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Peak · Washington

Desolation Peak

Desolation Peak, seen from above at true elevation

Desolation Peak rises to 1,855 m in Washington. Jack Mountain stands 2,763 m to the south-southeast, 9.9 miles off. The nearest named place is Skagit Peak, a peak 2.9 miles away. JCT KEYSTONE FERRY ZONE WHIDBEY ISLAND TO JCT SR 153 VIC TWISP passes 13 miles off.

About

The story

Desolation Peak is in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington state, about 6.2 miles (10.0 km) south of the Canada–United States border and in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. It was first climbed in 1926 by Lage Wernstedt, who named it for the destruction caused by a forest fire that swept the slopes bare that same year. At the summit stands a small wooden one-room fire lookout belonging to the National Park Service. The lookout is 15 miles (24 km) from the nearest road and overlooks miles of forest and numerous other peaks. Jack Kerouac spent 63 days during the summer of 1956 as a fire lookout on Desolation Peak. He wrote about his experiences in The Dharma Bums, Lonesome Traveler, Desolation Angels and in a collection of haiku by the name of "Desolation pops".

Desolation Peak Trail, is a steep hike to high meadows, great views and the fire lookout. It is a very popular hike but strenuous along the East Bank Trail. The trail is often hot and dry. In 2000, in the disappearance of Leah Roberts, her Jeep was found crashed at the bottom. In 2020 Lindsay Hagen published a short film about Jim Henterley, one of the watchmen remaining in service on the Desolation Peak Lookout.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Wikidata Q3024539, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

The record

What the record says

Elevation
1855 m
Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates48.91124, -121.01623

Overlooks nearby

Around it

Named places within 25 miles

Peaks
Waterfalls: 5
Cliffs: 2
Historic sites: 2
  • Pacific Crest Trail Northern Terminus: 11.5 mi
  • Brown bear mine camp: 21.4 mi
Ghost towns: 2
Springs: 1
Museums: 1
  • Gorge Powerhouse Visitor Gallery: 19.2 mi
Attractions: 1
  • "Old Number 6" Seattle City Light Locomotive: 19.5 mi
Artworks: 1
On the horizon

Other summits around it

The highest named summits within 16.1 miles of Desolation Peak. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Jack MountainSSE 164°2,763 m9.9 mi
Mount SpickardWNW 292°2,734 m10.9 mi
Ag PeakWNW 294°2,689 m10.9 mi
Mount RedoubtWNW 284°2,689 m13.3 mi
Mount CusterWNW 297°2,630 m11.9 mi
Northwest Mox PeakWNW 283°2,592 m11.5 mi
Mount RahmWNW 302°2,580 m11.4 mi
Solitude PeakWNW 289°2,562 m11.1 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0818:3519:17
June solstice05:0120:2221:12
September equinox06:5118:2219:04
December solstice08:5616:1517:10

Local time (America/Vancouver).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Sep.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F343640475560676760494034
Precip in9.76.06.43.22.11.71.01.22.56.711.19.2

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Ross DAM, 13 mi away.

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata

OpenStreetMap element node/356544739

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