Monte Cristo Peak rises in Washington’s Henry M. Jackson Wilderness in the North Cascades, where it joins nearby Columbia and Kyes peaks in enclosing a basin with Columbia Glacier and Blanca Lake. Known for its red rock and rugged form, it takes its name from the mining boom town of Monte Cristo on its northwestern flank. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mining pushed development into this remote valley, bringing a railroad and cable tramway and, for a time, ownership by J. D. Rockefeller. The mountain also reflects the region’s geologic assembly, glaciation, heavy snowfall, avalanche hazards, and enduring alpine scenery.