Picket Range facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Picket Range
Mount Terror (left skyline), Inspiration Peak (center) and McMillan Spires (right center) from the south
Highest point
Peak	Luna Peak
Elevation	8,311 ft (2,533 m)
Geography
Country	United States
State/Province	Washington
Parent range	North Cascades

Picket Range at the head of Luna Creek, looking west (1960)

The Picket Range is a group of very rugged mountains in Washington State, USA. It is completely inside North Cascades National Park. These mountains stretch for about 10 kilometers (6 miles). They are north of the Skagit River and near Ross Lake, with Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan to their west. More than 20 peaks in this range are taller than 2,286 meters (7,500 feet)!

Naming the Picket Range

A man named Lage Wernstedt from the United States Forest Service mapped these mountains in the 1920s. He named the Picket Range because its sharp peaks looked like a picket fence. He also gave many of the main peaks their interesting names. These include Mt. Challenger, Fury, Terror, and Phantom. These names first appeared on maps in 1931.

Exploring the Picket Range

It is quite difficult to explore the Picket Range because there are very few trails. Any trip into these mountains feels like a true wilderness adventure. The paths often go through steep valleys filled with thick bushes. There are not many open areas to walk through.

Many of the peaks are challenging for rock climbing. The rocks here are called biotite gneiss. This type of rock formed about 100 million years ago from other rocks that changed under heat and pressure.

Famous Climbs and Views

The Picket Range is known for some of the best and most challenging climbs in the North Cascades. Its rugged landscape has also attracted many photographers. They have captured some of the most amazing pictures of the national park here.

The sharp, jagged peaks of the Picket Range are unique. No other mountains in the lower 48 American states are as steep and rugged. This has made the area very popular in the National Park. It has also helped the Cascades earn the nickname "The American Alps."

Picket Range from Trappers Peak in 1990

Tallest Peaks of the Picket Range

Here is a list of some of the notable peaks in the Picket Range: