Mount Higgins
Climate
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/Mt._Higgins%2C_Stillaguamish_River_in_winter.jpg/220px-Mt._Higgins%2C_Stillaguamish_River_in_winter.jpg)
Mount Higgins is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. Most weather fronts coming off 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. 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.
Geology
The North Cascades features some of the most rugged topography in the Cascade Range with craggy peaks, ridges, and deep glacial valleys. Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to the various climate differences. These climate differences lead to vegetation variety defining the ecoregions in this area.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Mount_Higgins_and_Round_Mountain.jpg/290px-Mount_Higgins_and_Round_Mountain.jpg)
The history of the formation of the Cascade Mountains dates back millions of years ago to the late Eocene Epoch. With the North American Plate overriding the Pacific Plate, episodes of volcanic igneous activity persisted. In addition, small fragments of the oceanic and continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago.
During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured the landscape leaving deposits of rock debris. The U-shaped cross section of the river valleys is a result of 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 North Cascades area.
See also
References
- ^ "Mount Higgins, Washington". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "Higgins, Mount - 5,176' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
- ^ "Mount Higgins". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
- ^ Robert Hitchman, Place names of Washington, 1985, Washington State Historical Society, ISBN 9780917048579, page 123.
- ^ Majors, Harry M. (1975). Exploring Washington. Van Winkle Publishing Co. ISBN 978-0-918664-00-6.
- ^ Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
- ^ Kruckeberg, Arthur (1991). The Natural History of Puget Sound Country. University of Washington Press.
External links
- Weather forecast: Mount Higgins