Castle Rocks is a 9,088-foot-elevation (2,770-meter) mountain summit in Tulare County, California, United States.
| Castle Rocks | |
|---|---|
 Northwest aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 9,088 ft (2,770 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 481 ft (147 m)[2] |
| Parent peak | Paradise Peak (9,362 ft)[3] |
| Isolation | 1.34 mi (2.16 km)[3] |
| Coordinates | 36°29′46″N 118°42′09″W / 36.4960687°N 118.7024237°W[1] |
| Geography | |
  Castle Rocks Location in California  Castle Rocks Castle Rocks (the United States) | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Tulare |
| Protected area | Sequoia National Park |
| Parent range | Sierra Nevada[2] |
| Topo map | USGS Silver City |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Early Cretaceous[4] |
| Type of rock | Granodiorite and Granite[4] |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | class 4[3] |
Description
editCastle Rocks is part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and is set in Sequoia National Park. The highest point of the mountain is unofficially called Amphitheater Dome.[2][5] Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Castle, Dome, and Paradise creeks which are tributaries of the Middle Fork Kaweah River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 5,700 feet (1,737 meters) above the river in three miles (4.8 km). This mountain's toponym was officially adopted on October 3, 1928, by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[1]
Climate
editAccording to the Köppen climate classification system, Castle Rocks 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 (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range.
Climbing
edit- Castle Rock Spire - class 5.9 - First ascent April 28, 1950 - William Siri, Bill Long, Jim Wilson, Al Steck, Phil Bettler[7]
- West Face of Castle Rock Spire - class 5.9 - FA 1969 - Fred Beckey, Galen Rowell, Mort Hempel, Ben Borson[8]
- East Face of Castle Rock Spire - class 5.10 - FA July 2013 - Daniel Jeffcoach, Tom Ruddy[9]
Rock-climbing routes on The Fin:
- Charley Knapp Route - class 5.9 - First ascent May 23, 1984 - Patrick Paul, Herb Laeger, Ron Carson[5]
- Silver Lining - class 5.9 - FA May 26, 1985 - Patrick Paul, Herb Laeger, Eve Laeger, Ron Carson[5]
- Aspire - class 5.9 - FA May 1986 - Herb Laeger, Richard Leversee[5]
- North Buttress - class 5.10 - FA June 26, 1997 - Dave Nettle, Richard Leversee, Kevin Daniels[5]
- Cutting Edge - class 5.9 - FA 2017 - Vitaliy Musiyenko, Daniel Jeffcoach[10]
- Super Totally Trad - class 5.11 - FA 2017 - Vitaliy Musiyenko, Jeremy Ross[10]
- Tainted Love - class 5.11 - FA 2017 - Vitaliy Musiyenko, Chaz Langelier[10]
Other routes:
- The Gargoyle on South Guard - class 5.10 - FA 1983 - Herb Laeger, Eve Laeger, Rich Smith[11]
- Beckey Route North Buttress of Amphitheater Dome - class 5.8 - 1968 - Fred Beckey, Roger Briggs, Jim Jones, Dave Leen[12]
See also
editGallery
edit-
Northwest aspect, viewed from Moro Rock -
Northwest aspect, viewed from Moro Rock -
Castle Rocks (centered) -
Castle Rocks (left of center), viewed from top of Moro Rock
References
edit- ^ a b c "Castle Rocks". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ a b c "Ampitheater Dome, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
- ^ a b c "Amphitheater Dome - 9,081' CA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ a b Geologic Map of Southwestern Sequoia National Park, Tulare County, California, Thomas W. Sisson, United States Geological Survey, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Secor, R.J. (1999). The High Sierra Peaks, Passes, and Trails (2nd ed.). Seattle: The Mountaineers. pp. 126–127. ISBN 978-0898866254.
- ^ "Climate of the Sierra Nevada". Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ North America, United States, California, Sequoia National Park, Castle Rock Spire, Philip C. Bettler, 1951, publications.americanalpineclub.org, 2018, Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ North America, United States, California, Sierra Nevada, Castle Rock Spire, West Face, Galen Rowell, 1970, publications.americanalpineclub.org, Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ East Face, Mountainproject.com, Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ a b c Castle Rocks, New Routes and Traverse, publications.americanalpineclub.org, 2018, Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ The Gargoyle Route, Mountainproject.com, Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ North America, United States, California, Sierra Nevada, Castle Rocks, North Buttress of Amphitheatre Dome, Fred Beckey, 1969, publications.americanalpineclub.org, 2018, Retrieved 2024-10-20.
External links
edit- Weather forecast: Castle Rocks
- Castle Rocks Rock Climbing: Mountainproject.com
- Castle Rocks topographical map: Mountainproject.com
