Old Desolate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Desolate |
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Old Desolate's south peak
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,137 ft (2,175 m) |
| Prominence | 1,017 ft (310 m) |
| Isolation | 2.38 mi (3.83 km) |
| Parent peak | Burroughs Mountain (7,828 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Old Desolate
Location in Washington (state)
Old Desolate
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 Sunrise |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | scrambling from Moraine Park |
Old Desolate is a cool mountain in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington. It's about 7,137 feet (2,175 m) tall! This mountain has several peaks that form a ridge. You can find it in Pierce County, which is part of Washington state.
Old Desolate is part of the Cascade Range, a big chain of mountains. It sits about 5 mi (8.0 km) north of the famous Mount Rainier. If you hike the Wonderland Trail, you can get close to this mountain. From its top, you can see amazing views of Sluiskin Mountain and Mount Rainier.
The closest taller mountain is Burroughs Mountain. It's about 2.37 mi (3.81 km) to the southeast. Water from Old Desolate flows into two different rivers. Some water goes east into the West Fork White River. Other water flows west into the Carbon River.
Why is it called Old Desolate?
The name Old Desolate describes how the mountain looks. It stands alone at the western edge of a place called Vernal Park. It seems quite isolated, or "desolate."
The name was officially chosen in 1932. This was done by the United States Board on Geographic Names. They noted that Old Desolate actually has three main peaks. The central peak is about 7,130 feet tall. The south peak is 7,003 feet, and the north peak is 7,004 feet. The north and south peaks are about a mile apart.
Weather and Climate
Old Desolate is in a part of western North America that has a marine west coast climate. This means it gets a lot of rain and snow. Most of the weather systems start over the Pacific Ocean. They then travel northeast towards the Cascade Mountains.
When these weather systems hit the tall Cascade Mountains, they are forced to rise. This is called Orographic lift. 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. This is especially true during the winter months.
In winter, it's often cloudy. But in summer, high-pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean bring clear skies. This means there's often little or no cloud cover. The best time to visit Old Desolate for good views or climbing is usually from July to September.
Images for kids
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Old Desolate from the northeast. The true summit is on the left, and the north peak is on the right.
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Old Desolate with Mount Rainier in the background.
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The end of the Winthrop Glacier and Old Desolate, seen from Burroughs Mountain.
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Old Desolate, Sluiskin Mountain, and Skyscraper Mountain from the southeast.
