Little Tahoma Peak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Tahoma Peak |
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View of Little Tahoma Peak from Ingraham Glacier
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 11,138 ft (3,395 m) |
| Prominence | 818 ft (249 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Mount Rainier National Park, Pierce County, Washington, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascades |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Rainier East |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Less than 500,000 years |
| Mountain type | Andesitic remnant |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Cascade Volcanic Arc |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1894 by JB Flett and Henry H. Garrison |
| Easiest route | Rock & Ice climb |
Little Tahoma Peak, also called Little Tahoma, is a cool mountain right next to the much bigger Mount Rainier. It's located in Mount Rainier National Park in Pierce County, Washington, U.S. You can even see it from Seattle, which is over 60 miles away! If you only counted Little Tahoma Peak by itself, it would be the third-highest mountain in Washington state.
About Little Tahoma Peak
Little Tahoma Peak is what we call a volcanic remnant. This means it's a leftover piece of a much larger volcano that used to be part of Mount Rainier. Over many years, parts of the old volcano have worn away, leaving Little Tahoma behind. The rocks on the peak are not very stable.
How Little Tahoma Formed
This peak is made of a type of volcanic rock called andesitic rock. It formed less than 500,000 years ago. It's part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, which is a chain of volcanoes along the western part of North America.
In 1963, a big avalanche of rock came down from below Little Tahoma Peak. This rockslide covered a large part of the Emmons Glacier below it. Two other glaciers, the Fryingpan Glacier and the Whitman Glacier, are found just to the east of Little Tahoma Peak.
Climbing and Exploring
The easiest way to get to Little Tahoma Peak is from an area called Summerland. Summerland is a beautiful alpine meadow inside Mount Rainier National Park.
The very first time someone officially climbed Little Tahoma Peak was on August 29, 1894. Two climbers, JB Flett and Henry H. Garrison, made the first recorded ascent. They started their climb from Summerland and went up the east side of the peak.
