Mount Townsend (Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Townsend |
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Summit from the Mt. Townsend Trail.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,243 ft (1,903 m) |
| Prominence | 600 ft (180 m) |
| Geography | |
 Mount Townsend
Location in Washington (state)
Mount Townsend
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Jefferson |
| Parent range | Olympic Mountains |
| Protected area | Buckhorn Wilderness |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Townsend |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Mt. Townsend Trail |
Mount Townsend is a mountain in the U.S state of Washington located within the Buckhorn Wilderness near Quilcene.
Recreation
The Mt. Townsend Trail rises from the trailhead to the summit, a rise of 3,010 ft (920 m). The summit affords a 360 degree view of the area.
Climate
Mount Townsend is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. Weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward the Olympic Mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snow. As a result, the Olympics experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in avalanche danger. During winter months weather is usually cloudy, but due to high pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean that intensify during summer months, there is often little or no cloud cover during the summer.
Geology
The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust. The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.
