Mount Gilbert (California)

Mount Gilbert is a mountain located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada range in California, United States. It is situated on the shared boundary of Kings Canyon National Park and John Muir Wilderness, and along the common border of Fresno County and Inyo County. It is west of the community of Big Pine, 0.8 mile northwest of Mount Johnson, and one mile southeast of Mount Thompson, which is its nearest higher neighbor. Mount Gilbert ranks as the 127th-highest summit in California. Topographic relief is significant as the south aspect rises above LeConte Canyon in less than two miles, and the northern aspect rises 3,340 feet above South Lake in 2.5 miles.

History

This mountain's name commemorates eminent geologist Grove Karl Gilbert, who worked much of the Sierra Nevada range with the Wheeler Survey. The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1911 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The first ascent of the peak was made September 15, 1928, by Norman Clyde, who is credited with 130 first ascents, most of which were in the Sierra Nevada.

Established climbing routes:

Southwest slope – – September 15, 1928, by Norman Clyde
Northeast slope – class 3 – May 19, 2002, by party of seven
Engram Couloir – class 5.6 – September 3, 1972 by Al Fowler, Dan Eaton, Ron Cale
West face – class 5.7 – 1985 by Claude Fiddler, Vern Clevenger

Mount Gilbert is located in an alpine climate zone. 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, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range. Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains south into the Middle Fork Kings River, and north into Bishop Creek.