Junction Peak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Junction Peak |
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"Junction Peak" by Ansel Adams, circa 1930s.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 13,894 ft (4,235 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 765 ft (233 m) |
| Parent peak | Mount Stanford |
| Listing |
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| Geography | |
 Junction Peak
Location in California
Junction Peak
Location in the United States
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| Location | Inyo and Tulare counties, California, U.S. |
| Parent range | Sierra Nevada |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Williamson |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | August 8, 1899 by Edwin Bingham Copeland and E. N. Henderson |
| Easiest route | South Face, South Ridge or West Ridge (all class 3 scrambles) |
Junction Peak is a very tall mountain in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, USA. It's so high that it's called a "thirteener" because its top is over 13,000 feet (about 3,962 meters) above sea level!
This mountain got its name in 1896 from a person named Joseph Nisbet LeConte. He noticed that it marks the point where the main ridge of the Sierra Nevada crosses a natural boundary called a "water divide." This divide separates the water flowing into the Kern River from the water flowing into the Kings River. Today, Junction Peak also sits on the border between Inyo and Tulare counties. It's also a meeting point for three important protected areas: Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia National Park, and the John Muir Wilderness.
First Climbers to Reach the Top
The very first people known to climb to the top of Junction Peak were a botanist named Edwin Bingham Copeland and his partner, E. N. Henderson. They reached the summit on August 8, 1899.
They used a path called the South Ridge route. This route is considered a "Class 3 scramble" using the Yosemite Decimal System. This means it involves some climbing where you might need to use your hands for balance, but you usually don't need ropes or special climbing gear. They followed a ridge that was quite open and exposed to the elements, all the way to the peak.
Over almost 100 years, other challenging routes were found and climbed on Junction Peak. The first time someone climbed the mountain in winter was on March 21, 1973, using the West Ridge route. The first "technical" climb, which means it needed special climbing equipment and skills, was on the North Buttress. This route is rated as "Grade III 5.7," showing it was a more difficult and serious climb.
Images for kids
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Southeast side, seen from Mount Tyndall
