Mount Williamson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mount Williamson | |
|---|---|
 Mount Williamson above Manzanar |
|
| Elevation | 14,389 feet (4,386 m)[1] |
| Location | California, USA |
| Range | Sierra Nevada |
| Prominence | 1,645 feet (501 m)[2] |
| Coordinates | [3] |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Williamson |
| First ascent | 1884 William L. Hunter C. Mulholland [4] |
| Easiest route | Southeast face from George Creek, easy scramble (YDS class 2)[4] |
| Listing | SPS Emblem peak[5] |
Mount Williamson, at 14,389 feet (4,386 m)[1], is the second highest mountain in both the Sierra Nevada range, and the state of California. It is the sixth highest peak in the contiguous United States.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Williamson stands in the John Muir Wilderness of the Inyo National Forest. It is located approximately 6 miles (9 km) north of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous US, and about 2.5 miles (4 km) southeast of Shepherd Pass, the nearest trail access. The closest town is Independence, California, about 12 miles (19 km) north-north-east of the peak in the Owens Valley. It lies about 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the Sierra Crest, which forms the western edge of the Owens Valley. It is more remote than Whitney in terms of access; however it is actually a bit closer to the Owens Valley floor than Whitney. For example, the drop from the summit to the forest edge is 8,000 feet (2,430 m) in approximately 4 miles (6.4 km). This makes it an imposing mountain, and far less of a popular climb than its higher neighbor.
[edit] History
The mountain is named after Lt. Robert Stockton Williamson (1825-1882), who conducted one of the Pacific Railroad Surveys in Southern California.[6]
The first recorded ascent of Mount Williamson was made in 1884 by W. L. Hunter and C. Mulholland, via the Southeast Slopes Route. The first ascent of the West Side Route was made in 1896 by Bolton C. Brown and Lucy Brown. New routes continued to be put up on the harder faces at least through the 1980s.[4]
[edit] Climbing
The standard ascent route is the West Side Route, accessed from Shepherd's Pass. From the pass, one travels across the Williamson Bowl, which lies between Mount Williamson and Mount Tyndall, part of the Sierra Crest. The bowl is home to five high alpine lakes. From the bowl, the route climbs gullies up the west face to the relatively broad summit plateau; this portion involves scrambling up to Class 3. Technically easier, but with a much more difficult approach, is the Southeast Slopes Route, rising from George Creek. Other routes exist on the mountain, including a significant technical route on the North Rib (Grade IV, 5.7).[4]
Climbing Mount Williamson is made more difficult by two factors: first is the length and difficulty of the approach. Elevation gain from the trailhead is over 8,000 feet (2,430 m), and the trail to Shepherd's Pass alone is 11 miles (18 km). Second, the peak is in the California Bighorn Sheep Zoological Area, which is closed for much of the year.
[edit] See also
- List of California fourteeners
- Mountain peaks of California
- Mountain peaks of North America
- Mountain peaks of the United States
[edit] References
- ^ a b The National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) elevation of 14,375 feet (4,382 m) has been converted to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88), using the National Geodetic Survey's online vertical conversion tool. VERTCON Orthometric Height Conversion. National Geodetic Survey website. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
- ^ Mount Whitney Cell, California Mountain Atlas. Peaklist.org. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
- ^ Mount Williamson. Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved on 2008-02-12.
- ^ a b c d Secor, R.J. [1999]. The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes and Trails, 2nd, Seattle: The Mountaineers Books, 81-85. ISBN 0-89886-625-1.
- ^ Peaks List. Sierra Club Sierra Peaks Section. Retrieved on 2008-02-12.
- ^ Farquhar, Francis P. [1926]. Place Names of the High Sierra. San Francisco: Sierra Club. Retrieved on 2008-02-12.
- Steve Roper, The Climber's Guide to the High Sierra, Sierra Club Books, 1976.
- SummitPost - Mount Williamson. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
