Himmelhorn (Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Himmelhorn |
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Himmelhorn centered (Twin Needles left)
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,880 ft (2,400 m) |
| Prominence | 120 ft (37 m) |
| Geography | |
 Himmelhorn
Location in Washington (state)
Himmelhorn
Location in the United States
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| Location | North Cascades National Park Whatcom County, Washington |
| Parent range | Picket Range Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Challenger |
| Type of rock | Skagit Gneiss |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1961 |
| Easiest route | Climbing YDS 5 |
Himmelhorn is a tall mountain in the North Cascades National Park in Washington. It stands about 7,880+ ft (2,400+ m) high. This peak is part of the wild and rugged Picket Range. It is located less than a mile west of Mount Terror. A small glacier called Mustard Glacier sits on its northern side.
The name Himmelhorn comes from an older name, Himmelgeisterhorn. This means Horn of the Sky Spirit. The first people to climb Himmelhorn reached its top on September 8, 1961. This group included Ed Cooper, Glen Denny, Joan and Joe Firey, and George Whitmore.
Mountain Climate
Himmelhorn 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 start over the Pacific. They then travel northeast towards the Cascade Range.
When these weather systems reach the North Cascades, the tall mountains force the air upwards. As the air rises, it cools down. This causes the moisture in the air to turn into rain or snowfall. 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.
In winter, the weather is often cloudy. But in summer, high pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean usually bring clear skies. The snow in this area tends to be wet and heavy. This can make avalanches more likely.
How the Mountains Formed
The North Cascades area has some of the most rugged landforms. You can see sharp peaks, spires, ridges, and deep valleys carved by glaciers. These amazing shapes were created by geological events that happened millions of years ago. These events also caused the big changes in elevation and different climates across the Cascade Range.
The Cascade Range started forming millions of years ago, during the late Eocene Epoch. At that time, the North American Plate was slowly moving over the Pacific Plate. This movement caused many volcanic eruptions. Also, small pieces of the Earth's outer layers, called terranes, crashed into North America. These collisions helped build the North Cascades about 50 million years ago.
Later, during the Pleistocene period, which began over two million years ago, huge sheets of ice called glaciers moved across the land. These glaciers advanced and then melted back many times. As they moved, they scraped away rock and left behind debris. The "U"-shaped valleys you see today were carved out by these glaciers. The combination of land being pushed up (called uplift) and cracks forming in the Earth's crust (called faulting), along with the glaciers, created the tall peaks and deep valleys of the North Cascades.
