North Palisade

North Palisade
Starlight Peak

North Palisade from Windy Point (by Ansel Adams, 1936)
Highest point
Elevation 14,248 ft (4343 m) [1] NAVD88
Prominence 2894 ft (882 m) [1]
Isolation 32.2 mi (51.8 km) [1]
Parent peak Mount Whitney[2]
Listing
Coordinates 37°05′39″N 118°30′52″W / 37.094260386°N 118.514455033°W / 37.094260386; -118.514455033Coordinates: 37°05′39″N 118°30′52″W / 37.094260386°N 118.514455033°W / 37.094260386; -118.514455033 [5]
Geography
North Palisade

California

Location Fresno County, California, U.S.
Parent range Sierra Nevada, The Palisades
Topo map USGS North Palisade Quadrangle[6]
Geology
Mountain type Igneous, primarily diorite[7]
Climbing
First ascent July 25, 1903 by James S. Hutchinson, Joseph N. LeConte, James K. Moffitt[8]
Easiest route The LeConte Route, class 4[9]

North Palisade is the third highest mountain in the Sierra Nevada range of California. It is the highest peak of the Palisades group of peaks in the central part of the range. It sports a small glacier (the Palisade Glacier) and several highly prized rock climbing routes on its northeast side.

History

North Palisade has a collection of names from the 19th century. The Wheeler Survey referred to it as Northwest Palisade in 1878. The following year, Lil Winchell called it Dusy's Peak after local rancher Frank Dusy. In 1895, Bolton Brown advocated yet another name, after David Starr Jordan.[8] U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, supported by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, has introduced legislation to rename the peak as "Brower Palisade", in honor of environmentalist David Brower. There is significant opposition to this proposal.[10]

The first ascent was made on July 25, 1903 by James S. Hutchinson, Joseph Nisbet LeConte and James K. Moffitt.[8] They approached the area overland from south of the Palisades, and scouted possible routes from the summits of Marion Peak and Mount Sill. Armed with this intelligence, they planned to ascend the southwest chute of the U Notch, and find a way to bypass the rock face between the notch and the upper reaches of North Palisade. Around 13,100 feet (4,000 m), they followed a northward branch of this chute, and slowly climbed a difficult system of cracks. From here they found a catwalk ledge that took them to a series of icy gullies, bound toward the summit. These gullies were blocked by a pair of chockstones, requiring class 4 moves to pass. Beyond these obstacles, they crested the southeast ridge, and climbed a series of granite blocks to the summit.[7][9]

After making this climb, LeConte is quoted as writing in a letter, "I have called the peak merely the North Palisade. Put Dusy's name on some less imposing mass, and give us a name to be handed down through all time."[11] The peak has been called North Palisade since that day, and received official recognition by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.[6]

Subsidiary peaks

Thunderbolt, Starlight, North Palisade, and Polemonium Peaks

North Palisade has several named subsidiary peaks (nearby peaks which have less than 300 ft (91 m) of topographic prominence). These all lie on the main ridge crest, and are as follows:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "North Palisade, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2016-01-05.
  2. ↑ "Sawmill Pass". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  3. ↑ "Sierra Peaks Section List" (PDF). Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
  4. ↑ "Western States Climbers List". Climber.org. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
  5. ↑ "North Palisade". NGS data sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  6. 1 2 "North Palisade". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  7. 1 2 Porcella, Stephen; Burns, Cameron M. (1998). Climbing California's Fourteeners: 183 Routes to the Fifteen Highest Peaks. Seattle: The Mountaineers Books. ISBN 0-89886-555-7.
  8. 1 2 3 Farquhar, Francis P. (1926). Place Names of the High Sierra. San Francisco: Sierra Club. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  9. 1 2 Secor, R.J. (2009). The High Sierra Peaks, Passes, and Trails (3rd ed.). Seattle: The Mountaineers. pp. 248–255. ISBN 9780898869712.
  10. ↑ Dorworth, Dick (January 7, 2009). "A mountain by any other name". Idaho Mountain Express and Guide. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  11. ↑ Anton, Mike (November 13, 2008). "Admirers of environmentalist seek a monument 14,242 feet high". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  12. ↑ "Polemonium Peak, California". Peakbagger.com.
  13. ↑ "Polemonium Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  14. ↑ "Starlight Peak, California". Peakbagger.com.
  15. ↑ "Thunderbolt Peak, California". Peakbagger.com.
  16. ↑ Roper, Steve (1976). The Climber's Guide to the High Sierra. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books. p. 198. ISBN 9780871561473.
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