| Kennedy Peak | |
| Elevation Ft: | 8381 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence Ft: | 392 |
| Isolation Mi: | 0.43 |
| Parent Peak: | Glacier Peak (10,549 ft) |
| Etymology: | John F. Kennedy |
| Map: | Washington#USA |
| Mapframe: | yes |
| Mapframe-Zoom: | 8 |
| Mapframe-Caption: | Interactive map of Kennedy Peak |
| Country: | United States |
| State: | Washington |
| Region: | Snohomish |
| Region Type: | County |
| Part Type: | Protected area |
| Part: | Glacier Peak Wilderness |
| Range: | Cascade Range North Cascades |
| Coordinates: | 48.132°N -121.1253°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [2] |
| Topo: | USGS Lime Mountain |
| Volcanic Arc: | Cascade Volcanic Arc |
| Rock: | Andesite |
| Age: | Quaternary |
Kennedy Peak is an 8381abbr=offNaNabbr=off summit in Snohomish County, Washington, United States.
Kennedy Peak is located 24miles east-southeast of Darrington in the heart of the Glacier Peak Wilderness on land managed by Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. It is set 1.5 mile (2.4 km) immediately north-northwest of Glacier Peak in the North Cascades. Kennedy ranks as the fifth-highest peak in Snohomish County and 95th-highest in the state.[1] Precipitation runoff from the peak drains west to the White Chuck River via Kennedy Creek, and north into Milk and Vista creeks which are tributaries of the Suiattle River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 6400abbr=offNaNabbr=off above the Suiattle River in 6miles and 2400abbr=offNaNabbr=off above the Kennedy Glacier in one-quarter mile (0.4 km). The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the peak's west slope. The mountain's toponym was officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1963 which was the year that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.[2] [3]
Subduction and tectonic activity in the area began during the Late Cretaceous epoch, about . The area was previously an oceanic environment, consisting mainly of sedimentary and volcanic rocks.[4] Extensive volcanic activity began to take place in the oligocene, about .[5] However, mountain building in the area did not begin until the Miocene, approximately .[4] Glacier Peak, a stratovolcano that is south-southeast of Kennedy Peak, began forming in the mid-Pleistocene.[4] Kennedy Peak is composed of Quaternary andesite of the volcanic lava flows from Glacier Peak.[6]
Throughout the ice age, the North Cascades were mostly covered in thick glaciers, extending to near Puget Sound. Glaciation was most prevalent approximately, and most valleys were ice-free by .[4] As a result, valleys in the area are deep and U-shaped, and mountains tend to be rocky, with steep slopes and narrow summits.
Kennedy Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[4] Most weather fronts originating in the Pacific Ocean travel northeast toward the Cascade 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 of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche 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 or above 80°F.[4] This climate supports the Kennedy Glacier, Vista Glacier, and the Ptarmigan Glacier surrounding the peak.