page_title: Sperry Peak
section_title: Climate
hierarchical_section_title: Sperry Peak / Climate
caption_attribution_description: English: Sperry Peak, from Sunrise Mine Road
context_page_description: Sperry Peak is a 6,120+ ft mountain summit located in the South Fork Stillaguamish River Valley near the western edge of the North Cascades, in Snohomish County of Washington state. It is located 2.5 miles east of Barlow Pass near the Mountain Loop Highway and the Monte Cristo area, on land managed by the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Its nearest higher peak is Vesper Peak, 0.74 miles to the west, and between them share a high connecting ridge. The peak was named for A. D. Sperry, a Silverton mining prospector during the 1890s. The Dick Sperry Picnic Area is near the historic site of the abandoned Sperry-Iverson mine near Silverton.
context_section_description: Sperry Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel northeast toward the Cascade Mountains. As fronts approach the North Cascades, they are forced upward by the peaks of the Cascade Range, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the Cascades (Orographic lift). As a result, the west side of the North Cascades experiences high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. 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). 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. Because of maritime influence, snow tends to be wet and heavy, resulting in high avalanche danger.
caption: Sperry Peak seen from Sunrise Mine Road
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