Bishop Peak is a 1,546-foot (471 m) volcanic plug in San Luis Obispo, California. It is the tallest of the Morros or "Nine Sisters", a chain of similar peaks stretching to Morro Bay. Often said to take its name from its resemblance to a bishop's miter, it is named in homage to the town's name (San Luis Obispo). "Obispo" is the Spanish word for Bishop.
| Bishop Peak | |
|---|---|
 Bishop Peak from Cerro San Luis | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,549 ft (472 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 1,086 ft (331 m)[1] |
| Listing | Sierra Club Lower Peaks Committee[2] |
| Coordinates | 35°18′09″N 120°41′51″W / 35.3024744°N 120.6973949°W[3] |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | San Luis Obispo County, California, U.S. |
| Parent range | Santa Lucia Range |
| Topo map | San Luis Obispo |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | 20 million years |
| Mountain type | Volcanic plug |
Geology
editLike the other Morros, Bishop Peak is primarily composed of dacite. About 20 to 25 million years ago, magma welled up underneath a layer of softer rock and solidified. The softer overlying rock has since eroded away, leaving a distinct rugged shape.[5]
Wildlife
editBishop Peak's thin, rocky soil supports many plants that are not common in the surrounding area. Vegetation includes an Oak woodland, sage scrub and chaparral.
Woodland areas are composed of species like coast live oak and California bay trees, as well as poison oak and California blackberry. Scrub areas support many aromatic varieties of sagebrush, coyote bush, and monkeyflower.
Bird life includes large numbers of jays and other passerine birds, as well as birds of prey including golden eagles, bald eagles, owls and vultures. Mammals include deer, raccoons and opossums as well as predators like foxes, coyotes, bobcats and mountain lion.
Land use
editQuarrying has taken place as far back as 1890. Granite for the nearby city of San Luis Obispo can be found along curbs in most of the city's older neighborhoods and on several extant structures, most notably, First Presbyterian Church.
Bishop Peak Natural Reserve includes 350 acres (1.4 km2) of land purchased or donated since 1977.
There are many access trails that rock climbers use regularly on Bishop Peak to access different climbing walls. One of these trails, the 'Oh Man' trail starts just to the left of the cracked wall, which is off of the Highland or Patricia Drive trailheads, and it can be taken as an alternate route to the summit. It was named the 'Oh Man' trail due to the fact that it is a short, springy trail and it must be taken at a steady tempo in order to maintain safety. It is rated a Scramble Class 4, but it is off of the main trail, and therefore access is currently closed.[citation needed]
Gallery
edit-
A closer view of Bishop Peak and its foothills -
A portion of the Bishop Peak trail -
A view of several of the Nine Sisters towards Morro Rock from Bishop Peak -
Rocks at the summit of Bishop Peak
References
edit- ^ a b "Bishop Peak, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
- ^ "Lower Peaks Committee List". Angeles Chapter, Sierra Club. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
- ^ "Bishop Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
- ^ https://www.flickr.com/photos/36989019@N08/6121821316 Author: Loco Steve Creative Commons
- ^ "The Nine Sisters of San Luis Obispo County". Santa Lucia Chapter, Sierra Club. Archived from the original on 2017-02-14. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
External links
edit
- "Bishop Peak Open Space Map" (PDF). City of San Luis Obispo. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-01-07. Retrieved 2009-06-23.