Devils Crags

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Devils Crags
Devils Crag #1
Devils Crags.jpg
East aspect, with Wheel Mountain to right
Highest point
Elevation 12,424 ft (3,787 m) [1]
Prominence 800 ft (240 m) [2]
Parent peak Wheel Mountain (12,774 ft) [3]
Isolation 1.11 mi (1.79 km) [3]
Listing Sierra Peaks Section
Coordinates 37°02′17″N118°36′45″W / 37.0380561°N 118.6124615°W / 37.0380561; -118.6124615 [1]
Geography
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Devils Crags
Location in California
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Devils Crags
Devils Crags (the United States)
CountryUnited States
State California
County Fresno
Protected area Kings Canyon National Park
Parent range Sierra Nevada
Black Divide [2]
Topo map USGS North Palisade
Geology
Rock type metamorphic rock
Climbing
First ascent 1913, Charles W. Michael [4]
Easiest route class 4+ [3]

Devils Crags is a 12,424-foot-elevation (3,787-meter) mountain summit located west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Fresno County of central California, United States. [1] This jagged line of 11 pinnacles is situated at the southern end of the Black Divide in northern Kings Canyon National Park, 1.88 miles (3.03 km) south of The Citadel, and one mile southeast of Wheel Mountain, which is the nearest higher neighbor. [2] Devils Crags ranks as the 299th highest summit in California. [3] Topographic relief is significant as it rises 4,200 feet (1,300 meters) above Le Conte Canyon in approximately two miles. An approach to this remote peak is made possible via the John Muir Trail which passes through Le Conte Canyon, below to the east. The class 5 Northwest Arête is considered one of the classic climbing routes in the Sierra Nevada. [5]

Contents

History

This mountain was bestowed its name in 1906 by Joseph Nisbet LeConte, a Sierra Nevada explorer and cartographer. [6] [7] The name has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names. [1]

The first ascent of the highest summit, Crag 1, was made July 21, 1913, by Charles W. Michael, who in addition to being an accomplished climber, was the assistant postmaster at Yosemite Valley. [6]

Crag 2 was first climbed July 25, 1933, by Jules Eichorn, Glen Dawson, and Ted Waller. [4]

Crags 3 and 4 were climbed June 24, 1934, by David Brower, Hervey Voge, and Norman Clyde. The next day, June 25, this same team made the first ascents of Crags 5, 6, 7, and 8. [4]

Crag 9 was first climbed August 1, 1933, by Glen Dawson and Jules Eichorn. [4]

Crags 10 and 11 were first climbed June 23, 1934, by David Brower, Hervey Voge, and Norman Clyde. [4]

Climbing

Established climbing routes for Crag 1: [4]

Devils Crag #1 has a bad reputation for unstable rock which has contributed directly to two climbing deaths, Mark Hoffman in 1988, and David Dykeman in 1997. [8] [9]

Climate

Devils Crags is located in an alpine climate zone. [10] 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 into tributaries of the Middle Fork Kings River.

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Genevra</span> Mountain in the state of California

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Guard</span> Mountain in the state of California

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giraud Peak</span> Mountain in the American state of California

Giraud Peak is a 12,608-foot-elevation (3,843-meter) 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 the Palisades area of northern Kings Canyon National Park, 3.0 miles (4.8 km) southwest of North Palisade, and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) southwest of Columbine Peak, the nearest higher neighbor. Giraud Peak ranks as the 258th-highest summit in California. Topographic relief is significant as the west aspect rises 4,400 feet above LeConte Canyon in less than two miles. On the direct opposite side of the canyon The Citadel stands guard. The first ascent of the summit was made September 1, 1925, by Norman Clyde via the east arête.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Thumb (California)</span> Mountain in the American state of California

The Thumb is a 13,356-foot-elevation (4,071-meter) mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Inyo County of northern California. It is situated in the Palisades area of the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is 1.3 miles (2.1 km) east of Middle Palisade, 1.6 miles (2.6 km) west-northwest of Birch Mountain, and 1.8 miles (2.9 km) north of Mount Bolton Brown. The Thumb ranks as the 83rd-highest summit in California. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises over 2,500 feet above Birch Lake in approximately one mile. The John Muir Trail traverses below the southwest aspect of the mountain, providing an optional approach access.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheel Mountain</span> Mountain in the state of California

Wheel Mountain is a 12,774-foot-elevation (3,894-meter) mountain summit located west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Fresno County of central California, United States. This mountain is situated on the Black Divide in northern Kings Canyon National Park, one mile northwest of Devils Crags, and two miles south-southeast of Mount McDuffie, which is the nearest higher neighbor. Wheel Mountain ranks as the 216th-highest summit in California, and the fifth-highest on Black Divide. Topographic relief is significant as the west aspect rises 4,500 feet above Enchanted Gorge in approximately 1.5 mile, and the east aspect rises 4,500 feet above Le Conte Canyon in 2.5 miles. An approach to this remote peak is made possible via the John Muir Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Johnson (California)</span> Mountain in the state of California

Mount Johnson is a 12,871-foot-elevation mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, United States. It is situated on the boundary between Kings Canyon National Park and John Muir Wilderness, and along the county line between Fresno County and Inyo County. It is also 18 miles (29 km) west of the community of Big Pine, 0.9 miles (1.4 km) southeast of Mount Gilbert, and one mile (1.6 km) west-northwest of Mount Goode. Mount Johnson ranks as the 187th-highest summit in California. Topographic relief is significant as the southwest aspect rises 3,670 feet above LeConte Canyon in 1.5 mile, and the north aspect rises 3,100 feet above South Lake in 2.5 miles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Observation Peak (California)</span> Mountain in the state of California

Observation Peak is a 12,362-foot-elevation summit located in Fresno County, California, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muriel Peak</span> Mountain in the state of California

Muriel Peak is a 12,937-foot-elevation (3,943 meter) double summit mountain located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Fresno County, California, United States. The true summit is set within the John Muir Wilderness on land managed by Sierra National Forest, whereas the slightly lower south summit is on the boundary shared with Kings Canyon National Park. It is situated one mile northeast of Mount Goethe and one mile south of Muriel Lake. Muriel Peak is the 167th-highest peak in California, and topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,600 feet above Muriel Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scylla (mountain)</span> Mountain in the state of California

Scylla is a 12,956-foot-elevation (3,949 meter) mountain summit located west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Fresno County, California, United States. This peak is situated in Kings Canyon National Park, 1.27 miles (2.04 km) southwest of Charybdis, 2.3 miles (3.7 km) southeast of Mount Goddard, and 2.57 miles (4.14 km) west of Mount McDuffie. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 3,150 feet above Enchanted Gorge in approximately one mile. The John Muir Trail provides one possible approach option to this remote peak. An ascent of the peak is non-technical via the northwest slope, and inclusion on the Sierra Peaks Section peakbagging list generates climbing interest in this peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clyde Spires</span> Mountain in the state of California

Clyde Spires is a 13,267-foot-elevation (4,044 meter) mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, United States. It is situated on the boundary shared by Kings Canyon National Park with John Muir Wilderness, and along the common border of Fresno County with Inyo County. It is 20 miles (32 km) west of the community of Big Pine, and 0.5 miles (0.80 km) southeast of Mount Wallace, which is the nearest higher neighbor. The west spire is slightly higher than the east spire. Topographic relief is significant as the spires rise 1,665 feet above Echo Lake in 0.38 miles (0.61 km).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Devils Crags". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Devils Crags, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Devils Crags - 12,420' CA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alan M. Hedden and David R. Brower, A Climber's Guide to the High Sierra (1954)
  5. John Moynier, Claude Fiddler, 1993, Sierra Classics 100 Best Climbs in the High Sierra, Chockstone Press, ISBN   9780934641609, page 172.
  6. 1 2 Francis P. Farquhar, Place Names of the High Sierra (1926)
  7. Erwin G. Gudde, California Place Names, University of California Press, 1969, ISBN   9780520266193, page 108.
  8. Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 1997, Mountaineers Books, page 29.
  9. Robin Ingraham, Jr., 1989, American Alpine Journal, page 152.
  10. "Climate of the Sierra Nevada". Encyclopædia Britannica .