Whaleback (California)

Whaleback is a remote 11,717-foot-elevation (3,571-meter) three-mile-long ridge located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Tulare County of northern California.^[3] It is situated in Kings Canyon National Park, extending north from the Great Western Divide. This geographical feature has significant topographic relief as it rises 2,900 feet (880 meters) above Shortys Cabin in Cloud Canyon in approximately one mile. Whaleback ranks as the 488th highest peak in California.^[2] The first ascent of the summit was made August 5, 1936, by May Pridham and Adele van Loben Sels.^[5]

Whaleback
North aspect, from Big Wet Meadow
Highest point
Elevation	11,717 ft (3,571 m)[1]
Prominence	557 ft (170 m)[1]
Parent peak	Peak 12660[2]
Isolation	1.66 mi (2.67 km)[2]
Listing	Sierra Peaks Section
Coordinates	36°37′49″N 118°31′52″W[3]
Naming
Etymology	Whaleback
Geography
Whaleback Location in California Show map of California Whaleback Whaleback (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Kings Canyon National Park Tulare County, California, U.S.
Parent range	Sierra Nevada Great Western Divide[1]
Topo map	USGS Sphinx Lakes
Geology
Rock type	granitic
Climbing
First ascent	1936, Adele van Loben Sels, May Pridham[4]
Easiest route	class 3[2]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Whaleback is located in an alpine climate zone.^[6] 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 the mountain drains into headwaters of the Roaring River.

See also

• Mountains portal

• List of mountain peaks of California