Entiat Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Entiat Mountains, or Entiat Range is a mountain range
in the U.S. state
of Washington. Located west of the Columbia River
, north of the Wenatchee River
, and south of the Entiat River
, the range is part of the North Cascades
section of the Cascade Range
. The Entiat Range is relatively narrow east to west and long north to south. The Entiat River valley separates the Entiat Mountains from the Chelan Mountains
to the northeast. To the west and south, across the Wenatchee River and tributaries such as the Chiwawa River
are the Wenatchee Mountains
.
The Entiat Mountains stretch south to the Columbia River
between the mouths of the Entiat and Wenatchee Rivers. The northern end the Entiat Range merges with the northern end of the Chelan Mountains. Most of the range is within Wenatchee National Forest
. The northern end is part of the Glacier Peak Wilderness
.
The highest peak of the Entiat Mountains is Mount Fernow
, at 9249 ft (2,819.1 m). Other major peaks include Seven Fingered Jack
, Mount Maude
, Copper Peak, Dumbell Mountain, Spectacle Buttes, and Buckskin Mountain. All these peaks are over 8000 ft (2,438.4 m) and the three highest are over 9000 ft (2,743.2 m). They are all located in the northern part of the Entiat Range. The highest peaks of the southern portion are under 7000 ft (2,133.6 m). Significant peaks of the southern Entiat Range include Cougar Mountain, Tyee Mountain, Sugarloaf Peak, Chumstick Mountain, and Burch Mountain.
The name comes from the Entiat
tribe. A large number of place names, including many of the mountains, were given by Albert H. Sylvester
.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. Located west of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, north of the Wenatchee River
Wenatchee River
The Wenatchee River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington, originating at Lake Wenatchee and flowing southeast for , emptying into the Columbia River immediately north of Wenatchee, Washington...
, and south of the Entiat River
Entiat River
The Entiat River is a tributary of the Columbia River, joining the Columbia near Entiat. The USGS lists two variant names for the Entiat River: En-ti-at-kwa River and Entiatqua River. En-ti-at-kwa is noted as being the original "Indian name", meaning "rapid water"...
, the range is part of the North Cascades
North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in Canada as the Cascade Mountains...
section of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
. The Entiat Range is relatively narrow east to west and long north to south. The Entiat River valley separates the Entiat Mountains from the Chelan Mountains
Chelan Mountains
The Chelan Mountains, or Chelan Range is a mountain range in the U.S. state of Washington. Located west of the Columbia River, north of the Entiat River, and south of the Lake Chelan, the range is part of the North Cascades section of the Cascade Range...
to the northeast. To the west and south, across the Wenatchee River and tributaries such as the Chiwawa River
Chiwawa River
The Chiwawa River is a tributary of the Wenatchee River, in the U.S. state of Washington. It is completely contained within Chelan County.Much of the Chiwawa River's drainage basin is designated national forest and wilderness...
are the Wenatchee Mountains
Wenatchee Mountains
The Wenatchee Mountains are a range of mountains in central Washington State, United States of America. A major subrange of the Cascade Range, extending east from the Cascade crest, the Wenatchee Mountains separate the drainage basins of the Yakima River from the Wenatchee River...
.
The Entiat Mountains stretch south to the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
between the mouths of the Entiat and Wenatchee Rivers. The northern end the Entiat Range merges with the northern end of the Chelan Mountains. Most of the range is within Wenatchee National Forest
Wenatchee National Forest
Wenatchee National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Washington. With an area of 1,735,394 acres , it extends about 137 miles along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range of Washington, USA from Okanogan National Forest to Gifford Pinchot National Forest...
. The northern end is part of the Glacier Peak Wilderness
Glacier Peak Wilderness
The Glacier Peak Wilderness, created by the US Forest Service in 1960 by efforts of the , four years before the 1964 wilderness legislation of the Congress, is located within portions of Chelan County, Snohomish County, and Skagit Counties in the North Cascades of Washington...
.
The highest peak of the Entiat Mountains is Mount Fernow
Mount Fernow
Mount Fernow is a tall peak in the North Cascades in the U.S. state of Washington and within the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the Wenatchee National Forest. At in elevation it is the eighth highest peak in Washington and the state's third highest non-volcanic peak. It is also the highest peak of the...
, at 9249 ft (2,819.1 m). Other major peaks include Seven Fingered Jack
Seven Fingered Jack
Seven Fingered Jack is a mountain in the North Cascades in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located at the north end of the Entiat Mountains, a sub-range of the Cascade Range. It is part of a three-peak group called the Entiat Cirque which includes Mount Maude and Mount Fernow. Seven Fingered...
, Mount Maude
Mount Maude
Mount Maude is a peak in the Entiat Mountains, a subrange of the North Cascades, in Washington state, USA. It is in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, at the headwaters of the Entiat River. The peak was given its name by Albert H. Sylvester in honor of Frederick Stanley Maude....
, Copper Peak, Dumbell Mountain, Spectacle Buttes, and Buckskin Mountain. All these peaks are over 8000 ft (2,438.4 m) and the three highest are over 9000 ft (2,743.2 m). They are all located in the northern part of the Entiat Range. The highest peaks of the southern portion are under 7000 ft (2,133.6 m). Significant peaks of the southern Entiat Range include Cougar Mountain, Tyee Mountain, Sugarloaf Peak, Chumstick Mountain, and Burch Mountain.
The name comes from the Entiat
Entiat (tribe)
The Entiat people are a Native American tribe who exclusively used and occupied an area extending from the Columbia River to the Cascade Mountains along the drainage system of the Entiat River.-Ethnography:...
tribe. A large number of place names, including many of the mountains, were given by Albert H. Sylvester
Albert Hale Sylvester
Albert Hale Slyvester was a pioneer surveyor, explorer, and forest supervisor in the Cascade Range of the U.S. state of Washington. He was a topographer for the United States Geological Survey in the Snoqualmie Ranger District between 1897 and 1907...
.
External links
- Entiat Ranger District, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, U.S. Forest Service