Royce Peak

Royce Peak, also known as Mount Royce, is a 13,280-foot-elevation (4,050-meter) mountain summit located west of the Royce Lakes in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States.^[3] It is situated in Fresno County, in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Sierra National Forest. It is set 0.66 miles (1.06 km) southeast of Feather Peak, 0.71 miles (1.14 km) north-northwest of Merriam Peak, and the nearest higher neighbor is Bear Creek Spire, 3.44 miles (5.54 km) to the north.^[1] Royce Peak is the 89th-highest summit in California.^[2] This mountain was named in 1929 by the California State Geographic Board, and later officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to honor Dr. Josiah Royce (1855–1916), philosopher, instructor, and author.^[3] The first ascent of the summit was made June 23, 1931, by Nathan Clark and Roy Crites.^[4]

Royce Peak
Northeast aspect (centered) (Merriam Peak left, Feather Peak right)
Highest point
Elevation	13,280 ft (4,050 m)[1]
Prominence	880 ft (270 m)[1]
Parent peak	Bear Creek Spire (13,726 ft)[2]
Isolation	3.45 mi (5.55 km)[2]
Listing	Sierra Peaks Section
Coordinates	37°19′05″N 118°46′15″W[3]
Naming
Etymology	Josiah Royce
Geography
Royce Peak Location in California Show map of California Royce Peak Royce Peak (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Fresno County California, U.S.
Parent range	Sierra Nevada[1]
Topo map	USGS Mount Hilgard
Geology
Rock age	Cretaceous
Mountain type	Fault block
Rock type	granite
Climbing
First ascent	1931
Easiest route	class 2 south slope[2]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Royce 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, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range (orographic lift). Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains south into tributaries of the San Joaquin River.

See also

• List of mountain peaks of California