Copper Mountain (Pierce County, Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Copper Mountain |
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Copper Mountain seen from the southeast
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,302 ft (1,921 m) |
| Prominence | 720 ft (220 m) |
| Geography | |
 Copper Mountain
Location in Washington (state)
Copper Mountain
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mount Rainier National Park, Pierce County, Washington, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascades |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Rainier West |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Scrambling |
Copper Mountain is a mountain in Washington state, standing 6,302 feet (about 1,921 meters) tall. It's located inside Mount Rainier National Park in Pierce County. This mountain is part of the large Cascade Range, a chain of mountains that stretches across western North America.
Copper Mountain sits near a place called Success Cleaver and looks over Indian Henry's Hunting Ground. It's quite close to Iron Mountain, which is just a short distance to the south. The mountain also has a taller neighbor, Pyramid Peak, located about a mile to the northeast.
From the top of Copper Mountain, you can see amazing views. You can spot famous volcanoes like Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens. You can also see other peaks in the Tatoosh Range. Water from Copper Mountain flows into Tahoma Creek and Fishers Horn Pipe Creek, which then join the Nisqually River.
Why is it called Copper Mountain?
The mountain got its name because people in the late 1800s had big hopes. They believed that mines around Mount Rainier might contain valuable metals. These included copper, silver, and gold. Even though it's named after copper, it's more about the hopes of finding it. The name "Copper Mountain" was officially recognized in 1932 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.
Weather at Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain is in a special climate zone called the "marine west coast climate." This means it gets a lot of moisture from the Pacific Ocean. Most of the weather systems, like clouds and storms, start over the Pacific. They then travel northeast towards the Cascade Mountains.
When these weather systems hit the tall Cascade Mountains, they are forced to rise. This process is called Orographic lift. As the air rises, it cools down and drops its moisture. This leads to a lot of rain or snowfall on the western side of the Cascades.
Because of this, the area around Copper Mountain gets a lot of precipitation, especially in winter. During winter, it's often cloudy and snowy. However, in the summer, large high-pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean usually bring clear skies. This means you often get sunny weather during the warmer months.
