Pinnacle Peak (King County, Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pinnacle Peak |
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Pinnacle Peak seen from the north
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,801 ft (549 m) |
| Prominence | 981 ft (299 m) |
| Geography | |
 Pinnacle Peak
Location in Washington (state)
Pinnacle Peak
Location in the United States
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| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Enumclaw |
| Type of rock | Basalt |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hiking trail |
Pinnacle Peak, also known as Mount Peak, is a forest-covered mountain in King County, Washington state. It stands 1,801 feet (about 549 meters) tall. This peak is part of the Cascade Range, located on its western edge. It's just south of Enumclaw, Washington and about 25 miles northwest of the famous Mount Rainier. Did you know there's another mountain also called Pinnacle Peak in Washington? That one is in the Tatoosh Range, south of Mount Rainier.
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History of Pinnacle Peak
This mountain was first called Mount Pete. It was named after Pete Chorak, one of the first people to settle in Enumclaw. Over time, people misheard "Pete" as "Peak," and so the name Mount Peak became popular.
Later, a fire lookout tower was built on the top of the mountain. This lookout was named the Pinnacle Peak Lookout. That's how the name Pinnacle Peak came to be widely used.
The main trail on the north side of Pinnacle Peak is called the Cal Magnusson Trail. It's named after Cal Magnusson, a well-known mountaineer from the Cascade Mountains. He worked at REI for 25 years, alongside the famous American mountain climber Jim Whittaker.
Weather at Pinnacle Peak
Pinnacle Peak is in a marine west coast climate zone. This means it gets a lot of moisture from the Pacific Ocean. Most weather fronts, which bring rain or snow, travel northeast towards the Cascade Mountains.
When these weather fronts reach the tall Cascade Mountains, they are forced to rise. As the air goes higher, it cools down and drops its moisture. This process is called Orographic lift. Because of this, the western side of the Cascades gets a lot of rain, especially in winter. During winter, it's often cloudy, and there's a lot of snowfall.
However, in the summer, high-pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean become stronger. This often leads to clear skies and sunny weather. Any water that runs off the peak flows into the White River, which passes by the mountain's southern base.
How Pinnacle Peak Was Formed
Pinnacle Peak is a 1,000-foot tall cinder cone volcano. This means it's a cone-shaped hill made of volcanic ash and rock pieces. It's an extinct volcano, so it won't erupt again. It rises up from the flat farmlands around Enumclaw.
These flat farmlands were created by a huge mudflow called the Osceola Mudflow. This mudflow came from nearby Mount Rainier about 5,600 years ago. Some parts of Pinnacle Peak are actually buried under this ancient mudflow, which shows that the peak is older than the mudflow itself. If you hike the trails near the top, you can see cool rock formations called columnar basalt. These are columns of volcanic rock that look like tall, stacked pillars.
Hiking at Pinnacle Peak
Pinnacle Peak is part of the 334-acre Pinnacle Peak Park. The mountain itself covers 256 acres within the park.
There are two main trails for hiking:
- The Cal Magnusson Trail is on the north side. It's about one mile long and quite steep, winding through the forest.
- The south slope trail has more parking and is a bit easier. It follows a gravel road and then a trail. Along this path, you can get some nice views looking south towards Mount Rainier and west towards Buckley, Washington.
On a busy weekend, 300 to 400 people might visit the trails each day! It's a popular spot for local hikers and for people training to climb Mount Rainier. The very top of Pinnacle Peak is covered in trees, so there aren't any views from the summit itself. However, you can still see the concrete foundations from the old fire lookout tower and a USGS marker. There are plans to rebuild the lookout, which would bring back amazing views from the top!
Images for kids
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Mount Rainier seen from south side trail
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Pinnacle Peak
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Buckley seen from south side trail
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The Three Sisters seen from trail
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Long Hill seen from south side trail
- Pinnacle Peak weather forecast
