Yosemite Peaks

Interesting Facts & Highlights

We went cross country at the saddle in the foreground on our way to Thompson Canyon. Acker Peak was on George's schedule but he will have to save it for another trip. Thompson Canyon is a perfect base camp for scaling many peaks in the area. Named for William Acker who was in charge of national park affairs before the NPS was created on 1916. First appeared on the Dardanelles 30' map in 1912.

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Ahwiyah was the Indian name for Mirror Lake and now known as this spur on the south wall of Tenaya Canyon below Half Dome and overlooking Mirror Lake. The name appeared on the Yosemite Valley map in 1938, but 'Old Man of the Mountains' was in use in 1875. Other names associated to this point were 'Acorn Peak' and The Old Piute'.

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The Rocketdyne Mountaineering Club proposed the name for the aviation pioneer who disappeared over the Pacific in 1937. It first appeared on the 1968 edition of the Tuolumne Meadows 15' quad. Ireland Lake is a mere 0.7 mile stone throw to the west!

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Another peak in the area named after a West Point professor by Col. Forsyth. First showed on the Dardanelles 30' map in 1912. An easy scramble and another example of an exfoliating granite formation. Take caution in the event of any rain while you are ascending/descending as the rock face get slippery.

Climbing: Bartlett Peak straddles the border between the northwestern reaches of Yosemite National Park and the Emigrant Wilderness. It is the prominent summit seen when ascending Cherry Creek Canyon--itself a highly worthwhile scramble in its own right--or when hiking through Lord Meadow. Compared to other areas in the Sierra, this is a relatively lightly visited region, but it possesses great beauty nonetheless. A trip here in spring when the creeks are flowing and snow lingers on the abundant granite is likely to be a memorable one.

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As seen from North Dome, this granite structure is part of the Tis-Sa`-Ack legend and is the upside down basket that was thrown at her husband that turned to stone. The two face each other in eternity as North and Half Dome, and as punishment for their wickedness.

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This picturesque dome is a prominent feature close to the Sunrise Hi-Sierra camp. The name is given by the local crew that works at the camp and is an easy scramble up the back side to a 360º spectacular view of the range of light. Do not miss it if you come this way!

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Named by the California Geological Survey in 1863, and also known as "Rocky Canyon Creek." First ascent by John Muir in 1869. "This I may say is the first time I have been at church in California, led here at last, every door graciously opened for the poor lonely worshiper." (Muir, First Summer, 1936.)

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Named by James Hutchinson in September 1862. Native Americans referred to these as Poo-see-na-chuc-ka, meaning 'Mouse-proof rocks' as they resembled the shape of their acorn caches. Also know as 'The Three Graces.'

First climbed in 1933-34 by a Sierra Club party, these were the last prominent peaks to be scaled. In fact, the first attempt came up short because they did not have enough pitons and had to order more from overseas suppliers for their next attempt, which was successful. The techniques used to summit these paved the way for Big Wall climbing in the late 1950's.

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George ran up this peak right after a summer thunderstorm. As is typical, we hunched in our tents for an hour as rain, hail and boomers rang out. And then as fast as it closed in, the skies opened up to sun and warmth.

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We accessed from our campsite at Tilden and climbed the back side with relative ease. Great views up and down Jack Main Canyon and across the Yosemite landscape.

Named after Hiram Martin Chittenden, a military engineer that worked on Yosemite road construction by R.B. Marshall of the USGS. Lt. McLure identified this peak as Jack Main Mt. in reference to the canyon west of the peak. Hiram was also a history author, best known for "The American Fur Trade of the Far West" (1902).

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This formation is visible from many angles and is a great example of exfoliation (sheeting), particularly as it follows the surface structures. High on the cliff face the sheets are concave in the bowl shape basins, and convex in raised areas of the ridge. Named by C Company on March 28th, 1851, as clouds gathered for a snowstorm just the second day of the trip. Olmstead point offers closer views and it is visible for a large stretch of the Tioga Pass Road (120).

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Cockscomb was named later in 1919 by François Matthes, USGS. He likened it to a "lobate cockscomb" and an earlier writer described it as a "fine-toothed comb, with most of the teeth broken."

The image shows Cockscomb in the foreground and Echo Peaks in the background, so it is a bit difficult to make out. This was taken from Johnson Peak. Obviously I need to get a better image one of these years.

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Named as "Columbia's Finger" on Lt. McClure's maps of 1895 and 1896 and since then shorten to Columbia Finger. The term Columbia has been used as a poetic and patriotic symbol in honor of Christopher Columbus from the revelation and discovery of a new world to Europe and his sponsors. View from Sunrise Hi-Sierra Camp.

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Named after John Conness, native of Ireland, with a distinguished political career by the Whitney Survey in 1863.

"Mount Conness bears the name of a distinguished citizen of California, now a United States Senator, who deserves more than any other person, the credit of carrying the bill, organizing the Geological Survey of California, through the Legislature, and who is chiefly to be credited for another great scientific work, the Survey of the 40th Parallel."

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Conness

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Geo ran the ridge from Snow and bagged the peak. From there he dropped back to the trail and wandered into camp around dusk. Named by Col. Forsyth for Capt. Louis Craig who served in the park. First appeared on the third Dardanelles 30' map in 1912.

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Most likely named by early sheepmen. First appeared on the Bridgeport 30' map in 1911. Seems to be an appropriate name.

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Ok, you will not find this named on any map, but as we went from Merced Lake to the Vogelsang Camp along the Fletcher trail we could not help notice this unusual dome and it's natural tattoo. I consulted with a world known geology expert, Tom Less, and he had this to say. "As you have probably noticed, granite outcrop is commonly subjected to onion-skin weathering, where thin sheets exfoliate owing to thermal expansion, contraction and freeze-thaw activity near the rock's surface. I think such a sheet of rock has fallen off, exposing fresher rock. The vertical streaks in the rock are probably from rain-water and moss/algae growth, the fact that the dolphin lacks the streaks suggests the above.

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The peak and pass share the name of the Sergeant in Troop K, Fourth Cavalry that was the first to climb the peak. Named by Lt. McClure in 1985.

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Named by the Wheeler Survey 1878-1879. Was singular until the fifth edition of the Mt. Lyell 30' map, 1922.

There are 9 summits in this massif that rises in the Cathedral Range of Yosemite National Park. It is popular among climbers, offering class 2-5 climbs on the various peaklets. The easiest summit takes two minutes of scrambling to climb, the most difficult is several pitches with a 5.7 crux. All of them are interesting problems with many possible variations. They are often climbed as a dayhike, requiring 3-5 hours on average to climb them all, plus additional time for the hike in and out. There are excellent views of Yosemite from the various summits, particularly of nearby Cathedral Peak and Matthes Crest.

Interesting Facts & Highlights

George ran up this peak and then bagged Wells Peak (11109) down the ridge. Now he left his trekking pole, as he used an alternate route to descend as the clouds were rolling in. If you go up and find it, please bring it off the peak. Named for acting Superintendent Lt. Arthur Ehrnbeck who compiled a report on a comprehensive road and trail project for YNP.

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Natives called this To-to-kon-oo-lah for the Sandhill Crane, a chief of the first people. However the naming appears to more of a Spanish interpretation of To-tock-ah-noo-lah meaning 'Rock Chief'. Other legends say that Tul-tok-a-nu-la is a measuring worm that inched up the face of the rock to save two stranded boys that were out of reach of the other magical creature in the valley.

Modern big wall climbing was refined here and climbers form all around the world venture here every year. With 70 big wall routes, El Cap rises 3300 ft from the talus slopes up to the valley rim.

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Elephant Rock was first named as Castle Peak. Not much else out there!

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Most likely named by the USGS during the Bridgeport 30' map survey in 1905. This name is included in the 1911 first edition, however, it is not on LeConte's Elevations and already existed when the 1906 YNP boundary survey was conducted.

Climbing: Excelsior mountain is made up of mostly rust-colored metamorphic rock similar to nearby Mount Dana. Its summit is class 2 from several directions. However, Excelsior's northeast face drops steeply into a glacial cirque and was the site of a fatality in August of 2005. The southeast side of Excelsior is cut off by impressive cliffs that drop into Lundy Canyon.

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Most likely named by the Wheeler Survey. John Muir was quoted "…a majestic dome which long ago I named the Glacier Monument." Also called 'Tuolumne Glacier' and 'Tuolumne Glacier Monument.' Another John Muir quote: "The summit is burnished ands scored…the scratches and striae indicating that the mighty Tuolumne Glacier swept over it as it it were only mere louder in the bottom of its channel."

Summit Post: The meadows. Cool, crisp alpine air. Solid, knobby granite. The irresistable summer hang-out for seasoned cragrats, posers and friendly weekend warriors. Fairview Dome is by far the largest of the many outstanding domes in the Tuolumne region of Yosemite National Park. Clearly visible from Highway 120 westbound is the 900 feet tall North West face, a view that should send you scrambling for rope and rack. The Regular Route (5.9, 12 p), first climbed by the late Chuck Pratt in 1958, Lucky Streaks (5.10b, 6 p) and the Great Pumpkin (5.8, 4p) are the objectives of most climbers here. And for good reason, because almost all the other routes have an unfortunate R or X attached to just about every pitch. This is especially true of the awe inspiring test pieces created without fuss by Kamps and Higgins back in the seventies. Low in rating by todays standard but big on reputation.

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Named after Arthur G. Fletcher, of the State Board of Fish Commissioners, who guided the planting/stocking of streams and lakes within the park. The peak had been known as 'Baker Peak' after a cook at the Boothe Lake High Sierra Camp, but it is believed that François Matthes first called it Fletcher Mountain. Easiest ascent is up a sandy class 2 slope from Vogelsng Lake.

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The first know sighting was by 2 bear hunters in 1849 who called it 'Rock of the Ages'. Named in a hurry by Pvt. Champion Spencer, Company B, Mariposa Battalion on March 27th, 1851 on the day the battalion entered Yosemite valley. His companion Third Sergeant Alexander Cameron wanted to get back to camp as he was tired and hungry! First to summit was Scotsman George Anderson on October 12, 1875. If you are looking for the front half of this dome it most likely never existed. While this granodiorite intrusion was being exposed by erosion and glacial actions, its vertical joints were subjected to exfoliation and cracked off in thin sheets. Most of this probably occurred between glacial surges.

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Access from Peninsula Lake or cross-country from Michie. Nice easy hike up the back of this classic Emigrant dome. Name given by the Wheeler Survey that describes it rather well. McClure's 1896 map incorrectly named what is now Chittenden Peak which was correct on LeConte's 1900 map.

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Several sources abound on the origin of Hetch Hetchy. It is a Miwok word for a plant with edible seeds, the Tuolumne Indians used the name for a grass that was pounded in mortars to make meal and in the language used by Tenaya it means tree. I will go with Tenaya as the tale is there were two yellow pine trees where the trail from the ridge met the valley, therefore, Hetch Hetchy means The Valley of the Two Trees. First visited by Joseph Screech in 1850. The dome was not named until 1951 in the 8th edition of the Yosemite 30' sheet. And lastly, John Muir makes reference to the feature, "Facing Kolana, on the opposite side of the valley, is a rock, 1800 feet high, which presents a sheer precipitous front like El Capitan of Yosemite..." in 1873.

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Just a an easy 3.2 miles from Tioga Road at the Porcupine Creek trailhead, this is a nice day hike with a picnic lunch. The only natural arch in the park, it may also be the only arch in this area of the Sierra. This type of structure is usually seen in soft-stone formations, so it is a bit of a rarity. Just a mile or so down the trail you can catch North Dome and one of the closest spectacular views of Half Dome. Indian Rock was one of the original boundary points in the Yosemite Valley Grant of 1964. Named first in the Wheeler Survey of 1883, it was shown as early as 1865 as part of the Whitney Survey.

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Johnson peak has the distinction of being the youngest granodirite of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite. Four bodies of plutonic rock starting with the Kuna Crest (91 million), including Half Dome and Cathedral Peak (86 million) and finishing with the Johnson Granite Porphyry which is estimated under 86 million years. The general characteristic of this rock shows as a finer and lighter grain than surrounding areas, which requires that partially crystallized magna cools relatively quick, indicating that a sudden release of pressure, as coming from volcanic eruptions, would be a probable cause. A massive caldera high above the current elevation most likely existed, with the volcanic deposits and underlying rock eroded away over the years to produce our current day conditions.

The peak itself was named in the 1890s by R.B. Marshall USGS in recognition of a survey party teamster who had been a useful guide, having been with Professor Davidson's party at Mount Conness earlier.

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Best attained after scaling up Michie Peak. Easy ridge walk and a large area for exploring. Great views of Jack Main Canyon from summit. Named by Col. Forsyth in 1912 for Henry Lane Kendrick professor of chemistry at the US Military Academy. Appeared on the third edition of the Dardanelles 30' map in the same year.

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Probably named from the Mono Indian word Koipa, meaning 'mountain sheep' in the Northern Paiute dialect indicating the presence of Bighorn sheep that died out years ago. In 1987 there was a reintroduction in the Lee Vining Creek area with sightings of five having moved to Parker Creek and Parker Lake, a former range of this magnificent animal. Willard Johnson of the USGS named this peak and ridge in 1883, and has been shown as Ko-ip in prior map versions. The pass and peak are both now in the Ansel Adams Wilderness and Inyo National Forest, however they were within park borders between 1890 to 1905.

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A prominent feature as you look up canyon into Hetch Hetchy. First named 'Sugar Loaf' on LeConte's map of 1893, Kolana Rock first appeared in the fifth edition of the Yosemite 30' map in 1911. John Muir compared Kolana to the famed Cathedral Rocks of Yosemite and documented the Indian name.

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Stretching for 4.5 miles from Mammoth Peak south to Kuna Peak, this ridgeline offers 360° spectacular views. It is the dividing feature between Lyell Canyon and the Parker Pass drainage.

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This peak name is rooted in the Shoshonean word Kuna, meaning 'fire', however the local Mono dialect is closer to 'fire-wood.' Named in 1882 by William Johnson, a cartographer working with Israel Russell. In 1976 the US Forest Service claimed that the peak was incorrectly marked on most maps and proposed to move it 1.5 miles southeast, and shows correctly on the 1978 Mono Craters 15' quad.

The image foreground is Koip Crest with Kuna Peak off to the left.

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Named after a charter member of the Sierra Club, Joseph Nisbet LeConte was a professor of engineering mechanics at UC Berkley. USGS designated the name in 1911, however it was not until the 1956 publication of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir 15' quad that it appeared in print. Joseph was a prolific early explorer of the Sierra Nevada, wrote about his travels, was an expert photographer and authored a number of important maps of the area.

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Named after John Baptist Lembert who settled in Toulumne Meadows before 1882. He lived in a cabin directly above one of the soda springs and raised goats, collected butterflies and botanical specimens. After his murder in Merced Valley the property was sold several times until the Sierra Club in 1973 sold it to the National Park Service. The dome has been referred to as 'Soda Spring Dome' and 'Glacier Rock' by John Muir, as well misspelled as"Lambert".

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An Indian name was once given as Mah' -ta, meaning 'Martyr Mountain'. However, several other names were used over the years (Mt. Frances, Gwin's Peak, Bellows' Butte and others) until Governor Stanford in 1865 suggested a more appropriate name after producing an old-fashioned half dollar with an embossed Liberty Cap. The actual name was sealed on the Lt. McClure map of 1869.

Taken from Mist Trail next to Nevada Falls.

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Known as Ham-mo, meaning lost arrow, it marks the place of a pretend loss of an arrow that lead to the death of Ten-ie-ya's son, according to Indian legend. Has also been identified as "Devil's Thumb"and Giant's Thumb." Geologically this spire was formed from the scaling off of large rock sheets largely as a result of the destructive action of the spray from the falls that freezes in winter. The spire itself has a total height of about 1500 ft.

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The high point of the Kuna Crest whose name was inspired by the mining fever of the time and the think big movement. This name was associated with another peak in the Whitney Survey, but when the Mt Lyell 30' map was published, lo and behold the name popped up on it's present location. An easy class 1-2 hike from H120 with great views all around.

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Named for Françios Emile Matthes, a USGS geologist who served for 51 years. He was a prolific writer with close to one hundred published works and 14 articles in the Sierra Club Bulletin. Raid Morgan, a YNP ranger made the formal request in 1949 stating, "Dr. Matthes was a very modest and unassuming man and would have been the last to suggest that anything be named in his honor. However, he was greatly pleased at the suggestion that this ridge bear his name, saying he knew no other unnamed feature in the Sierra which he would rather have chosen."

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Best access is from Upper Twin Lake. Easy ridge walk and a large area for exploring. Six peaks within a compact area for a good days worth of scrambling. Another peak named by Col. Forsyth, this time for Peter Smith Michie, professor of enigneering at West Point.

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While Unicorn gets the spotlight, the rise to the left in this image is actually higher than the peak. Referred as Mount Althuski on several climbing sites as well as Unicorn Summit, I leave it up to you to decide. If anyone has detailed information about the naming and any history, please use the contact link below to spread your knowledge.

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Named after US Senator David Colbreth Broderick from California and at first was used for what is current day Liberty Cap, which was changed in 1865. Seems the Senator was killed in a dual with David S. Terry, chief justice of the California Supreme Court, as a result of political differences. They played for keeps in those days and what a way to get a peak named after you!

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Named for Galen Clark the first guardian of Yosemite State Park (1864) who discovered the Mariposa Grove. Has been called 'Gothic Peak' and the 'Obelisk.' Galen's cabin was built on the current day site of Wawona and was called 'Clark's Station' in it's day.

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The namesake of Professor James Dwight Dana who was honored by the Whitney Survey in 1863. He was considered the foremost geologist of his time and produced the first comprehensive summary of North American geology. The first recorded ascent was made by Brewer and Hoffman on June 28th and Whitney and Brewer on June 29th. It is the second highest peak in Yosemite, after Mount Lyell, and contains a receding glacier. Formed in Mesozoic era, it is composed of prebatholic rock, a reddish metamorphic rock produce by surfacing magna.

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Named for Florence Hutchings, daughter of James Mason Hutchings and was the first white child born in Yosemite Valley (1864). First documented on Lt. McClure's maps of 1895 and 1896. Remote and isolated it ranks as the 10th highest peak in the park.

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First ascent was by accomplished by Frederick Olmsted and William Brewer who named My Lyell. Their original destination was Mt Dana, but Brewer was not sure Olmsted would make that trail, so they made for this peak on horse back and lunched on the top. Named for Oliver Wolcott Gibbs, professor of science at Harvard and life long friend of J.D. Whitney.

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The geographic center of Yosemite Park. Named after the topographer and cartographer with the Whitney Survey from 1860-74, Charles Frederick Hoffman.

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Named after the most eminent of English geologists, as Mt Dana had been named after an American geologist, on July 2nd, 1863 by William Brewer and Charles Hoffman after a one way seven hour failed ordeal to scale the tallest point in Yosemite. John Boies Tileston of Boston was the first to record a successful summit on August 29th, 1871 in just 7 hours round trip! The glacier, as seen above below the summit block was first named on the fifth edition of the Mt Lyell 30' map in 1922 and was believed to be first named by Israel Russell in the early 1880's.

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Named after the pioneer of American Geology, William Maclure, before the 1868 Whitney survey. His claim to fame was the production in 1809 of the first geological map of the United States. What is little known is that this peak was first given the name 'Mount Hutchinson' for a British geologist, but Whitney later decided that there needed to be an American balance to the naming of Mt Lyell. For many years the name was misspelled as McClure that was corrected by a BGN decision in 1932 that did not appear until the present USGS map.

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Starting out as 'King's Peak' in 1862, this peak was named for Thomas Starr King a famous preacher originally from Boston on the Hoffman and Gardiner map between 1863-67. Thomas moved to San Francisco in 1860 and visited Yosemite, Big Tress, Lake Tahoe and was a voice for the Union cause during the Civil War.

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A tribute to Carleton E. Watkins one of the early photographers of Yosemite who provided illustrations for the publication of the Whitney Survey. He is also credited with the first pictures of the "Grizzly Giant" Sequoia, with Galen Clark standing next to it. The Indian name was "Waijau" translating to Pine Mountain, or "Wei-yow" translating to Juniper Mountain.

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One of the results of the Tis-Se`-Yak Miwok legend, this is the husband of this punished couple. I have included an excerpt from www.firstpeople.us on the legend and a link is available back on the Jun 2007 North Dome Photo Trip. This was named by the Mariposa Battalion in 1851 and is on the King and Gardiner map of 1865

Tis-Se'-Yak and her husband journeyed from a country very far off, and entered the valley of the Yosemite foot-sore from travel. She bore a great heavy conical basket, strapped across her head. Tis-Se'-Yak came first.

Her husband followed with a rude staff and a light roll of skins on his back. They were thirsty after their long journey across the mountains. They hurried forward to drink of the waters, and the woman was still in advance when she reached Lake Awaia. Then she dipped up the water in her basket and drank of it.

She drank up all the water. The lake was dry before her husband reached it. And because the woman drank all the water, there came a drought. The earth dried tip. There was no grass, nor any green thing.

But the man was angry because he had no water to drink. He beat the woman with his staff and she fled, but he followed and beat her even more. Then the woman wept. In her anger she turned and flung her basket at the man. And even then they were changed into stone. The woman's basket lies upturned beside the man. The woman's face is tear-stained, with long dark lines trailing down.

South Dome is the woman and North Dome is the husband. The Indian woman cuts her hair straight across the forehead, and allows the sides to drop along her cheeks, forming a square face.

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Named by the USGS survey of 1898-99 during the Mt Lyell 30' map survey. This peak sits on the Eastern border of the park, about a mile north by east from Mount Conness. Looks to be a day hike candidate from Saddlebag Lake.

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Named by the sheepherders who had been using this land for summer grazing before the US Cavalry was dispatched to move 'em out and USGS surveys between 1891-1896. The Piutes (Paiutes) are part of the Shoshonean Indians and are included in many named features, as it should be. Geo had this on his list but bypassed it to get to Benson Lake, my favorite spot along the trip.

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First appearing on the Tuolumne Meadows 15' quad in 1953, it was named for Mrs. Polly McCabe, a daughter of Col. Forsyth and the wife of Lt. McCabe. R.B. Marshall of the USGS bestowed the honors in 1910 and the lakes just to the north became Polly Lakes out of common use. A popular spot for climbing during the summer. The dome is over 2 miles long and has forested north and west slopes. Stately Pleasure Dome has 10 class 5 climbing routes. The rest of the larger dome has a few class 2 routes to the top and at least 4 class 5 climbing routes. The summit has unobstructed views north over Tuolumne Meadows to the Sierra crest, northwest over the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and east to the Cathedral Range.

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Named by R.B. Marshall USGS for an Army Doctor, Charles Potter. A nicely formed peak that greets you as you hike up Lyell Canyon.

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Tenaya Lake and the surrounding area was called "Py-we-ack" by the Indians. This translates into 'glistening rocks' and/or 'river-smoothed rocks'. And as you can see this area has it's fair share. This particular dome held several names before it became Pywiack, ranging from 'Murphy's, Teapot, Matthes, Ten-ieya and Turtle. The 1863 Whitney survey mentioned Pywiack describing it as "a very conspicuous conical knob of bare granite... the sides of which are everywhere finely polished and grooved by former glaciers." The name first appeared on the Tuolumne Meadows 15' Quad.

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On the north end of the Clark Range, this peak was named by Francois Matthes around 1913 while conducting geological studies in the park. First naming was in the ninth edition of the Mt. Lyell 30' map as 'Quartz Peak' even though the BGN verified this as 'Quartzite Peak' in 1932.

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Named by Lt. McClure in 1895 when he was joined by a Captain Ogden Rafferty on a patrol of the park. There is also a creek named Rafferty that runs down from the Vogelsang Camp to Tuolumne Meadows that winds thru a beautiful hanging valley and meadow that is not to be missed.

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Red Peak is mostly likely named after the reddish slopes that are seen here. Several access points exist. Either from Glacier Point Mono Meadows Trailhead or Happy Isles and follow the Mist Trail to Little Yosemite Valley and onwards to Merced Lake High Sierra Camp and Red Peak pass. Summit Post trip reports indicated mostly a class 3 climb.

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Named during the Wheeler survey in June 1879. Lt. Macomb was travelling with Mr Thomas Richardson, a sheep rancher from Cherry Valley who was very familiar with the rugged terrain in the area. Another remote and out-of-the-way opportunity peak climb, with access from Jack Main Canyon or up and over from Huckleberry Lake. Low class 5 from the north approach and a sand and scree descent from the south ridge.

Climbing: Richardson Peak is located in a very remote area near the northwest boundary of Yosemite National Park. It is over 20 miles to the nearest trailhead and over 3 miles to the nearest established trail! The easiest approach is from the Pacific Crest Trail in Jack Main Canyon to the east of the peak. If you're looking for solitude, this is an ideal peak for you. Richardson Peak is probably one of the least frequently climbed peaks in Yosemite. Once you leave the PCT, it's highly unlikely that you'll run into anyone.

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You can traverse this peak while going cross-country to Otter Lake. Access thru Upper Peninsula Lake. Numerous small lakes over the ridge, so make sure you have the right one. Named for a big cahuna in US Military history, General John McAllister Schofield who was secretary of war, superintendent at West Point and commander-in-chief of the US Army. Col. Forsyth did the naming honor along with most of the peaks in this area while he was the acting superintendent. The barracks in Hawaii are also named after the same General.

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Starting out as 'South Dome', the early naming was focused on Sentinel Rock which has a watchtower shape and is below the dome. First naming was on the King and Gardiner map of 1865. Later showing on the Wheeler Survey of 1883, reference was made to Sentinel Rocks as just 'The 'Sentinel'.

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Uncertain origin but given the history of sheep herding in the park and surrounding areas, this seems approrpiate. Probably a good area to hide your flock from park patrols! Crest first named on the 1911 Bridgeport 30' map. Described as a "fragment of the ancient landscape" by Francois Matthes in 1933.

The crest sits at the head of 4 major drainages: Virginia Canyon, Lundy Canyon, Lee Vining Canyon and McCabe Creek

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First appeared on the Mt Lyell 30' (third edition) map in 1910 and named after Dr. Samuel Simmons of Sacramento by R.B. Marshall. Peak Is on the left.

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We both ran up to the ridge on the right and Geo went on to summit both Snow and Craig Peaks. I stayed to watch his climb up, had a peaceful lunch, read a book and headed back to relax the day around our campsite. An old, obvious name first appearing on the Dardanelles 30' map in 1898.

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Tenaya Peak started as 'Colisuem Peak' after Joesph LeConte gave it this 'eternal' name in 1870 that never appeared on any maps. First mention was 'Tenaiya Cliff' on the Wheeler survey atlas sheet 1878-79. John LeConte had 'Tenays Pk' on his 1893 map along with Solomons 1896 map. The name did not surface again until the 5th edition of the My Lyell 30' map in 1922.

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The high point is named Eagle Peak, with the next lower called Middle Brother and the lowest called, you guessed it, Lower Brother. Three possible originations of the Indian name cover a wide spectrum. 'Kom-po-pai-zes' is said to be a reference to a resemblance of the heads of frogs when sitting up ready to leap. However, given the Victorian nature of the times, this was named to possibly re-direct a sexual meaning that comes to mind when looking at this formation. Another was 'Eleacha', a plant used for food and the third was 'Wawhawke' for falling rocks. Your choice!

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The peak was first named on the Wheeler Survey Atlas sheet 1878-79. George, Bill and myself hiked via May Lake to climb in late September. A freak snowstorm had blanketed the area and turned autumn into a wonderland. George and Bill made the summit and I roamed the area with camera in hand. The peaceful quiet that emanates from a carpet of cold crystal has to be experienced to paint the picture. We had this part of the park to ourselves!

Interesting Facts & Highlights

The Tresidder family looms large in Yosemite history. Donald was the president of Yosemite Park & Curry Co. from 1925-48 (wife was Mary Curry hence the naming), as well as president of Stanford University (1943-48). Responsible for the building of the Ahwahnee Hotel, Camp Curry cafeteria & dining room and Big Tress Lodge in the Mariposa Grove. And started a skiing program and built the High Sierra Camps.

Interesting Facts & Highlights

Unicorn was named by the Whitney Survey in 1863 for its peculiar horn-shaped outline. Whitney goes on to explain that mythical names are for convenience as it would be "awkward and inconvenient" if they were numbered. Thank you!

Interesting Facts & Highlights

Named by Col. Benson for Alexander Theodore Vogelsang, a president of the Calif Board of Fish and Game commissioners, 1896-1901. However, his brother Charles Adolphus claimed it was named after him in 1907 by another member of the Fish and Game board. The LeConte map of 1900 does show this named as Vogelsang, so that supports the case for Alexander. In either scenario, it has been kept in the family. The name was ratified in 1932 by BGN (United States Board on Geographic Names).

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Started off as "Regulation Peak" and may be linked to the posting of park regulations on Yosemite trees by Harry Benson and a trumpeter named McBride. Problem arose when the actual peak was not clearly identified so that when the USGS 30-minute maps were published it was not the peak as intended. The first Bridgeport 30' map corrected that.

Interesting Facts & Highlights

Named after professor J.B. Wheeler at West Point by Col. Forsyth, who had been his teacher while he was a cadet. As this is a remote area of Yosemite Emigrant, this is an opportunity climb if you are in the vicinity. It is an easy class 2 scramble that gives you nice views all around, with plenty of peaks, ridges and lakes to explore.

Climbing: Wheeler Peak straddles the northwest boundary of Yosemite National Park and southern boundary of the Emigrant Wilderness Area in a very remote area. It is over 20 miles to the nearest trailhead! As such, the peak is seldom climbed.

Few people will hike the distance solely to climb Wheeler Peak; however, if you are thru-hiking the Huckleberry Trail, or visiting nearby Huckleberry Lake, an ascent of Wheeler Peak would make for a quick excursion. The peak is just a mile and a half from Huckleberry Lake and accessible just off the Huckleberry Trail. You can reach the summit with a fairly easy class 2 scramble up the Northeast Ridge.

Interesting Facts & Highlights

Another impressive peak in the Yosemite Wilderness. George had his eye on it in 2004 but our schedule was lagging behind and we had to hit the trail to make our way. Named by the USGS during the survey for the Bridgeport 30' map, 1905-09. 'Whorl' could be a botanical reference to several leaves or branches growing out of the same place, as there are 3 closely associated peaks. Whorl is the middle one. George finally made it in 2006

Interesting Facts & Highlights

The first possible reference to this scenic point overlooking the Toulumne River was as "Tuolumne El Capitan" by Jennie Price in 1897. First official records indicate it was named by the USGS during the survey for the Mt. Lyell 30' map 1898-90.