Virginia Peak (Yosemite)

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Virginia Peak
Looking west at Virginia Peak.jpg
East aspect (centered), from Black Mountain
Highest point
Elevation 12,002 ft (3,658 m)  NAVD 88 [1]
Prominence 481 ft (147 m) [1]
Listing Highest mountains of Yosemite NP
Coordinates 38°3′57″N119°21′29″W / 38.06583°N 119.35806°W / 38.06583; -119.35806 [1]
Geography
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Virginia Peak
Virginia Peak
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Virginia Peak
Virginia Peak (the United States)
Location Yosemite National Park
Tuolumne County, California, U.S.
Parent range Sierra Nevada
Topo map USGS Dunderberg Peak
Climbing
Easiest route class 2 to class 3

Virginia Peak is a mountain summit in the northern part of Yosemite National Park, north of Tuolumne Meadows. It is the 25th-highest mountain in Yosemite National Park. [2]

Contents

Virginia Peak's particulars

Virginia Peak (left) and Stanton Peak (centered) Stanton and Virginia.jpg
Virginia Peak (left) and Stanton Peak (centered)

Virginia Peak is in northeastern Yosemite National Park, on a north–south ridge splitting off the main Sierra crest at Twin Peaks.

Virginia Pass and Sawtooth Ridge are near, as are Whorl Mountain, Excelsior Mountain and Matterhorn Peak. [3]

Near Virginia Pass, viewed from the east, Virginia Peak looks dark, forbidding it is not composed of more-common Yosemite granite, but of reddish metamorphic rock, such as is found on Mount Dana and Dunderberg Peak. [4] Of note, Virginia Peak is along the ancient boundary between the Sierra Nevada Batholith's intruding granite and pre-existing sediments, which are now metamorphosed, so-called metasediments. [5]


Climate

Virginia Peak is located in an alpine climate zone. [6] 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 (orographic lift), causing moisture in the form of rain or snowfall to drop onto the range.[ citation needed ]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Virginia Peak, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  2. Kelliher, Mat. "Yosemite NP Peaks". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  3. "Virginia Peak, Part of Yosemite National Park". Anyplaceamerica.com. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  4. Steeleman. "Virginia Peak, California, United States, North America". Summitpost.org. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  5. mpbro. "Stanton Peak". Summitpost.org. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  6. "Climate of the Sierra Nevada". Encyclopædia Britannica .