Mother Mountain (Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mother Mountain |
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Mother Mountain, south aspect
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,480 ft (1,980 m) |
| Prominence | 280 ft (85 m) |
| Isolation | 0.43 mi (0.69 km) |
| Parent peak | East Fay Peak (6520+ ft) |
| Geography | |
 Mother Mountain
Location in Washington (state)
Mother 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 Mowich Lake |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | scrambling |
Mother Mountain is a cool mountain in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington state. It stands about 6,480 feet (1,975 meters) tall. This mountain is part of the Cascade Range, a large mountain chain.
Mother Mountain is like a long ridge with several peaks. It is located about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the famous Mount Rainier. If you hike the Wonderland Trail, you can get close to Mother Mountain. From its top, you can see amazing views of Mount Rainier.
Water flows off Mother Mountain in different directions. Cataract Creek drains the south side, and Ipsut Creek drains the north side. Both of these creeks flow into the Carbon River. On the west side, water goes into Mowich Lake and then into the Mowich River.
Contents
Mountain History: How Mother Mountain Got Its Name
The name Mother Mountain comes from a special shape. If you look at the northeast side of the mountain, you can see a silhouette that looks like a woman.
This name was officially chosen in 1913 by the United States Board on Geographic Names. People started climbing its peaks a long time ago. The first time someone reached the top of Second Mother Mountain (which is 6,375 feet tall) was in 1938. This climb was done by Maynard Miller and H. Kinzner.
Mountain Geology: How Mother Mountain Was Formed
Mother Mountain was created by ancient lava flows. These lava flows came from volcanoes that were not very tall or steep. This happened less than 25 million years ago.
Long ago, during the Pleistocene Ice Age, huge glaciers covered parts of the mountain. These glaciers carved out large, bowl-shaped hollows called cirques on the north side of the mountain.
Mountain Climate: Weather at Mother Mountain
Mother Mountain is in a place with a "marine west coast" climate. This means it gets a lot of moisture from the Pacific Ocean. Most of the weather systems come from the Pacific and move northeast towards the Cascade Mountains.
When these weather systems hit the tall Cascade Mountains, they are forced to rise. As the air rises, it cools down and drops its moisture. This causes a lot of rain or snowfall on the western side of the Cascades, especially in winter.
During winter, it's often cloudy. But in summer, high-pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean bring clear skies. The best time to visit or climb Mother Mountain is usually from July to September, when the weather is most pleasant.
Images for kids
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First Mother Mountain
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Second Mother Mountain centered, Third Mother to right
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Mother Mountain
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from Spray Park
