Hal Foss Peak is a 7,179-foot-elevation (2,188 m) mountain summit located in the Olympic Mountains, in Jefferson County of Washington state.[4] It is situated within Olympic National Park, and the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Mystery, 0.6 miles (0.97 km) to the southwest, and Mount Fricaba is 0.74 miles (1.19 km) to the northeast.[5] Precipitation runoff from the peak drains east to the Dungeness River via Heather Creek, and west into Deception Creek which is a tributary of the Dosewallips River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2,800 feet (853 m) above Heather Creek in approximately one mile.

Hal Foss Peak
South aspect
Highest point
Elevation	7,179 ft (2,188 m)[1]
Prominence	419 ft (128 m)[2]
Parent peak	Mount Mystery (7,639 ft)[3]
Isolation	0.60 mi (0.97 km)[3]
Coordinates	47°47′58″N 123°12′34″W[4]
Naming
Etymology	Harold Alfred "Hal" Foss
Geography
Hal Foss Peak Location in Washington Show map of Washington (state) Hal Foss Peak Hal Foss Peak (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Olympic National Park Jefferson County, Washington, U.S.
Parent range	Olympic Mountains
Topo map	USGS Mount Deception
Climbing
Easiest route	class 2 scrambling via Mt. Fricaba[2]

Etymology

The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1977 by the United States Board on Geographic Names to honor Harold Alfred "Hal" Foss (1922–1974), the first Search and Rescue coordinator for the Washington State Department of Emergency Services.[4][1] He was instrumental in forming the National Search and Rescue Coordinators Association, of which he was president.[6] He was also president of the Mountain Rescue Association, chairman of the Washington Mountain Rescue Council, and member of the American Alpine Club.[7] Foss died of a heart attack while climbing Mount St. Helens with his 18-year-old son Lynn on July 14, 1974.[8]

Climate

Hal Foss Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[9] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Olympic Mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks of the Olympic Range, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall (Orographic lift). As a result, the Olympics experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall.[9] 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. The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for climbing Hal Foss Peak.[2]

Gallery

See also

• Olympic Mountains
• Geology of the Pacific Northwest

References

External links

• "Olympic National Park". National Park Service.
• Weather: Hal Foss Peak
• Tribute to Hal Foss: Search and Rescue Magazine
• Hal Foss Peak photo: Flickr