Castle Peak (California)

Castle Peak is a mountain in California's Sierra Nevada near I-80, Donner Pass, and the Nevada border. It is in the Tahoe National Forest[2] not far off the Pacific Crest Trail, and adjacent to Castle Pass. It was originally named Mount Stanford by the Whitney Survey of 1860–74.

This article is about the mountain in Northern California. For the Castle Peak in Southern California, see El Escorpión Park.
Castle Peak
Castle Peak from Andesite Peak
Highest point
Elevation9,109 ft (2,776 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence1,343 ft (409 m)[2]
ListingSierra Peaks Section[3]
Coordinates39°21′56″N 120°20′57″W[1]
Geography
Castle Peak is located in California
Castle Peak
Castle Peak
Location in California
Castle Peak is located in the United States
Castle Peak
Castle Peak
Castle Peak (the United States)
LocationNevada County, California, U.S.
Parent rangeSierra Nevada
Topo mapUSGS Norden
Climbing
Easiest routeExposed scramble (class 3)[3]

Castle Peak takes its name from its conical shape.[4]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Castle Peak is located in an alpine climate zone.[5] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean and travel east toward the Sierra Nevada mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range. Donner Pass averages 51.6 inches (1,310 mm) of precipitation per year,[6] and with an average of 411.5 inches (10.45 m) of snow per year, it is one of the snowiest places in the contiguous United States.[7]

  • Castle Peak from the south ridge. The highest summit is on the left.
    Castle Peak from the south ridge. The highest summit is on the left.
  • South-southeast aspect
    South-southeast aspect
  • View of Castle Peak's summit, from terminus of the Castle Peak Summit Trail.
    View of Castle Peak's summit, from terminus of the Castle Peak Summit Trail.

See also

References
  1. "Castle Peak". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
  2. "Castle Peak, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
  3. "Sierra Peaks Section List" (PDF). Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Government Printing Office. pp. 71.
  5. "Climate of the Sierra Nevada". Encyclopædia Britannica.
  6. "Climate Summary of Donner Summit, California 1870–2001". Journal of the Sierra College Natural History Museum. 2 (1). Winter 2009.
  7. "Donner Summit Snowfall and Snowpack 1879–2011". Central Sierra Snow Laboratory. University of California, Berkeley.
Panoramic view from Castle Peak, of the Sierra and the subalpine habitat
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