Ruth Peak is a 6,850+ ft (2,090+ m) glaciated mountain summit located within Olympic National Park in Clallam County of Washington state. Ruth Peak is the third-highest peak in the Bailey Range, which is a subrange of the Olympic Mountains. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Carrie, 0.91 mi (1.46 km) to the northwest, and Mount Fairchild is set 0.92 mi (1.48 km) to the north.[1] In clear weather, the mountain can be seen from the visitor center at Hurricane Ridge. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Hoh and Elwha Rivers. The first ascent of this peak was made in 1961 by Bert Brown, Roy Etten, and Victor Nelson.[3]

Ruth Peak
Northeast aspect, from Hurricane Ridge
Highest point
Elevation	6,850 ft (2,090 m)[1]
Prominence	250 ft (76 m)[1]
Parent peak	Mount Carrie (6,995 ft)[2]
Isolation	0.9 mi (1.4 km)[2]
Coordinates	47°53′13″N 123°37′59″W[1]
Geography
Ruth Peak Location of Ruth Peak in Washington Show map of Washington (state) Ruth Peak Ruth Peak (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Olympic National Park Clallam County, Washington, US
Parent range	Olympic Mountains
Topo map	USGS Mount Carrie
Geology
Age of rock	Eocene
Climbing
First ascent	1961
Easiest route	class 3 scrambling[2][3]

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Ruth Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[4] This climate supports the Fairchild Glacier on its northeastern slope. Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel northeast 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. 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. In terms of favorable weather, the best months for viewing and climbing are July through September.

Geology

The Olympic Mountains are composed of obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust, primarily Eocene sandstone, turbidite, and basaltic oceanic crust.[5] The mountains were sculpted during the Pleistocene era by erosion and glaciers advancing and retreating multiple times.

See also

• Olympic Mountains
• Geology of the Pacific Northwest
• Stephen Peak

References

Gallery

• 
  Ruth Peak and Fairchild Glacier seen from Mount Carrie
• 
  Ruth Peak (left), Mts. Fairchild and Carrie to right
• 
  Bailey Range with Ruth Peak left of center

External links

• "Olympic National Park". National Park Service.
• National Weather Service: Ruth Peak weather forecast