List of first ascents in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.)

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This list of first ascents in the Sierra Nevada can be sorted by any listed characteristic. The route taken and its Yosemite Decimal System rating are given where known. The only criterion for inclusion is the historic notability of the climb when it was completed. Both first ascents of summits by any route, and first ascents of technical non-summit routes, are listed.

PeakHeight (ft)Height (m)RouteYDS classClimbersDateSource
Red Lake Peak 10,0683,069 John C. Fremont and Charles Preuss February 1844Farquhar 1965
Mount Langley 14,0324,277South Slopes1William Bellows1864Secor
Red Slate Mountain 13,1564,0101 James Gardiner * disputed by Farquhar 19261864Secor
Mount Brewer 13,5764,138South Ridge2 William Brewer, Charles Hoffmann July 2, 1864Secor
Mount Tyndall 14,0254,275North Rib3 Clarence King, Richard Cotter July 6, 1864Secor
Mount Clark 11,5273,513Southeast Arête4 Clarence King, James Gardiner July 12, 1866Secor
Cathedral Peak 10,9113,326West Face4 John Muir September 1869Secor
Mount Lyell 13,1204,000Lyell Glacier2-3John B. TilestoneAugust 29, 1871Secor
Mount Whitney 14,5054,421West Slope2"The Fishermen" Charles Begole, Albert Johnson, John LucasAugust 18, 1873Secor
Half Dome 8,8362,693Cables Route6 George Anderson October 12, 1875Farquhar
Mount Starr King 9,0962,772Northeast Side5.2George Bailey, E. S. SchuylerAugust 1876Secor
Mount Maclure 12,8863,928Southeast Ridge3Willard Johnson1883Secor
Mount Williamson 14,3894,386Southeast ridge from George Creek2W.L. Hunter, C. Mulholland1884Secor
Split Mountain 14,0644,2871Frank Salque and partyJuly 1887Secor
Junction Peak 13,8884,233South Ridge3 Edwin Copeland, E.N. HendersonAugust 8, 1899Secor
Mount Sill 14,1594,316Southwest slope2-3 Joseph N. LeConte, James Moffit, James Hutchinson, Robert Pike (Sierra Club)July 24, 1903Secor
North Palisade 14,2484,343The LeConte Route4 James S. Hutchinson, Joseph N. LeConte, James K. Moffitt July 25, 1903Secor
Table Mountain 13,6274,154West Ridge, South Side3Gilbert Hassel, Fred Shoup & Paul ShoupAugust 25, 1908Secor
Temple Crag 12,9823,957Southeast face3 United States Geological Survey 1909Secor
Milestone Mountain 13,6414,158Southwest Ridge3 William E. Colby, Francis Farquhar & Robert PriceJuly 14, 1912Secor
Mount Muir 14,0184,273West face3LeRoy Jeffers1919Secor
Mount Humphreys 13,9924,265Southwest Slope and Northwest Face4George Bunn and partyAugust 3, 1919Secor
Black Kaweah 13,6804,170West Ridge3Onis Brown, James Hutchinson, Duncan McDuffie August 11, 1920Secor
Triple Divide Peak 12,6343,851East Ridge2-3 James Hutchinson, Charles Noble1920Secor
Middle Palisade 14,0184,273Farquhar Route4 Francis Farquhar, Ansel Hall August 26, 1921Secor
Mount Agassiz 13,8994,236 Norman Clyde August 30, 1925Secor
Mount Russell 14,0944,296East ridge3 Norman Clyde June 24, 1926Secor
Mount Morrison 12,3663,769East Slope2John Mendenhall or Norman Clyde 1928Secor
Clyde Minaret 12,2643,738Glacier Route4 Norman Clyde June 27, 1928Secor
Norman Clyde Peak 13,8614,225North face3 Norman Clyde June 9, 1930Secor
Thunderbolt Peak 14,0034,268Underhill Couloir4Lewis Clark, Norman Clyde, Glen Dawson, Jules Eichorn, Francis Farquhar, Bestor Robinson, Robert L. M. Underhill August 13, 1931Secor
Mount Farquhar 12,8993,932South Ridge3 Norman Clyde and partyJuly 17, 1932Secor
Polemonium Peak 14,0804,290U Notch5.2Lewis Clark, Julie Mortimer, Jack Riegelhuth, Ted WallerAugust 2, 1933Secor
Mount Le Conte 13,9304,2503 Norman Clyde June 1935Secor
North Dome 7,5422,299 Royal Arches Route 5.10Adam, Harris, Davis1936Roper; Steck
Lost Arrow Spire 6,9302,110 Spire Chimney 5.10Ax Nelson, John Salathé 1947Roper; Steck
Sentinel Rock 7,0382,145 Steck-Salathe Route 5.9 John Salathé, Allen Steck 1950Roper; Steck
Palisade Crest 13,5594,133Northwest ridge4Don Jensen, Joan Jensen, Rex Post1969Secor

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman Clyde</span>

Norman Clyde was a mountaineer, mountain guide, freelance writer, nature photographer, and self-trained naturalist. He is well known for achieving over 130 first ascents, many in California's Sierra Nevada and Montana's Glacier National Park. He also set a speed climbing record on California's Mount Shasta in 1923. The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley has 1467 articles written by Clyde in its archives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Roper</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Morrison (California)</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Tom (California)</span> Mountain in eastern California

Mount Tom is a large and prominent peak near the city of Bishop in Inyo County of eastern California. It is in the Sierra Nevada and east of the Sierra Crest. The mountain is also in the John Muir Wilderness.

<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.

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

North Palisade is the third-highest mountain in the Sierra Nevada range of California, and one of the state's small number of peaks over 14,000 feet, known as fourteeners. It is the highest peak of the Palisades group of peaks in the central part of the Sierra range. It sports a small glacier and several highly prized rock climbing routes on its northeast side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Sill</span> Mountain of the Sierra Nevada in California, United States

Mount Sill is one of the fourteeners of the Sierra Nevada in California. It is located in the Palisades, a group of prominent rock peaks with a few small glaciers on their flanks. Mount Sill is located 0.6 miles (1 km) east of North Palisade, the high point of the group. The two peaks are connected by a high, rocky ridge, on the north side of which lies the Palisade Glacier. Mount Sill lies on the main Sierra Crest, but is at a point where the crest turns sharply, giving it particularly striking summit views. On one side is Kings Canyon National Park and Fresno County; on the other is the John Muir Wilderness, Inyo National Forest and Inyo County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Palisade</span> Mountain of the Sierra Nevada in California, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">James S. Hutchinson</span> American lawyer

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Agassiz (California)</span> Mountain of the Sierra Nevada in California, United States

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George G. Anderson is best known for making the first ascent to the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in California, United States on October 12, 1875. During the climb, he drilled the holes which, after 1919, came to house the cables of the popular route up Half Dome. A pioneer without the benefit of modern climbing gear or techniques, Anderson worked barefoot, and placed iron spikes drilled into the rock for protection. The ascent took him days on end. His one-room log cabin, originally located at what is now Foresta just west of Yosemite Valley, was moved to the Pioneer Yosemite History Center in Wawona where it continues to be preserved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Goddard</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jules Eichorn</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert L. M. Underhill</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Dawson (climber)</span> American mountain climber

Glen Dawson was an American rock climber, mountaineer, antiquarian bookseller, publisher and environmentalist.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount McAdie</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Haeckel</span>

Mount Haeckel is a 13,424-foot (4,092 m) mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern 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 21.5 miles (34.6 km) west of the community of Big Pine, 1.27 miles (2.04 km) south-southeast of Mount Darwin, and one mile north-northeast of Mount Fiske, which is the nearest higher neighbor. Mount Haeckel ranks as the 71st highest summit in California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seven Gables</span>

Seven Gables is a 13,080-foot-elevation (3,990-meter) mountain summit located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Fresno County of northern California, United States. It is situated between the east and south forks of Bear Creek in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Sierra National Forest. It is set 9 miles (14 km) southeast of Lake Thomas A Edison, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) northwest of Gemini, and 3.2 miles (5.1 km) west-southwest of Feather Peak, the nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as it rises nearly 3,500 feet above Upper Bear Creek Meadows in approximately two miles. Seven Gables ranks as the 133rd highest summit in California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Johnson (California)</span>

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.

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