Colonial Peak
Colonial Peak rises to 2,348 m in Washington. Jack Mountain stands 2,763 m to the northeast, 11 miles off. The nearest named place is Paul Bunyans Stump, a peak 1.3 miles away. Cascade Loop passes 2.1 miles off.
The story
Colonial Peak is a mountain in the North Cascades of Washington, United States. It rises steeply from the southwest bank of Thunder Arm of Diablo Lake, one of the artificial reservoirs on the Skagit River. It is part of a group of peaks that form the northern end of a chain running south through prized climbing destinations such as Eldorado Peak, Forbidden Peak, and Goode Mountain. Colonial Peak takes its name from the Colonial mining claim on its slopes. Like many North Cascade peaks, Colonial Peak is more notable for its large, steep rise above local terrain than for its absolute elevation. For example, it rises 6,560 feet (2,000 m) above Thunder Arm in only 2.3 horizontal miles (3.7 km). Its rise over the Skagit river on the northwest is even greater, but not as steep. Colonial Peak was first climbed on July 31, 1931, by William Degenhardt and Herbert Strandberg of the Seattle Mountaineers. The standard route is the West Ridge, accessed from Colonial Glacier; the approach is via the Pyramid Lake Trail, starting from near Diablo Dam on the North Cascades Highway.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q5148356, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Elevation
- 2,348 m
How to reach it
- 2.1 mi off the Cascade Loop, National
Overlooks nearby
- Diablo Lake Overlook · 4 mi
- Washington Pass Overlook · 24 mi
- Artist Point · 29 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Paul Bunyans Stump: 1.3 mi
- Pinnacle Peak: 1.4 mi
- Pyramid Peak: 1.4 mi
- Snowfield Peak: 2.0 mi
- The Horseman: 2.1 mi
- John Pierce Waterfall: 4.6 mi
- Ladder Creek Falls: 5.4 mi
- Newhalem Creek Falls: 5.9 mi
- Goat Falls: 16.3 mi
- Middle Berdeen Falls: 16.4 mi
- Trillium Conservation Area: 13.8 mi
- Diobsud Creek Barbien/Jordan Conservation Easement: 14.9 mi
- Diobsud Creek Abel Conservation Area: 15.3 mi
- Cascade River South 2: 15.5 mi
- Cascade River South 1: 16.1 mi
- Rock Cabin Avalanche: 8.1 mi
- Devils Stairway: 24.0 mi
- North Cascading: 12.5 mi
- Brown bear mine camp: 20.7 mi
- Pressentin County Park: 17.2 mi
- Riverside Park: 22.4 mi
- Gorge Powerhouse Visitor Gallery: 5.5 mi
- "Old Number 6" Seattle City Light Locomotive: 5.8 mi
- Temple of Power: 5.8 mi
Other summits around it
The highest named summits within 12.2 miles of Colonial Peak. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Mountain | NE 44° | 2,763 m | 10.8 mi |
| Mount Logan | SE 138° | 2,724 m | 11.5 mi |
| Boston Peak | SSE 161° | 2,711 m | 12.1 mi |
| Eldorado Peak | S 184° | 2,703 m | 8.6 mi |
| Forbidden Peak | SSE 164° | 2,687 m | 10.7 mi |
| Katsuk Peak | ESE 118° | 2,633 m | 12.1 mi |
| Kimtah Peak | ESE 119° | 2,596 m | 11.0 mi |
| Klawatti Peak | S 174° | 2,586 m | 7.4 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:08 | 18:36 | 19:17 |
| June solstice | 05:03 | 20:22 | 21:12 |
| September equinox | 06:52 | 18:23 | 19:04 |
| December solstice | 07:55 | 15:17 | 16:12 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Sep.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 34 | 37 | 41 | 47 | 55 | 60 | 66 | 66 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 34 |
| Precip in | 12.3 | 7.4 | 8.2 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 3.4 | 8.6 | 13.7 | 11.6 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Diablo DAM, 4 mi away.
Inside the official boundary of North Cascades National Park. Quietest months by visitation: Dec and Mar; busiest: Jul.
NPS visitation statistics, monthly averages 2021–2025 (2020 excluded).
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikidata- USGS Geographic Names Information System feature 1517969 — Colonial Peak, Whatcom County, Washington.
OpenStreetMap element node/349028379
Day trips start here
- North Cascades National Park · 16 mi
Take the scenic way to Colonial Peak.
Byway plans around your taste, mapped places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.