Luna Peak (Washington)
Encyclopedia
Luna Peak is the highest mountain in the Picket Range
, an extremely rugged subrange of the North Cascades
in the American
state of Washington. It is located within North Cascades National Park
. It is notable for its large local relief and isolated position on a far-flung eastern ridge of the Pickets. For example, it rises over 6,560 ft (2,000 m) in 1.8 mi (3 km) above McMillan Creek to the south.
Luna Peak was first climbed in early September 1938, by Bill Cox and Will F. Thompson. The standard route is the Southwest Ridge, approached from Ross Lake
and Big Beaver Creek. It requires strenuous off-trail hiking including bushwhacking and tricky route-finding, but offers the promise of solitude, as the peak is rarely climbed. The final climb to the true summit involves exposed scrambling
on loose rock, and some parties will want a rope (Class 3/4
).
The north and east faces of Luna Peak are steep and dramatic, but are not popular with mountaineers. Fred Beckey
says "the peak lacks the compelling appeal of attractive alpine climbing problems."
Picket Range
The Picket Range is a small, extremely rugged subrange of the North Cascades in the northwestern part of the American state of Washington. It is entirely contained within North Cascades National Park. It is about long, running northwest-southeast, and is lies north of the Skagit River, west of...
, an extremely rugged subrange 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...
in the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Washington. It is located within North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the state of Washington. The park is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Several national wilderness areas and British Columbia parkland adjoin the...
. It is notable for its large local relief and isolated position on a far-flung eastern ridge of the Pickets. For example, it rises over 6,560 ft (2,000 m) in 1.8 mi (3 km) above McMillan Creek to the south.
Luna Peak was first climbed in early September 1938, by Bill Cox and Will F. Thompson. The standard route is the Southwest Ridge, approached from Ross Lake
Ross Lake
Ross Lake is a large reservoir in the North Cascade mountains of northern Washington state, USA, and southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The lake runs approximately north-south, is 23 miles long, up to 1.5 miles wide, and the full reservoir elevation is 1,604 feet above sea level .The U.S...
and Big Beaver Creek. It requires strenuous off-trail hiking including bushwhacking and tricky route-finding, but offers the promise of solitude, as the peak is rarely climbed. The final climb to the true summit involves exposed scrambling
Scrambling
Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...
on loose rock, and some parties will want a rope (Class 3/4
Grade (climbing)
In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
).
The north and east faces of Luna Peak are steep and dramatic, but are not popular with mountaineers. Fred Beckey
Fred Beckey
Fred Beckey is an American mountaineer and author, who has made hundreds of first ascents, more than any other North American climber.-Early years:...
says "the peak lacks the compelling appeal of attractive alpine climbing problems."