Discovery Peak (California) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Discovery Peak
Highest point
Elevation	3843 ft+ (1171 m+) NAVD 88
Prominence	1,080 ft (329 m)
Listing	California county high points 46th
Geography
Location	Alameda County, California, U.S.
Parent range	Diablo Range
Topo map	USGS Mendenhall Springs

Discovery Peak is a special mountain peak located in the Diablo Range in California. It's known for being the very highest point in Alameda County! Even though it's a significant peak, it doesn't have an official name from the government. Because of where it is, some people also call it Valpe Ridge–Rose Flat.

This area is quite high up, so it sometimes gets snow during the winter months. Don't expect it to stay long though; the snow usually melts away within a few days. While Discovery Peak is on private land, there's a hiking path called the Ohlone Wilderness Trail in Sunol Regional Wilderness that gets pretty close, about one mile from the top.

How Discovery Peak Got Its Name

Discovery Peak got its name in 1991. It was "discovered" by a person named Dinesh Desai. He was a "highpointer," which is someone who enjoys finding and reaching the highest points in different areas, like counties or states. Dinesh found this peak by carefully looking at a special kind of map called a topographic map, which shows the shape and height of the land.

Other explorers, like Gordon MacLeod, also checked out the area and agreed with Dinesh's findings. However, it's a bit confusing because many official county documents still say that a nearby mountain called Rose Peak is the highest point. This means there's a difference between what some maps show and what official papers say about the highest spot in Alameda County!