John Muir Wilderness

John Muir Wilderness
John Muir Wilderness
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
	Long Lake in Little Lakes Valley, John Muir Wilderness
	none John Muir Wilderness (the United States)
Location	Fresno / Inyo / Mono / Madera counties, California, United States
Nearest city	Fresno, CA
Coordinates	36°58′33″N118°48′42″W / 36.97583°N 118.81167°W Coordinates: 36°58′33″N118°48′42″W / 36.97583°N 118.81167°W
Area	652,793 acres (2,641.76 km2)
Established	January 1, 1964
Governing body	U.S. Forest Service

Last updated October 08, 2022

The John Muir Wilderness is a wilderness area that extends along the crest of the Sierra Nevada of California for 90 miles (140 km), in the Inyo and Sierra National Forests.^[2] Established in 1964 by the Wilderness Act and named for naturalist John Muir, it encompasses 652,793 acres (2,641.76 km²).^[1] The wilderness lies along the eastern escarpment of the Sierra from near Mammoth Lakes and Devils Postpile National Monument in the north, to Cottonwood Pass near Mount Whitney in the south.^[3] The wilderness area also spans the Sierra crest north of Kings Canyon National Park, and extends on the west side of the park down to the Monarch Wilderness.

Geography and geology

The wilderness contains some of the most spectacular and highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada, with 57 peaks over 13,000 feet (4,000 m) in elevation.^[3] The peaks are typically made of granite from the Sierra Nevada Batholith, and are dramatically shaped by glacial action. The southernmost glacier in the United States, the Palisade Glacier, is contained within the wilderness area.^[2] Notable east-side glaciated canyons are drained by Rock, McGee and Bishop Creeks.^[3]

The eastern escarpment in the wilderness rises from 6,000 to 8,000 feet (1,800 to 2,400 m) from base to peak, in 5 to 6 miles (8 to 10 km).^[3] The Sierra crest contains peaks from 12,000 to 14,000 feet (3,700 to 4,300 m) in elevation, including Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States. Other notable mountains in the wilderness area include the Palisades and Mount Humphreys. Mount Muir is located 2 miles south of Mount Whitney. Mount Williamson is the second-highest peak in the wilderness, at 14,375 feet (4,382 m): it rises in one continuous sweep of granite from the floor of the Owens Valley to a peak just east of the main range.

Ecology

The John Muir Wilderness contains the largest contiguous area above 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in the continental United States. It contains large areas of subalpine meadows and fellfields above 10,800 feet (3,300 m), containing stands of whitebark and foxtail pine.^[3] From 9,000 feet (2,700 m) to 10,800 feet (3,300 m), the wilderness is dominated by lodgepole pines. Below the lodgepole forest is forest dominated by Jeffrey pine.^[4]

Common animals in the wilderness include yellow-bellied marmots, pikas, golden-mantled ground squirrels, Clark's nutcrackers, golden trout, and black bears.^[3] The wilderness area also includes California bighorn sheep zoological areas, which are set aside for the protection of the species.

Recreation

Sabrina Basin in the John Muir Wilderness. Winter conditions linger until June in many years. SabrinaBasin.jpg — Sabrina Basin in the John Muir Wilderness. Winter conditions linger until June in many years.

The wilderness contains 589.5 miles (948.7 km) of hiking trails,^[3] including the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, which run through the wilderness from north to south. The John Muir Wilderness is the second most-visited wilderness in the United States, and quotas for overnight use have been implemented on virtually all trailheads.^[3]

Lakes

Related Research Articles

The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily in Nevada. The Sierra Nevada is part of the American Cordillera, an almost continuous chain of mountain ranges that forms the western "backbone" of the Americas.

The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, passing through Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. From the northern terminus at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and the southern terminus located on the summit of Mount Whitney, the trail's length is 213.7 miles (343.9 km), with a total elevation gain of approximately 47,000 feet (14,000 m). For almost all of its length, the trail is in the High Sierra backcountry and wilderness areas. For about 160 miles (260 km), the trail follows the same footpath as the longer Pacific Crest Trail. It is named after John Muir, a naturalist.

The Ansel Adams Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada of California, United States. The wilderness spans 231,533 acres (93,698 ha); 33.9% of the territory lies in the Inyo National Forest, 65.8% is in the Sierra National Forest, and the remaining 0.3% covers nearly all of Devils Postpile National Monument. Yosemite National Park lies to the north and northwest, while the John Muir Wilderness lies to the south.

Mount Whitney is the highest mountain in the contiguous United States and the Sierra Nevada, with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m). It is in East–Central California, on the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, 84.6 miles (136.2 km) west-northwest of North America's lowest point, Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, at 282 ft (86 m) below sea level. The mountain's west slope is in Sequoia National Park and the summit is the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail, which runs 211.9 mi (341.0 km) from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. The eastern slopes are in Inyo National Forest in Inyo County.

Sierra National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located on the western slope of central Sierra Nevada in Central California and bounded on the northwest by Yosemite National Park and the south by Kings Canyon National Park. The forest is known for its mountain scenery and beautiful lakes. Forest headquarters are located in Clovis, California. There are local ranger district offices in North Fork and Prather.

Inyo National Forest is a United States National Forest covering parts of the eastern Sierra Nevada of California and the White Mountains of California and Nevada. The forest hosts several superlatives, including Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States; Boundary Peak, the highest point in Nevada; and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, which protects the oldest living trees in the world. The forest, encompassing much of the Owens Valley, was established by Theodore Roosevelt as a way of sectioning off land to accommodate the Los Angeles Aqueduct project in 1907, making the Inyo National Forest one of the least wooded forests in the U.S. National Forest system.

Tahoe National Forest is a United States National Forest located in California, northwest of Lake Tahoe. It includes the 8,587-foot (2,617 m) peak of Sierra Buttes, near Sierra City, which has views of Mount Lassen and Mount Shasta. It is located in parts of six counties: Sierra, Placer, Nevada, Yuba, Plumas and El Dorado. The forest has a total area of 871,495 acres. Its headquarters is in Nevada City, California. There are local ranger district offices in Camptonville, Foresthill, Sierraville and Truckee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Williamson</span> Mountain in California, United States

Mount Williamson, at an elevation of 14,379 feet (4,383 m), is the second-highest mountain in both the Sierra Nevada range and the state of California, and the sixth-highest peak in the contiguous United States.

The High Sierra Trail (HST) is a hiking trail in Sequoia National Park, California. The trail crosses the Sierra Nevada from west to east. According to the Yosemite Decimal System, the HST is a Class 1/Class 2 trail, which means simple scrambling, with the possibility of occasional use of the hands for balance.

Mount Russell is a peak in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the U.S. state of California, about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) north of Mount Whitney. With an elevation of 14,094 feet (4,296 m) it is the seventh-highest peak in the state.

Temple Crag is a mountain peak in the Palisades group of peaks of the Sierra Nevada with an elevation of 12,982 feet (3,957 m). The peak lies east of the Sierra Crest, between Mount Gayley and Mount Alice, straddling the drainages of the North and South Forks of Big Pine Creek. The peak's north face forms the backdrop for part of the North Fork Big Pine Creek hiking trail in the John Muir Wilderness and Inyo National Forest. It is also a rock climbing destination, with its arêtes hosting the routes Venusian Blind, Moon Goddess Arete, Sun Ribbon Arete, and Dark Star.

The South Sierra Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in the Southern Sierra Nevada, in eastern California. It is located 65 miles (105 km) northeast of Bakersfield, and is southwest of Owens Lake and Olancha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Trout Wilderness</span> Protected wilderness area in California, United States

The Golden Trout Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada, in Tulare County and Inyo County, California. It is located 40 miles (64 km) east of Porterville within Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Forest.

Thor Peak is a 12,306-foot-elevation (3,751 meter) mountain summit located east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Inyo County, California. It is situated in the John Muir Wilderness on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is 12.5 miles (20.1 km) west of the community of Lone Pine, and 1.5 mile east of Mount Whitney. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 3,937 feet (1,200 meters) above Whitney Portal in 1.5 mile. Hikers on the Mount Whitney Trail pass below the impressive south face of the peak.

Cirque Peak is a 12,900-foot-elevation (3,932 meter) mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. It is situated on the common border of Tulare County with Inyo County, as well as the shared boundary of Golden Trout Wilderness and John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is 14 miles (23 km) southwest of the community of Lone Pine, 7.7 miles (12.3 km) south-southeast of Mount Whitney, and 3.2 miles (5.2 km) south of Mount Langley, the nearest higher neighbor. Cirque Peak is the highest point of the Golden Trout Wilderness, and ranks as the 175th highest peak in California. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 1,800 feet (550 meters) above Cirque Lake in approximately one mile. The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the southwest slope of this mountain, providing an approach option. The mountain was apparently named in 1890 by Joseph Nisbet LeConte and companions who noted the remarkable cirque on the north aspect.

The Thumb is a 13,356-foot-elevation 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 mile (2.1 km) east of Middle Palisade, 1.6 mile (2.6 km) west-northwest of Birch Mountain, and 1.8 mile (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 (770 meters) above Birch Lake in approximately one mile. The John Muir Trail traverses below the southwest aspect of the mountain, providing an optional approach access.

Mount Jepson is a 13,390-foot-elevation (4,081 meter) summit located on the shared boundary of Fresno County and Inyo County in California, United States.

Aperture Peak is a 13,265-foot-elevation mountain summit located in Inyo County, California, United States.

Mount Robinson is a 12,967-foot-elevation (3,952 meter) mountain summit located in Inyo County, California, United States.

References

1 2 "John Muir Wilderness". wilderness.net. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
1 2 "United States Forest Service". 2006. p. Inyo National Forest Wilderness Areas.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Adkinson, Rod (2001). Wild Northern California . The Globe Pequot Press. ISBN 1-56044-781-8.
↑ Schoenherr, Allan A. (1992). A Natural History of California . University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06922-6.

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[wildnet-1] 1 2 "John Muir Wilderness". wilderness.net. Retrieved 2021-11-16.

[usfs-2] 1 2 "United States Forest Service". 2006. p. Inyo National Forest Wilderness Areas.

[Adkinson-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Adkinson, Rod (2001). Wild Northern California . The Globe Pequot Press. ISBN 1-56044-781-8.

[schoenherr-4] Schoenherr, Allan A. (1992). A Natural History of California . University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06922-6.

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v t e John Muir Wilderness
Mountains	Abbot Agassiz Baldwin Baxter Bloody Cirque Crocker Dade Four Gables Goodale Graveyard Herlihy Hilgard Hopkins Humphreys Huntington Hutton Izaak Walton Julius Caesar Kearsarge Laurel Middle Palisade Mills Morgan Morrison Muir Norman Clyde North Palisade Palisade Crest Pilot Knob Red and White Red Slate Sawmill Point Seven Gables Sill Split Stanford Starr Temple Crag Thunderbolt Tom Tyndall University Whitney Williamson
Rivers	Bishop Creek North Fork Kings River Morgan Creek Rock Creek South Fork San Joaquin River
Lakes	Dingleberry Disappointment Hell for Sure Loch Leven Lone Indian Mills Nüümü Hu Hupi Pee Wee Virginia
Trails	John Muir Trail Pacific Crest Trail