Mount Daniel, Mountain summit in Kittitas County, United States
Mount Daniel is a glaciated mountain peak in the Cascade Range of Washington, lying entirely within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It has five separate summits arranged along a shared ridge, with the highest point sitting just above the treeline on the eastern side of the range.
The first recorded ascent of Mount Daniel took place in 1925, when a group from The Mountaineers reached the top by crossing the Lynch Glacier. That route became the standard approach and helped establish the peak as a reference point for technical climbing in the Cascades.
Mount Daniel sits within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, a protected area where climbers come to experience one of the few remaining glaciated peaks in Washington. The Lynch Glacier crossing is a well-known test piece for those building technical mountaineering skills in the Cascades.
Reaching the top requires glacier travel experience and proper equipment, since the route crosses snow and ice for much of the way. Late summer generally offers the most stable conditions, though snow can remain on the upper sections well into the season.
Mount Daniel is the highest point in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River watershed, making it a notable water source for the lowlands to the west. Meltwater from the Lynch Glacier feeds streams that eventually drain into Puget Sound, connecting the high alpine zone to the coast.
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