Birch Mountain, or Paokrung (Northern Paiute for "Mountain of Stone"[4]), is one of the fifty highest peaks of California. Of the major peaks of the Palisades, it stands farthest from the Sierra Crest.

Birch Mountain
Birch Mountain's east side from route 395, May 2009.
Highest point
Elevation	13,608 ft (4,148 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence	938 ft (286 m)[1]
Listing	Sierra Peaks Section[2]  Western States Climbers Emblem peak[3]
Coordinates	37°03′46″N 118°25′07″W[4]
Geography
Birch Mountain Show map of California Birch Mountain Show map of the United States
Location	Inyo County, California, U.S.
Parent range	Sierra Nevada
Topo map	USGS Split Mountain
Climbing
First ascent	1887 by J.W. Bledsoe[5]
Easiest route	Scramble by southwest ridge or south slope, class 2[5]

Judging by its few summit register entries, it is climbed far less than its nearby fourteener neighbors on the crest.[6] But its placement on the Sierra Peaks Section list[2] adds to its appeal to peak baggers, and its low technical demand makes it a rewarding ski mountaineering destination.[7]

See also

• Mountain peaks of California
• Palisades of the Sierra Nevada
• Thirteener

References

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