| Liberty Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Liberty Mountain seen from Lake Stevens, Washington | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,680 ft (1,730 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 2,120 ft (650 m)[1] |
| Parent peak | Three Fingers (6,850 ft)[2] |
| Isolation | 2.88 mi (4.63 km)[2] |
| Coordinates | 48°07′47″N121°40′17″W / 48.12971°N 121.671503°W /48.12971; -121.671503[1] |
| Geography | |
  Liberty Mountain Location in Washington Show map of Washington (state) Liberty Mountain Liberty Mountain (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Snohomish |
| Protected area | Boulder River Wilderness |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGSWhitehorse Mountain |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | class 3scrambling[2] |
Liberty Mountain is a prominent 5,680-foot-elevation (1,730 m) mountain summit located at the western edge of theNorth Cascades, inSnohomish County ofWashington state. It is located 2.3 miles south ofThree Fingers in theBoulder River Wilderness on land administered by theMount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The mountain's name came from old miners in the Silverton area.[3]
Liberty Mountain is located in themarine west coast climate zone of westernNorth America.[4] Mostweather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward theCascade Mountains. As fronts approach the North Cascades, they are forced upward by the peaks of the Cascade Range (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the Cascades. As a result, the west side of the North Cascades experiences high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall.[4] Because ofmaritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in highavalanche danger.[4] 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.[4] Due to its temperate climate and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, areas west of the Cascade Crest very rarely experience temperatures below 0 °F (−18 °C) or above 80 °F (27 °C).[4] The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.
The North Cascades features some of the most rugged topography in theCascade Range with craggy peaks, ridges, and deepglacial valleys. Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to the various climate differences. These climate differences lead to vegetation variety defining theecoregions in this area.
The history of the formation of the Cascade Mountains dates back millions of years ago to the lateEocene Epoch.[5] With theNorth American Plate overriding thePacific Plate, episodes ofvolcanic igneous activity persisted.[5] In addition, small fragments of theoceanic andcontinental lithosphere calledterranes created theNorth Cascades about 50 million years ago.[5]
During thePleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured the landscape leaving deposits of rock debris.[5] The U-shaped cross sections of the river valleys are the result of recent glaciation.Uplift andfaulting in combination with glaciation have been the dominant processes creating the tall peaks and deep valleys of the North Cascades area.
