Mount Scowden


Mount Scowden is an summit located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Mono County of northern California, United States. The mountain is set less than three miles east of the Sierra crest, within the Hoover Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. Mount Scowden is situated in Lundy Canyon, one mile north of line parent Tioga Crest, west of Gilcrest Peak, and southeast of Black Mountain. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises above Mill Creek in one mile. Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains to Mill Creek, and ultimately Mono Lake. The mountain's toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names and has been in publications since at least 1882. Leo A. Scowden was a mining engineer and United States deputy mineral surveyor for California who resided in Bodie, Mono County. There were several mining claims on Mt. Scowden in the 1800s which gave rise to the gold rush camp of Lundy.

Mining

Gold and silver mining claims on Mt. Scowden:
  • May Lundy
  • Homer
  • Harrison
  • Last Chance
  • Lucky Mortan
  • Bay Queen
  • Bryant
  • Gray Eagle
  • Gorilla
  • Parrott
  • Tamarack
  • Wolverine
  • Mono
  • Ontario Syndicate

Climate

Mount Scowden 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 moisture in the form of rain or snowfall to drop onto the range.