Luna Peak (Washington)

Infobox Mountain
Name = Luna Peak
Elevation = 8,311 ft (2,533 m)
Location = Washington, United States
Range = Picket Range, North Cascades
Coordinates = coord|48|49|51|N|121|16|24|W|type:mountain_region:US
Topographic
USGS Mount Challenger
Prominence = 3,071 ft (936 m)
First ascent = September 1938, by Bill Cox and Will F. Thompson
Easiest route= Hike/scramble (Class 3/4)

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." (Beckey 1995:115)

ource

*Fred Beckey, "Cascade Alpine Guide, Volume 3" (Second Edition), The Mountaineers, 1995.

External links

* [http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?lat=48.8307&lon=-121.2732&symshow=n&datum=nad83&size=l&s=50&layer=DRG25 Luna Peak on TopoQuest]
* [http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/151781/luna-peak.html Luna Peak on Summitpost]
* [http://www.bivouac.com/MtnPg.asp?MtnId=8111 Luna Peak on bivouac.com]
* [http://www.nps.gov/noca North Cascades National Park]