Tower Peak (California)

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Tower Peak
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Tower Peak
Location in California
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Tower Peak
Tower Peak (the United States)
Highest point
Elevation 11,755 ft (3,583 m) [1]
Prominence 2,183 ft (665 m) [1]
Isolation 7.83 mi (12.60 km) [1]
Listing
  • SPS Mountaineers peak [2]
  • Western States Climbers Star peak [3]
  • Vagmarken Club Sierra Crest List [4]
Coordinates 38°08′40″N119°32′52″W / 38.1444625°N 119.5477203°W / 38.1444625; -119.5477203 Coordinates: 38°08′40″N119°32′52″W / 38.1444625°N 119.5477203°W / 38.1444625; -119.5477203 [5]
Geography
Location Mono and Tuolumne counties, California, U.S.
Parent range Sierra Nevada
Topo map USGS Tower Peak
Climbing
Easiest route Exposed scramble, class 3 [6]

Tower Peak is a mountain in the Sierra Nevada of Mono and Tuolumne County, California.

To the south of the summit is Yosemite National Park and to the north is the Hoover Wilderness. Mary Lake is to the west, Ehrnbeck Peak and Hawksbeak Peak to the east. To the south are Wells Peak and Craig Peak. The next higher mountain is Eagle Peak, about 8 mi east-northeast. [1]

Tower Peak from Leavitt Meadow Leavitt Meadow.jpg
Tower Peak from Leavitt Meadow

Climate

Tower Peak is located in an alpine climate zone. [7] 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).

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Mount Langley Mountain in California, United States

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Split Mountain (California)

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Leavitt Peak

Leavitt Peak is located in the Emigrant Wilderness near Sonora Pass in the eastern Sierra Nevada range of California. Leavitt Peak is located on the Tuolumne County - Mono County line. The Pacific Crest Trail runs close to the east of Leavitt Peak, at an elevation of about 10,800 feet (3,290 m) elevation. The peak offers views south to Yosemite National Park and north towards South Lake Tahoe.

Mount McAdie

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Mount Fiske

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Mount Cedric Wright

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Mount Haeckel

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Marion Peak

Marion Peak is a remote 12,719-foot-elevation mountain summit located in Kings Canyon National Park, in Fresno County of northern California, United States. It is situated on Cirque Crest which is west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, 2.13 miles (3.43 km) northeast of State Peak, and 2.6 miles (4.2 km) northwest of Arrow Peak, the nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 2,400 feet (730 meters) above Marion Lake in one mile, and the southeast aspect rises 3,500 feet (1,067 meters) above South Fork Kings River in less than two miles.

Colosseum Mountain

Colosseum Mountain is a 12,473-foot-elevation double summit mountain located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California. 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 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the community of Independence, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) east of Mount Cedric Wright, and 1.6 miles (2.6 km) south-southeast of Mount Perkins, the nearest higher neighbor. The lower east summit is 12,451-feet in elevation and marked as Colosseum Mountain on maps, but the 12,473-foot west summit is higher. Approximately 1,000 feet distance separate the two summits. The John Muir Trail passes to the west of this peak, providing an approach to the mountain. The first ascent of the summit was made August 5, 1922, by Chester Versteeg, a prominent Sierra Club member, via the southwest face.

Merriam Peak (California)

Merriam Peak is a 13,103-foot-elevation mountain summit located in Fresno County in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States. It is situated south of the Royce Lakes and north of French Canyon, in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Sierra National Forest. It is set 0.7 miles (1.1 km) south-southeast of Royce Peak, the nearest higher neighbor. Merriam Peak is the 129th highest summit in California. Topographic relief is significant as it rises approximately 3,000 feet (914 meters) above French Canyon in one mile. This mountain was named in 1929 by the California State Geographic Board, and officially adopted in 1930 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to honor Dr. Clinton Hart Merriam (1855–1942), an American zoologist and naturalist, who served on the U.S. Board on Geographic Names from 1914 through 1925.

Gray Peak (California)

Gray Peak is an 11,573-foot-elevation mountain summit located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Madera County of northern California, United States. It is situated in Yosemite National Park, approximately 9 miles (14 km) southeast of Yosemite Valley, 1.3 mile (2.1 km) north of Red Peak, and 1.5 mile (2.4 km) south-southeast of Mount Clark. Gray Peak is the fourth-highest peak in the Clark Range, which is a subset of the Sierra Nevada.

Red Peak (Madera County, California)

Red Peak is an 11,699-foot-elevation (3,566 meter) mountain summit located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Madera County of northern California, United States. It is situated in Yosemite National Park, approximately 10.5 miles (16.9 km) southeast of Yosemite Valley, 1.5 mile (2.4 km) south-southeast of Gray Peak, and 1.5 mile (2.4 km) northwest of Merced Peak, the nearest higher neighbor. Red Peak is the second-highest peak in the Clark Range, which is a subset of the Sierra Nevada. This geographical feature's brilliant color is caused by iron-bearing minerals weathered to an iron rust which colors the granite.

Gemini (California mountain)

Gemini is a 12,880-foot-elevation twin-peaked 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 John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Sierra National Forest. It is set 3.0 miles (4.8 km) west-southwest of Merriam Peak, and 1.2 miles (1.9 km) southeast of Seven Gables, the nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as it rises over 3,500 feet (1,067 meters) above Piute Canyon in approximately three miles. Gemini ranks as the 176th highest summit in California.

Cirque Peak (California) Mountain summit in California

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.

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 Carillon

Mount Carillon is a 13,553-foot-elevation (4,131 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 Sequoia National Park and John Muir Wilderness. It is set above the south shore of Tulainyo Lake, 12.5 miles (20.1 km) west of the community of Lone Pine, 1.25 mile (2.0 km) northeast of Mount Whitney, and 0.7 mile (1.1 km) east-northeast of Mount Russell, the nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as it rises approximately 5,180 feet (1,580 meters) above Whitney Portal in approximately two miles. Carillon has subpeaks, unofficially called "The Cleaver", 0.4 mile to the northeast, and "Impala", on the southeast ridge.

Trojan Peak

Trojan Peak is a 13,947-foot-elevation (4,251 meter) mountain summit located along 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 15 miles (24 km) west-northwest of the community of Lone Pine, 0.7 mile (1.1 km) southeast of Mount Versteeg, and one mile (1.6 km) south-southwest of Mount Williamson, the nearest higher neighbor. Trojan Peak ranks as the 18th highest peak in California. Topographic relief is significant as it rises 1,427 feet (435 meters) above Lake Helen of Troy in approximately one-half mile.

Lippincott Mountain

Lippincott Mountain is a 12,265-foot-elevation mountain summit located on the Great Western Divide of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Tulare County of northern California. It is situated in Sequoia National Park, 1.5 mile north of Mount Eisen, and 1.7 mile south of Eagle Scout Peak. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 2,660 feet (810 meters) above Big Arroyo in 1.5 mile. Lippincott Mountain ranks as the 351st highest summit in California. The High Sierra Trail traverses below the eastern slope of this mountain, providing an approach option. The southeast slope and east ridge are class 2, and the northwest ridge is a class 3 scramble.

Cardinal Mountain

Cardinal Mountain is a 13,396-foot-elevation mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California. 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. The first ascent of the summit was made August 11, 1922, by George Downing, Jr. 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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Tower Peak, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  2. "Sierra Peaks Section List" (PDF). Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club . Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  3. "Western States Climbers List". Climber.org. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  4. "Vagmarken Sierra Crest List". Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club . Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  5. "Tower Peak". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  6. Roper, Steve (1976). The Climber's Guide to the High Sierra. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books. p. 38. ISBN   978-0871561473.
  7. "Climate of the Sierra Nevada". Encyclopædia Britannica .