prominence | 1,885 feet (575 m)[2] |
| Parent peak | Overdrive Tower |
| Coordinates | 48°24′59″N 121°4′2″W / 48.41639°N 121.06722°W[2] |
| Geography | |
  Mount Formidable The location of Mount Formidable within Washington state | |
| Location | Skagit County, Washington, United States |
| Parent range | North Cascades |
| Topo map | USGS Cascade Pass |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Triassic |
| Mountain type | Fold |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | Calder T. Bressler Ralph W. Clough Bill Cox Tom Myers |
| Easiest route | Class III |
Geography and climate
editMount Formidable is located on a spur ridge about half a mile west of the Cascade crest, between Cascade Pass and Dome Peak, and about a mile west of Spider Mountain.[3] It is within the Marine west coast climatic zone, and experiences heavy snowfall as a result. The surrounding area is part of the Pacific temperate rainforests ecoregion, and lower elevations are densely vegetated.[1]: 214 -217 The Middle Cascade Glacier, which drains into the Skagit River via the Cascade River,[4] is on the north side of the mountain.[1]: 265 -267
Geology
editThe North Cascades are composed of terranes, or scattered, unrelated rock groups of various ages.[5] More specifically, the immediate area surrounding Mount Formidable (i.e., within ten miles), is mainly composed of granitic rocks that are Mesozoic in age, and schist that dates from the late paleozoic.[6] Mount Formidable itself is likely composed of originally igneous rocks that formed in the Triassic and were metamorphorphized in the Late Cretaceous.[7]
Climbing
edit
Mount Formidable can be accessed via the Ptarmigan Traverse, which begins at Cascade Pass.[1]: 265–267 Climbers access the higher elevations of the Middle Fork Cascade River basin via Cache Col and proceed to the summit via the Middle Cascade Glacier.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Beckey, Fred (2003). Fulsaas, Kris; Clifton-Thornton, Christine (eds.). Climbing and High Routes: Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass (3rd ed.). Seattle, Washington: The Mountaineers Books. ISBN 9781594851551.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ a b "Mount Forimdable". Peakbagger.com. 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- ^ a b CASCADE PASS, WASH — NO 80 (Map). 1: 69500. 15 minute series. Green Trails. 1989 [First published 1977]. Archived from the original on May 19, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- ^ "Cascade River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ Lasmanis, Raymond. The geology of Washington: Rocks and Minerals. 1991. (cited in "Geology of Washington — Northern Cascades". Washington State Department of Natural Resources. 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2013-08-28.) Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ Cater, Fred W. (1982). "Intrusive Rocks of the Holden and Lucerne Quadrangles, Washington — The Relation of Depth Zones, Composition, Textures, and Emplacement of Plutons". United States Geological Survey.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Carter, F.W. (1982). "Intrusive Rocks of the Holden and Lucerne Quadrangles, Washington" (PDF). p. 9 –23. Retrieved August 28, 2013. (cited in Beckey 2003)
- ^ Goldman, Peggy (2004). Washington's Highest Mountains: Basic Alpine and Glacier Routes. Birmingham, Alabama: Wilderness Press. p. 84 –87. ISBN 9780899976082.
External links
edit
Media related to Mount Formidable at Wikimedia Commons- "Mount Formidable". Peakware.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
- Mount Formidable on Summitpost.org
- Mount Formidable on Flickr
