Aries (mountain)

Coordinates: 47°47′41″N 123°39′32″W / 47.794587°N 123.658956°W / 47.794587; -123.658956
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aries
Aries (upper left) and Humes Glacier, from ESE
Highest point
Elevation6,533 ft (1,991 m)[1]
Prominence373 ft (114 m)[1]
Parent peakCirce (6,847 ft)[1]
Isolation0.61 mi (0.98 km)[2]
Coordinates47°47′41″N 123°39′32″W / 47.794587°N 123.658956°W / 47.794587; -123.658956[1]
Geography
Aries is located in Washington (state)
Aries
Aries
Location of Aries in Washington
Aries is located in the United States
Aries
Aries
Aries (the United States)
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyJefferson
Protected areaOlympic National Park
Parent rangeOlympic Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Mount Olympus
Geology
Age of rockEocene
Climbing
Easiest routeclass 3 scrambling via NW side[3]

Aries is a 6,533-foot (1,991-metre) mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Jefferson County of Washington state. Its neighbors include Mount Olympus, 2.46 mi (3.96 km) to the west, Athena 1.7 mi (2.7 km) to the southwest, and Mount Mathias 1.11 mi (1.79 km) to the northwest.[1] Aries is wedged between the Hoh Glacier and the Humes Glacier, and immediately northeast of Blizzard Pass. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into headwaters of the Queets and Hoh Rivers. This mountain was named by glaciologists Richard Hubley and Edward LaChapelle in 1955, in preparation for the International Geophysical Year.[4] It is named for Aries in keeping with the Greek and Roman mythology naming theme surrounding Mount Olympus.

Climate[edit]

Aries (left) and Circe (right of center) seen from Hoh Glacier

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Aries is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[5] Weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward the Olympic Mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snow. As a result, the Olympics experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall.[6] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger. During winter months weather is usually cloudy, but due to high pressure systems over the Pacific Ocean that intensify during summer months, there is often little or no cloud cover during the summer.[6] The of months July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.

Geology[edit]

The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust.[7] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Aries". Peakbagger.com.
  2. ^ ""Aries" - 6,533' WA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  3. ^ Aries climbersguideolympics.com
  4. ^ Parratt, Smitty (1984). Gods and Goblins: A Field Guide to Place Names of Olympic National Park (1st ed.).
  5. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11: 1633–1644. ISSN 1027-5606.
  6. ^ a b McNulty, Tim (2009). Olympic National Park: A Natural History. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press.
  7. ^ Alt, D.D.; Hyndman, D.W. (1984). Roadside Geology of Washington. pp. 249–259. ISBN 0-87842-160-2.

External links[edit]