Mount Constance
Encyclopedia
Mount Constance is a peak in the Olympic Mountains
of Washington and the third highest in the range. It is the most visually prominent peak on Seattle's
western skyline. Despite being almost as tall as the ice-clad Mount Olympus
to the west, Mount Constance has little in the way of glaciers and permanent snow due to warmer inland temperature and less precipitation. In addition, the treeline here is higher than points to the west, also hinting at the warmer conditions here.
By virtue of its position at the eastern edge of the Olympics, Mount Constance also enjoys spectacular vertical relief. For example, it rises over 6900 feet (2,103.1 m) above the Dosewallips River
to the south in only 3 horizontal miles (5 km). It is also only 12 mile from the tidewater of Hood Canal
. The summit of Mount Constance lies on the boundary between Olympic National Park
and Buckhorn Wilderness
. The Constance massif includes Mount Constance, Inner Constance, the twin peaks of Warrior and Warrior's Arm.
named three mountains in the Olympics. He named Mount Ellinor
for Ellinor Fauntleroy, who later became his wife, Mount Constance for Ellinor's older sister and The Brothers
for her two brothers.
Mount Constance was first climbed in 1922 by R. Schellin and A.E. Smith from the southeast.
Trail and Marmot Pass. An alternative approach to the Mt. Constance massif—including Inner Constance and the twin peaks of Warrior—is via the Dosewallips River
Trailhead off of US 101 and Hood Canal
. A third alternative is to access the Constance massif via Quilcene logging roads (FS 2700 aka "Penny Creek Road" off US 101) leading to a brief 6 - 7 mile ascent to Tunnel Creek Ridge and the high alpine shores of Harrison Lake. In fact, the most stunning views of the east side of Mt. Constance and Warrior are readily available from these roads (the lower portions of which are paved) which actually connect to FS 2800 and the Dungeness
/ Sequim area via the 5000-foot Bon Jon Pass.
Olympic Mountains
The Olympic Mountains is a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific...
of Washington and the third highest in the range. It is the most visually prominent peak on Seattle's
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
western skyline. Despite being almost as tall as the ice-clad Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus (Washington)
Mount Olympus is the tallest and most prominent mountain in the Olympic Mountains of western Washington state. Located on the Olympic Peninsula, it is the central feature of Olympic National Park. Mount Olympus is the highest summit of the Olympic Mountains, however, peaks such as Mount Constance,...
to the west, Mount Constance has little in the way of glaciers and permanent snow due to warmer inland temperature and less precipitation. In addition, the treeline here is higher than points to the west, also hinting at the warmer conditions here.
By virtue of its position at the eastern edge of the Olympics, Mount Constance also enjoys spectacular vertical relief. For example, it rises over 6900 feet (2,103.1 m) above the Dosewallips River
Dosewallips River
The Dosewallips River is a river situated on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises near Mount Anderson in the Olympic Mountains within Olympic National Park and drains to Hood Canal and thence to the Pacific Ocean....
to the south in only 3 horizontal miles (5 km). It is also only 12 mile from the tidewater of Hood Canal
Hood Canal
Hood Canal is a fjord forming the western lobe, and one of the four main basins, of Puget Sound in the state of Washington. Hood Canal is not a canal in the sense of being a man-made waterway—it is a natural waterway.-Geography:...
. The summit of Mount Constance lies on the boundary between Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the Olympic Peninsula. The park can be divided into four basic regions: the Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the west side temperate rainforest and the forests of the drier east side. U.S...
and Buckhorn Wilderness
Buckhorn Wilderness
The Buckhorn Wilderness is a mountainous wilderness area on the northeastern Olympic Peninsula in Washington, USA. Named after Buckhorn Mountain , the wilderness abuts the eastern boundary of Olympic National Park which includes nearby Mount Constance , Inner Constance , Warrior Peak , and Mount...
. The Constance massif includes Mount Constance, Inner Constance, the twin peaks of Warrior and Warrior's Arm.
History
In 1853, surveyor George DavidsonGeorge Davidson (geographer)
George Davidson was an geodesist, astronomer, geographer, surveyor and engineer in the United States.-Biography:Born May 9, 1825 in England, he came to the U.S. in 1832 with his parents, who settled in Pennsylvania...
named three mountains in the Olympics. He named Mount Ellinor
Mount Ellinor
Mount Ellinor is a peak in the Olympic Mountains of Washington, United States. It is located in an area designated as the Mount Skokomish Wilderness. The mountain is a popular day hike in the summer months, being that the summit is reachable via a steep-but-brief trail which gains about in...
for Ellinor Fauntleroy, who later became his wife, Mount Constance for Ellinor's older sister and The Brothers
The Brothers (Olympic Mountains)
The Brothers are a pair of prominent peaks in the Olympic Mountains which are located near the Hood Canal in Washington state on the boundary between Olympic National Park and The Brothers Wilderness....
for her two brothers.
Climbing
Routes on the mountain are from Class 3 to mid-Class 5, with ratings from Grade 2 to Grade 4.Mount Constance was first climbed in 1922 by R. Schellin and A.E. Smith from the southeast.
Access
Boulder Ridge (including the Gargoyles, Charlia Lakes, Cloudy Peak, Alphabet Ridge, and Warrior) and Home Lake / Constance Pass are readily accessed via the Buckhorn Wilderness Area (U.S. Forest Service) side of the Upper Dungeness RiverDungeness River
The Dungeness River is a long river located in the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises near Mount Constance in the Olympic Mountains within the Olympic National Park, flows through the Buckhorn Wilderness, passes by the town of Sequim, and empties into the Strait of Juan de...
Trail and Marmot Pass. An alternative approach to the Mt. Constance massif—including Inner Constance and the twin peaks of Warrior—is via the Dosewallips River
Dosewallips River
The Dosewallips River is a river situated on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises near Mount Anderson in the Olympic Mountains within Olympic National Park and drains to Hood Canal and thence to the Pacific Ocean....
Trailhead off of US 101 and Hood Canal
Hood Canal
Hood Canal is a fjord forming the western lobe, and one of the four main basins, of Puget Sound in the state of Washington. Hood Canal is not a canal in the sense of being a man-made waterway—it is a natural waterway.-Geography:...
. A third alternative is to access the Constance massif via Quilcene logging roads (FS 2700 aka "Penny Creek Road" off US 101) leading to a brief 6 - 7 mile ascent to Tunnel Creek Ridge and the high alpine shores of Harrison Lake. In fact, the most stunning views of the east side of Mt. Constance and Warrior are readily available from these roads (the lower portions of which are paved) which actually connect to FS 2800 and the Dungeness
Dungeness, Washington
Dungeness is an unincorporated community in Clallam County, Washington, United States, located north of Sequim. Dungeness crab is named after the town of Dungeness, which is located on the Strait of Juan de Fuca...
/ Sequim area via the 5000-foot Bon Jon Pass.