Fay Peak

Fay Peak
Fay Peak upper left, East Fay Peak centered.
Highest point
Elevation	6,492 ft (1,979 m)[1]
Prominence	520 ft (158 m)[2]
Parent peak	Old Desolate (7,137 ft)[3]
Isolation	0.26 mi (0.42 km)[3]
Coordinates	46°55′56″N 121°50′56″W / 46.932109°N 121.848792°W / 46.932109; -121.848792
Geography
Fay Peak Location of Fay Peak in Washington Show map of Washington (state) Fay Peak Fay Peak (the United States) Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Pierce
Protected area	Mount Rainier National Park
Parent range	Cascades
Topo map	USGS Mowich Lake
Climbing
First ascent	August 15, 1884
Easiest route	class 2 scrambling west ridge[4]

Fay Peak is a double-summit mountain located in Mount Rainier National Park, in Pierce County of Washington state.^[5] It is part of the Cascade Range, and lies seven miles (11 km) northwest of the summit of Mount Rainier. The 6,492-foot elevation summit of Fay Peak lies a quarter-mile west of the highest point, East Fay Peak, 6,520+ ft (1,990+ m).^[2] Echo Rock is its nearest higher neighbor, 2.7 mi (4.3 km) to the southeast.^[1] Precipitation runoff from Fay Peak is drained by Cataract Creek on the east side of the mountain, and the west side drains into Mowich Lake and Mowich River.

Fay Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.^[6] Most weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward the Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach, 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 snow onto the Cascades. As a result, the west side of the Cascades experiences high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall.^[6] Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger.^[6] 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.^[6] The months of July through September offer the most favorable weather for viewing or climbing this peak.

This mountain's name honors Fay Fuller (1869–1958), the first woman to stand atop the summit of Mount Rainier.^[6] Her first successful ascent occurred on August 10, 1890, and her second on July 27, 1897. The name Fay Peak first appeared on a map of the mountain published in 1895.^[7] The toponym was officially adopted in 1913 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.^[5]

The first ascent of this peak was made August 15, 1884, by J. Warner Fobes, George James, and R. O. Wells.^[4]

• Geology of the Pacific Northwest

• 
  Fay Peak from Mowich Lake
• 
  Fay Peak from Knapsack Pass

• National Park Service web site: Mount Rainier National Park
• Fay Peak: weather forecast