Old Desolate

Old Desolate is a 7,137 feet (2,175 m) multi-summit, ridge-like mountain located in Mount Rainier National Park, in Pierce County of Washington state.[5] It is part of the Cascade Range, and lies 5 mi (8.0 km) due north of the summit of Mount Rainier. The Wonderland Trail provides an approach to this mountain, and the summit offers views of Sluiskin Mountain and Mount Rainier. Burroughs Mountain is its nearest higher neighbor, 2.37 mi (3.81 km) to the southeast.[1] Precipitation runoff from Old Desolate drains east into the West Fork White River, or west into the Carbon River.

Old Desolate
Old Desolate's south peak
Highest point
Elevation7,137 ft (2,175 m) [1]
Prominence1,017 ft (310 m) [1]
Parent peakBurroughs Mountain (7,828 ft)[2]
Isolation2.38 mi (3.83 km) [2]
Coordinates46°55′30″N 121°45′01″W 
Geography
Old Desolate
Location of Old Desolate in Washington
Old Desolate
Old Desolate (the United States)
LocationMount Rainier National Park
Pierce County, Washington, U.S.
Parent rangeCascades
Topo mapUSGS Sunrise
Climbing
Easiest routescrambling from Moraine Park[3][4]

History

The descriptive name Old Desolate derives from its position standing desolate and alone at the western edge of Vernal Park.[6] The name was officially adopted in 1932 by the United States Board on Geographic Names, which noted that there were three peaks on the mountain, with elevations of 7,130-feet for the central peak, 7,003-ft for the south peak, and 7,004-ft for the north one, and the north and south peaks being a mile apart.[5]

Climate

Old Desolate is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[4] 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 (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 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. The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.

See also
  • Old Desolate from the northeast. True summit (left), north peak (right).
  • Old Desolate and Mt. Rainier behind
  • Winthrop Glacier terminus and Old Desolate seen from Burroughs Mountain
  • Old Desolate, Sluiskin Mountain, and Skyscraper Mountain from the southeast

References
  1. "Old Desolate, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
  2. "Old Desolate - 7,137' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  3. "Old Desolate Mountain". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  4. Beckey, Fred W. Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes. Seattle, WA: Mountaineers Books, 2008.
  5. "Old Desolate". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  6. Mount Rainier National Park Place Names. Gary Fuller Reese (author), 2009.
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