Green Mountain (Snohomish County, Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Green Mountain |
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![]() Green Mountain viewed from trail.
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 6,398 ft (1,950 m) NGVD 29 |
Prominence | 740 ft (230 m) |
Geography | |
Topo map | Downey Mountain, WA |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Hiking |
Green Mountain is an awesome peak found in the wild and scenic Glacier Peak Wilderness area. It rises high above the Suiattle River in Snohomish County, Washington. This mountain is super special because it's home to an old fire lookout building. This lookout was saved by a special law in 2014, called the Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act, making sure it stays there for a long time!
Green Mountain's Weather
Green Mountain is located in a special weather area called the marine west coast climate zone. This means it gets a lot of its weather from the Pacific Ocean. Imagine big air masses, called weather fronts, forming over the ocean and then traveling northeast towards the Cascade Mountains.
When these weather fronts reach the North Cascades, they hit the tall mountains. The mountains force the air to rise up. As the air goes higher, it cools down, and the moisture inside it turns into rain or snow. This process is called Orographic lift. Because of this, the western side of the North Cascades gets a lot of rain and snow, especially in winter.
During the winter, the weather is usually cloudy. But in the summer, big areas of high pressure over the Pacific Ocean often bring clear skies. This means you can enjoy sunny days with little to no clouds. Because the ocean influences the weather so much, the snow here tends to be wet and heavy. This can sometimes lead to a higher risk of avalanches, so it's important to be careful when exploring in winter.
The Green Mountain Lookout
One of the most interesting things about Green Mountain is its historic fire lookout. These lookouts were built a long time ago to help spot forest fires from high up. The Green Mountain Lookout is very old and important. In 2014, the United States Congress passed a special law just for it! This law, called the Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act, made sure the lookout would be protected and preserved. It means this cool piece of history will be around for future generations to see and learn about.