Mount Mendel

Last updated
Mount Mendel
MtMendel.jpg
Mount Mendel from Evolution Lake
Highest point
Elevation 13,716 ft (4,181 m)  NAVD 88 [1]
Prominence 550 ft (168 m) [1]
Listing
Coordinates 37°10′30″N118°40′56″W / 37.1749404°N 118.6822163°W / 37.1749404; -118.6822163 Coordinates: 37°10′30″N118°40′56″W / 37.1749404°N 118.6822163°W / 37.1749404; -118.6822163 [4]
Geography
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Mount Mendel
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Mount Mendel
Location Kings Canyon National Park, Fresno County, California, U.S.
Parent range Sierra Nevada, Evolution Region
Climbing
First ascent July 15, 1930 Jules Eichorn, Glen Dawson and John Olmstead [5]
Easiest route Exposed scramble, class 3 [2]

Mount Mendel is a peak in Fresno County, California. It is in Kings Canyon National Park in the Evolution Region, of the Sierra Nevada and adjacent to Mount Darwin which is on the Sierra crest.

Contents

History

Theodore S. Solomons and E. C. Bonner of the United States Geological Survey named a series of mountains for the six major exponents of the theory of evolution. Mount Mendel is named for, Gregor Mendel, an Augustinian friar, who is known as the "father of modern genetics". Other nearby mountains in the group include Mount Darwin, Mount Fiske, Mount Haeckel, Mount Huxley, Mount Spencer, Mount Wallace, and Mount Lamarck. The area around the peaks, known as the Evolution Region, includes Evolution Basin, Evolution Valley, Evolution Meadow and Evolution Creek. [6]

Climbing

There are several class 3 and class 4 routes available, however, Mount Mendel is best known for having two of the hardest ice climbs in the High Sierra on its North Face. [7] Two of the documented ice climbs are "Ice Nine" (IV, class 5+, AI4 or WI5) and "The Mendel Couloir", (III class 5.6, AI2 or WI3). [5] See the article Grade (climbing).

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Mount Goddard

Mount Goddard is a mountain of California's Sierra Nevada, in the north section of Kings Canyon National Park. Goddard forms the southwest boundary of the Evolution Basin.

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Mount Huxley (California) Mountain in California

Mount Huxley is a 13,092-foot (3,990 m) mountain in the Sierra Nevada, in Fresno County. It in on the Goddard Divide in Kings Canyon National Park and rises above the Evolution Basin. Other nearby mountains in the group include Mount Darwin, Mount Fiske, Mount Haeckel, Mount Mendel, Mount Spencer, Mount Wallace, and Mount Lamarck. The area around the peaks, known as the Evolution Region, includes Evolution Basin, Evolution Valley, Evolution Meadow and Evolution Creek.

Mount Fiske

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Mount Haeckel

Mount Haeckel is a 13,418-foot-elevation 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.

The Hermit (California mountain)

The Hermit is a 12,328-foot-elevation 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 northern Kings Canyon National Park, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) east of Emerald Peak, and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) west of Mount Darwin. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 2,500 feet (762 meters) above Evolution Valley in less than one mile. The John Muir Trail passes to the east and north of this landmark, providing an approach. This geographical feature was named by Sierra Club explorer Theodore Solomons in 1895 as he wrote: "The traveler will be greatly attracted by a very sharp peak or butte that rises on the south wall. From its isolated position as viewed from the valley we called it the Hermit."

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 Lamarck

Mount Lamarck is a 13,417-foot-elevation 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 20 miles (32 km) southwest of the community of Bishop, and 1.9 miles (3.1 km) north of Mount Darwin. Subsidiary peak Mount Lamarck North ranks as the 67th highest summit in California, and the sixth highest in the Evolution Region. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 4,290 feet (1,307 meters) above Lake Sabrina in three miles, and the west aspect rises 3,600 feet (1,097 meters) above Evolution Valley in three miles.

Mount Wallace (Fresno and Inyo counties, California)

Mount Wallace is a 13,377-foot-elevation 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 miles (34 km) west of the community of Big Pine, 1.38 miles (2.22 km) northwest of Mount Powell, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) southwest of Picture Peak, and 0.37 miles (0.60 km) southeast of Mount Haeckel, which is the nearest higher neighbor. Mount Wallace ranks as the 79th-highest summit in California, and the ninth-highest in the Evolution Region.

References

  1. 1 2 "Mount Mendel, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  2. 1 2 "Sierra Peaks Section List" (PDF). Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club . Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  3. "Western States Climbers List". Climber.org. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
  4. "Mount Mendel". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  5. 1 2 Secor, R.J. The High Sierra Peaks, Passes, and Trails (3rdth ed.). Seattle: The Mountaineers. p. 307.
  6. Browning, Peter (1986). Place Names of the Sierra Nevada . Berkeley: Wilderness Press. p.  67. ISBN   0-89997-119-9.
  7. "Mount Mendel". SummitPost.org. Retrieved 2014-02-23.
Mt. Darwin (left) and Mt. Mendel (right) from the north Mts. Darwin and Mendel.jpg
Mt. Darwin (left) and Mt. Mendel (right) from the north