White Mountain (Olympic Mountains)

White Mountain is a 6,378-foot (1,944-metre) mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state.^[1] Situated in Olympic National Park, its nearest higher neighbor is Mount LaCrosse, 0.95 mi (1.53 km) to the northeast, and an unnamed glacier lies in the north cirque between the two peaks.^[2] The Anderson massif lies 3.1 mi (5.0 km) to the north of White Mountain. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Quinault River and Duckabush River.

White Mountain
White Mountain
Highest point
Elevation	6,378 ft (1,944 m)[1]
Prominence	520 ft (160 m)[2]
Parent peak	Mount LaCrosse (6,417 ft)[3]
Isolation	0.95 mi (1.53 km)[3]
Coordinates	47°40′36″N 123°19′43″W[2]
Geography
White Mountain Location of White Mountain in Washington Show map of Washington (state) White Mountain White Mountain (the United States) Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Jefferson
Protected area	Olympic National Park
Parent range	Olympic Mountains
Topo map	USGS Mount Steel
Geology
Rock age	Eocene
Climbing
Easiest route	class 2 scrambling[4]

Climate

Mt. La Crosse (left) and White Mountain (right) from the north

Based on the Köppen climate classification, White Mountain is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.^[5] Weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward the Olympic Mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snow. As a result, the Olympics experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall.^[6] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in avalanche danger. 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.^[6] The months of July through September offer the most favorable weather for climbing.

Geology

The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust.^[7] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.

See also

• Mountains portal

• Olympic Mountains
• Geology of the Pacific Northwest
• Geography of Washington (state)

White Mountain in morning light