Burnt Boot Peak
Burnt Boot Peak is a 6,520+ ft (1,990+ m) mountain summit located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in eastern King County of Washington state. The peak is part of the Cascade Range and is one mile east of the crest of the range. Burnt Boot Peak is situated 6.5 mi (10.5 km) northeast of Snoqualmie Pass on land managed by Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Huckleberry Mountain is set 1.87 mi (3.01 km) to the south, and the nearest higher neighbor is Lemah Mountain, 1.34 mi (2.16 km) to the east.[1] This unofficially-named mountain is located at the head of the officially-named Burnboot Creek, variant spelling Burntboot Creek.[4] Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains south into this creek, or north into Middle Fork Snoqualmie River. The first ascent of this peak was made in August 1963 by Phil Weiser and Clarke Stockwell. The first ascent via the north ridge route was made in June 1971 by Don Williamson, Tom Oas, and Bill Bucher.[2]
| Burnt Boot Peak | |
|---|---|
 Burnt Boot Peak, south aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,520 ft (1,990 m) [1][2] |
| Prominence | 1,000 ft (300 m) [1] |
| Parent peak | Overcoat Peak (7,432 ft)[3] |
| Isolation | 1.33 mi (2.14 km) [3] |
| Coordinates | 47°30′03″N 121°19′39″W [1] |
| Geography | |
  Burnt Boot Peak Location in Washington  Burnt Boot Peak Burnt Boot Peak (the United States) | |
| Location | King County, Washington state, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Big Snow Mountain |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1963 [2] |
| Easiest route | Scrambling |
Climate
Burnt Boot Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[2] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel northeast toward the Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach, 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 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.[2] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger.[2] The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.
Geology
The Alpine Lakes Wilderness features some of the most rugged topography in the Cascade Range with craggy peaks and ridges, deep glacial valleys, and granite walls spotted with over 700 mountain lakes.[5] Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to the various climate differences.
The history of the formation of the Cascade Mountains dates back millions of years ago to the late Eocene Epoch.[6] With the North American Plate overriding the Pacific Plate, episodes of volcanic igneous activity persisted.[6] In addition, small fragments of the oceanic and continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago.[6]
During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured and shaped the landscape.[6] The last glacial retreat in the Alpine Lakes area began about 14,000 years ago and was north of the Canada–US border by 10,000 years ago.[6] The "U"-shaped cross section of the river valleys are a result of that recent glaciation. Uplift and faulting in combination with glaciation have been the dominant processes which have created the tall peaks and deep valleys of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area.
See also
References
- "Burnt Boot Peak, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
- Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
- ""Burnt Boot Peak" - 6,540' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
- "Burnboot Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
- Smoot, Jeff (2004). Backpacking Washington's Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Helena, Montana: The Globe Pequot Press.
- Kruckeberg, Arthur (1991). The Natural History of Puget Sound Country. University of Washington Press.
External links
- Burnt Boot Peak weather forecast: National Weather Service
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness (Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest) U.S. Forest Service