Sunrise Peak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sunrise Peak
Sunrise Peak from the southwest
Highest point
Elevation	5,892 ft (1,796 m)
Prominence	1,852 ft (564 m)
Isolation	13.25 mi (21.32 km)
Parent peak	Mount Adams (12,276 ft)
Geography
Sunrise Peak Location in Washington (state) Show map of Washington (state) Sunrise Peak Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Skamania County Washington, U.S.
Parent range	Cascades
Topo map	USGS McCoy Peak
Geology
Type of rock	andesite and dacite
Volcanic arc	Cascade Volcanic Arc
Climbing
Easiest route	Hiking trail

Sunrise Peak is a cool mountain in Washington State. It's a volcano, but don't worry, it's not active! This peak stands tall at about 5,892 feet (1,796 meters) high. You can find it in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Skamania County.

It's part of the amazing Cascade Range, a chain of mountains. Sunrise Peak is about 15.7 miles (25.3 km) northwest of Mount Adams. It's also 21 miles (34 km) northeast of Mount St. Helens and 36 miles (58 km) south of Mount Rainier.

The closest taller mountain is Burnt Rock, about 12.2 miles (19.6 km) to the southeast. Another peak, Jumbo Peak, is only 1.7 miles (2.7 km) to the south-southwest. Water from Sunrise Peak flows into streams that feed the Cowlitz River.

If you want to visit, there are hiking trails like the Sunrise Trail (#262) and Juniper Ridge Trail (#261, #261A). Getting to the very top might involve a little bit of easy climbing.

How Sunrise Peak Was Formed

The Cascade Range mountains, including Sunrise Peak, started forming millions of years ago. This happened when the North American Plate slowly moved over the Pacific Plate. This movement caused lots of volcanic activity, creating many volcanoes.

Mount Adams, a large volcano about 15.7 miles (25.3 km) from Sunrise Peak, began to form even more recently. Because Mount St. Helens is also nearby, you can find a lot of volcanic ash in the area around Sunrise Peak.

Sunrise Peak itself is made of a type of volcanic rock called andesite. This rock pushed up into older volcanic layers over five million years ago. Today, the mountain is surrounded by beautiful old forests. You'll see tall Douglas fir trees and mountain hemlock.

Weather and Climate

Sunrise Peak is in a place with a "marine west coast" climate. This means it gets a lot of influence from the ocean. Most of the weather systems start over the Pacific Ocean. They then travel northeast towards the Cascade Range.

When these weather systems hit the tall Cascade Mountains, they are forced to rise. This process is called Orographic lift. As the air rises, it cools down and drops its moisture. This means the western side of the Cascades gets a lot of rain or snow.

Winters are usually cloudy and snowy. But in the summer, high-pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean become stronger. This often leads to clear skies and sunny weather for hiking and exploring.