Excelsior Mountain (Yosemite) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Excelsior Mountain |
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 Excelsior Mountain
Location in California
Excelsior Mountain
Location in the United States
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 12,446 ft (3,794 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 1,246 ft (380 m) |
| Parent peak | Dunderberg Peak |
| Geography | |
| Location | Yosemite National Park, Mono County, Tuolumne County, California, U.S. |
| Parent range | Ritter Range, Sierra Nevada |
| Topo map | USGS Tenaya Lake |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | From Virginia Lakes Trailhead, class 2 |
Excelsior Mountain is a very tall mountain found in Yosemite National Park in California. It's one of the highest peaks in the park, standing on its northeastern border. This mountain is the 21st-highest peak in Yosemite! It's located just north of another well-known mountain called Mount Conness.
Excelsior Mountain is mostly made of a special kind of rock called metamorphic rock. This rock often has a rust-colored look, similar to Mount Dana, which is another nearby peak.
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Where is Excelsior Mountain?
Excelsior Mountain is located in the beautiful Yosemite National Park. This park is famous for its amazing views, giant trees, and tall mountains. Excelsior Mountain sits right on the edge of two counties in California: Mono County and Tuolumne County, California. It's part of the Ritter Range within the larger Sierra Nevada mountain range.
How Tall is Excelsior Mountain?
Excelsior Mountain reaches a height of 12,446 feet (about 3,793 meters) above sea level. That's super tall! To give you an idea, it's higher than many clouds you see in the sky. It's a challenging climb, but the views from the top are incredible. The easiest way to climb it starts from the Virginia Lakes Trailhead.
What is Metamorphic Rock?
The mountain is made of metamorphic rock. This is a type of rock that has changed over a very long time. It started as one kind of rock, but then heat, pressure, or chemicals deep inside the Earth transformed it into something new. That's why Excelsior Mountain has its unique rust-colored look, just like its neighbor, Mount Dana.
Mountains Near Excelsior Mountain
Many other interesting peaks are close to Excelsior Mountain. Here are some of them:
- Shepherd Crest (2.3 miles / 3.7 km away)
- Black Mountain (2.8 miles / 4.5 km away)
- Epidote Peak (3.9 miles / 6.3 km away)
- Camiaca Peak (4.3 miles / 6.9 km away)
- Page Peaks (4.7 miles / 7.6 km away)
- North Peak (4.8 miles / 7.7 km away)
- Mount Scowden (4.4 miles / 7.1 km away)
- Gabbro Peak (5.6 miles / 9.0 km away)
- Dunderberg Peak (5.2 miles / 8.4 km away)
- Grey Butte (4.8 miles / 7.7 km away)
- Sheep Peak (5.6 miles / 9.0 km away)
- Mount Conness (6.5 miles / 10.5 km away)
- Mount Olsen (5.5 miles / 8.9 km away)
- Stanton Pea (6.3 miles / 10.1 km away)
- Virginia Peak (6.5 miles / 10.5 km away)
- Gilcrest Peak (6.7 miles / 10.8 km away)
- White Mountain (8.7 miles / 14.0 km away)
- Twin Peaks (7.9 miles / 12.7 km away)
- False False White Peak (9.4 miles / 15.1 km away)
- Mount Warren (8.0 miles / 12.9 km away)
- False White Peak (9.8 miles / 15.8 km away)
- Whorl Mountain (8.8 miles / 14.2 km away)
- Tioga Peak (9.8 miles / 15.8 km away)
