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Greenleaf Peak

Greenleaf Peak, seen from above at true elevation

Greenleaf Peak rises to 1,043 m in Washington. Mount Defiance stands 1,504 m to the east-southeast, 13 miles off. The nearest named place is Red Bluffs, a cliff 0.6 miles away. JCT CROSSING OF GIBBONS CREEK VIC WASHOUGAL TO JCT PLYMOUTH INDUSTRIAL RD passes 3.8 miles off.

The story

Greenleaf Peak is a mountain in the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Washington, located on the north side of the Columbia River near Table Mountain, in the Columbia River Gorge. The peak lies within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area near Bonneville Dam. It is 3,424 feet (1,044 m) in elevation. Botanist David Douglas climbed to the summit in September 1825, making this the first recorded mountain ascent in what is now Washington state.

Just south of the summit of Greenleaf Peak there is a dramatic escarpment called Red Bluffs, which connects Greenleaf Peak and Table Mountain. Approximately 1,300 feet (400 m) of the Eagle Creek formation are exposed at Red Bluffs. The Red Bluffs escarpment was created by the repeated collapse of Greenleaf Peak and Table Mountain. Massive landslides have fallen from the mountains, creating a 12-to-14-square-mile (31 to 36 km2) area of debris called the Cascade Landslide Complex. The largest and most studied landslide is known as the Bonneville Slide, which created the Bridge of the Gods and Cascade Rapids The topography of the landslide complex is uneven with roughly rolling hills and abrupt slopes. The whole area is inclined south toward and beyond the Columbia River. There may have been a cinder cone between Greenleaf Peak and Table Mountain which collapsed during the Bonneville Slide.

The propensity of the area south of Greenleaf Peak and Table Mountain to collapse in landslides is due to the Eagle Creek formation. The rocks of the formation cover approximately 30 miles (48 km) of the Columbia River Gorge east of Cape Horn and consist of a mixture of past landslides, volcanic mud flows and ash falls. The formation is topped with basalt. Water can percolate through the basalt and saturate the Eagle Creek formation. In places where the formation is relatively close to the surface and inclined downslope, such as near Greenleaf Peak and Table Mountain, water saturation can cause the formation's material to slide away, carrying the overlying basalt with it. Between Greenleaf Peak and Table Mountain, and above the Red Bluffs, lies Greenleaf Basin. The basin averages 2,040 feet (620 m) in elevation and is covered with forested wetlands. Greenleaf Creek flows south through the basin before plunging as a waterfall over the Red Bluffs escarpment. In the winter of 2007-2008, there was a large landslide on the south slope of Greenleaf Peak, in the state-owned Table Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area. Some 3 to 5 acres (12,000 to 20,000 m2) of a timbered rocky cliff slid, burying approximately 30 acres (120,000 m2) of forest under rubble. The slide was estimated to be about 750 feet (230 m) wide and 0.5 miles (0.80 km) long.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Wikidata Q3116138, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

What the record says

Elevation
1043 m

How to reach it

Coordinates45.71398, -121.96694

Named places within 25 miles

Waterfalls
Peaks
Parks
  • Rock Creek Park: 3.8 mi
  • Gateway Park: 4.2 mi
  • Walnut Park: 4.3 mi
  • Bass Lake Recreation Area: 4.4 mi
  • Stevenson Waterfront: 4.4 mi
Historic sites
Artworks: 35
Springs: 35
  • East Spring: 5.8 mi
  • Teakettle Spring: 7.2 mi
  • Tanner Spring: 11.2 mi
  • Big Cedar Spring: 11.9 mi
  • Big Cedar Spring: 11.9 mi
Nature reserves: 15
Attractions: 11
Cliffs: 10
  • Red Bluffs: 0.6 mi
  • Red Bluffs: 0.6 mi
  • Red Bluffs: 0.7 mi
  • Waespe Point: 10.5 mi
  • Cape Horn: 14.9 mi
Gardens: 10
  • Community Garden: 5.7 mi
  • Rose Garden Labyrinth: 18.9 mi
  • Westside Community Garden: 20.9 mi
  • Scott Johnson Community Garden: 21.3 mi
  • Thomsen Orchard Community Garden: 22.8 mi
Museums: 8
Beaches: 8
  • Home Valley Beach: 9.1 mi
  • Cottonwood Beach: 20.7 mi
  • Sandy Swimming Hole: 21.2 mi
  • Windboarding Beachhead: 21.4 mi
  • Slackwater Beach: 22.0 mi
Picnic sites: 6
Ghost towns: 3
Natural arches: 2
  • Ed's Trail Arch: 13.5 mi
  • Natural Bridges: 22.5 mi
Rest areas: 1

Other summits around it

The highest named summits within 13.3 miles of Greenleaf Peak. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Mount DefianceESE 111°1,504 m12.6 mi
Indian MountainSSE 150°1,491 m13.3 mi
Green Point MountainESE 123°1,443.8 m11.3 mi
Chinidere MountainSE 140°1,416 m11.6 mi
Tomlike MountainSE 132°1,387 m10.8 mi
Tanner ButteSSE 164°1,355 m10.6 mi
Soda PeaksNNW 340°1,351 m12.4 mi
Twin RocksNNW 330°1,340 m12.7 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:1218:4119:21
June solstice05:1920:1621:02
September equinox06:5618:2819:07
December solstice07:4715:3716:27

Local time (America/Los_Angeles).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F384145515763686964544538

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Cascade Locks, 5 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata

OpenStreetMap element node/348198723

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