Split Mountain is a fourteener in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California, near the southeast end of the Palisades group of peaks. It is the only fourteener in the watershed of the South Fork Kings River, and rises to 14,064 ft (4,287 m),[1] making it the eighth-highest peak in the state.[4]

Split Mountain
Sunrise on Split Mountain's east face, September 2004.
Highest point
Elevation	14,064 ft (4,287 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence	1,525 ft (465 m)[2]
Parent peak	North Palisade[3]
Listing	California fourteeners 8th[4] SPS Emblem peak[5] Vagmarken Club Sierra Crest List[6] Western Climbers Star peak[7]
Coordinates	37°01′15″N 118°25′21″W[1]
Geography
Split Mountain
Location	Fresno / Inyo counties, Calif., U.S.
Parent range	Sierra Nevada
Topo map	USGS Split Mountain
Geology
Mountain type	granite
Climbing
First ascent	1887, Frank Saulque and party[8]
Easiest route	North slope, scramble (class 2)[8]

Geography and Geology

Split Mountain's twin summits lie on a north–south running section of the Sierra Crest. This same line of ridges divides Fresno County and Kings Canyon National Park to the west, from Inyo County and the Inyo National Forest to the east. Precipitation falling on the Crest drains to the Kings River to the west, and the Owens River to the east.[2]

The two-toned appearance of the mountain's eastern face is created by a roof pendant of darker colored granodiorite atop a lighter colored body of leucogranite.[9]

History

The name Split Mountain, inspired by the shape of its double summit, was first coined by mountaineer Bolton Brown in 1895. Alternately, it has been called Southeast Palisade or South Palisade.[10][11]

Climbing

Split Mountain is one of the easier California fourteeners to climb. The least technical route is the class 2 north slope, which can be approached from the west—where the slope is accessible from the John Muir Trail as it descends from Mather Pass—or the east. Joseph LeConte, Helen LeConte and Curtis Lindley took the simple western approach from Upper Basin when they climbed Split Mountain on July 23, 1902. A more common route to the north face is from the east, by way of Red Lake. Starting at the Red Lake trailhead, this trail covers 6 miles (10 km) with 4,000 feet (1,220 m) of elevation gain one way to the lake. From here, another 3,500 ft (1,070 m) of cross-country climbing, including a short class 3 ridge traverse, leads to the summit.[8]

There are many more technical routes up both the north and south peaks of Split Mountain.[8]

See also

• List of mountain peaks of California
• List of California fourteeners
• The Palisades of the Sierra Nevada

References

External links

• "Split Mountain". SummitPost.org.

На других языках

[fr] Split Mountain

[ru] Сплит (гора, Калифорния)