Cardinal Mountain

Last updated
Cardinal Mountain
Cardinal Mountain.jpg
South aspect from Taboose Pass
Highest point
Elevation 13,402 ft (4,085 m)  NAVD 88 [1]
Prominence 568 ft (173 m) [1]
Parent peak Split Mountain - South Peak [1]
Isolation 1.14 mi (1.83 km) [1]
Listing
Coordinates 36°59′58″N118°24′46″W / 36.9994047°N 118.4127374°W / 36.9994047; -118.4127374 Coordinates: 36°59′58″N118°24′46″W / 36.9994047°N 118.4127374°W / 36.9994047; -118.4127374 [4]
Naming
Etymology Cardinal (color)
Geography
Relief map of California.png
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Cardinal Mountain
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Cardinal Mountain
Location
Parent range Sierra Nevada
Topo map USGS Mount Pinchot
Geology
Type of rock metamorphic over granitic
Climbing
First ascent 1922
Easiest route Simple scramble class 2 [5]

Cardinal Mountain is a 13,396-foot-elevation (4,083 meter) mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California. [4] It is situated on the common border of Fresno County with Inyo County, as well as the shared boundary of John Muir Wilderness and Kings Canyon National Park. It is 14 miles (23 km) south-southwest of the community of Big Pine, approximately one mile north of Taboose Pass, and one mile south-southeast of Split Mountain, which is the nearest higher neighbor. Cardinal Mountain ranks as the 73rd highest summit in California. [6] The first ascent of the summit was made August 11, 1922, by George Downing, Jr. [7] The standard approach is via the Taboose Pass Trail, and the John Muir Trail passes west of this peak, providing an approach option to the mountain. The mountain's descriptive name was given by George R. Davis, a USGS topographer, on account of the brilliant red color of the roof pendant, like the red cap of a cardinal. [8]

Contents

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Cardinal Mountain has an alpine climate. [9] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Sierra Nevada mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range (orographic lift). Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains west into the South Fork Kings River, and east to the Owens Valley via Red Mountain and Taboose Creeks.

See also

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Vennacher Needle

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Mount Perkins (California)

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Mount Ickes

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Fin Dome

Fin Dome is an 11,673-foot-elevation granite summit located 1.5 mile west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in the southeast corner of Fresno County, in northern California. It is situated in the Rae Lakes area of Kings Canyon National Park, approximately 15.5 miles (24.9 km) west of the community of Independence. Nearby peaks include Black Mountain 1.9 miles (3.1 km) to the east, and Mount Rixford 2.1 miles (3.4 km) to the south-southeast. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 1,135 feet (346 meters) above Rae Lakes in one-quarter mile. The John Muir Trail passes to the east of this landmark, providing an approach. This geographical feature was named by Bolton Brown in 1899 when he explored the lake basin in its vicinity, because it resembled the fin of a sea serpent. The first ascent of the summit was made in 1910 by James Rennie, one of the foremost mountaineers of the Sierra Club.

The Hermit (California mountain)

The Hermit is a 12,328-foot-elevation mountain summit located west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Fresno County of northern California, United States. It is situated in northern Kings Canyon National Park, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) east of Emerald Peak, and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) west of Mount Darwin. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 2,500 feet (762 meters) above Evolution Valley in less than one mile. The John Muir Trail passes to the east and north of this landmark, providing an approach. This geographical feature was named by Sierra Club explorer Theodore Solomons in 1895 as he wrote: "The traveler will be greatly attracted by a very sharp peak or butte that rises on the south wall. From its isolated position as viewed from the valley we called it the Hermit."

Mount Tinemaha

Mount Tinemaha is a 12,520-foot-elevation mountain summit located east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Inyo County of northern California. It is situated on the eastern boundary of the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is 1.3 mile southeast of Tinemaha Lake, and 1.8 mile northeast of parent Split Mountain. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 5,900 feet (1,800 meters) above Owens Valley in two miles.

Mount Powell (California)

Mount Powell is a 13,364-foot-elevation mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, United States. It is situated on the shared boundary of Kings Canyon National Park with John Muir Wilderness, and along the common border of Fresno County with Inyo County. It is also 19 miles (31 km) west of the community of Big Pine, and 1.17 miles (1.88 km) west of Mount Thompson, which is the nearest higher neighbor. Mount Powell ranks as the 81st highest peak in California, and the 10th highest of the Evolution Region of the Sierra Nevada. The west summit is unofficially known as "Point John." Two other peaks on the mountain are informally called "Point Wesley" (13,356 ft) in the middle, and "Point Powell" (13,360+ ft) one-half mile to the east.

Mount Bago

Mount Bago is an 11,870-foot-elevation (3,618 meter) mountain summit located west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in the southeast corner of Fresno County, in northern California. It is situated in Kings Canyon National Park, 14 miles (23 km) west of the community of Independence, 2.3 miles west of the Kearsarge Pinnacles, and 2.4 miles southwest of Mount Rixford. Topographic relief is significant as the south aspect rises 3,675 feet (1,120 meters) above Junction Meadow in one mile. The John Muir Trail passes to the northeast of this remote geographical feature. The first ascent of the summit was made July 11, 1896, by Joseph Nisbet LeConte and Wilson S. Gould.

Goodale Mountain

Goodale Mountain is a 12,772-foot-elevation (3,893 meter) mountain summit located one mile east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Inyo County of northern California. It is situated less than two miles southeast of Taboose Pass in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is also 16.5 miles (26.6 km) northwest of the community of Independence, and one mile northeast of Striped Mountain, the nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 7,200 feet (2,200 meters) above Owens Valley in 3.5 miles. It ranks as the 218th highest peak in California.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Cardinal Mountain, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  2. "Sierra Peaks Section List" (PDF). Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club . Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  3. "Vagmarken Sierra Crest List". Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club . Retrieved 2021-11-06.
  4. 1 2 "Cardinal Mountain". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  5. Secor, R.J. (1992). The High Sierra Peaks, Passes, and Trails (1st ed.). Seattle: The Mountaineers. p. 172. ISBN   978-0898863130.
  6. "Cardinal Mountain CA". ListsOfJohn.com. Retrieved 2021-11-06.
  7. Fred L. Jones, A Climber’s Guide to the High Sierra (1954)
  8. Francis P. Farquhar, Place Names of the High Sierra (1926)
  9. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN   1027-5606.