Mount Tyndall
Mount Tyndall is a peak in the Mount Whitney region of the Sierra Nevada in the U.S. state of California. It rises to 14,025 feet (4,275 m), and is the tenth highest peak in the state. The mountain was named in honor of the Irish scientist and mountaineer, John Tyndall.[8]
Mount Tyndall | |
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 14,025 ft (4,275 m) NAVD 88[1] |
Prominence | 1,092 ft (333 m) [1] |
Parent peak | Mount Williamson[2] |
Listing |
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Coordinates | 36°39′20″N 118°20′13″W [6] |
Geography | |
Mount Tyndall Mount Tyndall | |
Location | Inyo / Tulare counties, California, U.S. |
Parent range | Sierra Nevada |
Topo map | USGS Mount Williamson |
Climbing | |
First ascent | July 6, 1864 by Clarence King and Richard Cotter[7] |
Easiest route | Scramble, class 2[7] |
Geography
Tyndall lies on the Sierra Crest, which in this region forms the boundary between the John Muir Wilderness and the Inyo National Forest on the east, and Sequoia National Park on the west; and the boundary between Inyo and Tulare counties. Mount Tyndall is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the higher Mount Williamson, and about 6 miles (9.7 km) north-northeast of Mount Whitney.
History
Mount Tyndall was first climbed on July 6, 1864 by Clarence King and Richard Cotter who were members of the California Geological Survey and under the overall direction of Josiah Whitney and the field leadership of William Brewer. King and Cotter were attempting to make the first ascent of Mount Whitney, and had made a long trek from Kings Canyon, only to realize months later that they had climbed the wrong peak.[7]
Climbing routes
The easiest route on Mount Tyndall in terms of access and climbing is the Northwest Ridge, which involves an easy scramble (class 2). It begins about one half mile (0.8 km.) west of Shepherd Pass and about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the peak. Other non-technical routes exist on the gently sloped west side of the peak. At least two significant technical routes lie on the much steeper east face; the first of these routes was climbed by noted mountaineer Fred Beckey and Charlie Raymond in 1970.[7]
References
- "Mount Tyndall, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
- "Key Col for Mount Tyndall". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- "California 14,000-foot Peaks". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- "Sierra Peaks Section List" (PDF). Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- "Western States Climbers List". Climber.org. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- "Mount Tyndall". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 1981-01-18. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
- Roper, Steve (1976). The Climber's Guide to the High Sierra. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books. pp. 299, 366. ISBN 9780871561473.
- Brewer, William H. (1873). "Discovery of Mount Tyndall". The Popular Science Monthly. 2: 739–741.
External links
- "Mount Tyndall". SummitPost.org. Retrieved 2011-06-01.
- King, Clarence (1871). Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada (1905 ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. ISBN 0-585-27432-0.. In Chapter 3 of the free online version of this book, King gives an account of the first ascent of Mount Tyndall.