View source for North Palisade

{{short description|Mountain in California, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = North Palisade
| other_name = Starlight Peak
| photo = North_Palisade_from_Windy_Point.jpg
| photo_caption = North Palisade from Windy Point (by [[Ansel Adams]], 1936)
| elevation_system = NAVD88
| elevation = 14,248 ft (4,343 m)
| elevation_ref = <ref name="pb">{{cite peakbagger |pid=2727 |title=North Palisade, California |access-date=2016-01-05}}</ref>
| prominence = 2,894 ft (882 m)
| prominence_ref = <ref name="pb"/>
| isolation = 32.2 mi (51.8 km)
| isolation_ref = <ref name="pb"/>
| parent_peak = [[Mount Whitney]]<ref name="pbkc">{{cite peakbagger |kid=2727 |title=Sawmill Pass |access-date=2016-03-23}}</ref>
| map = California
| map_caption = California
| map_width = 240
| label_position = left
| listing = {{unbulleted list
  | [[List of the highest major summits of North America|North America highest peaks]] 45th
  | [[List of the highest major summits of the United States|US highest major peaks]] 31st
  | [[List of highest mountain peaks of California|California highest major peaks]] 4th
  | [[List of California fourteeners|California fourteeners]] 4th
  | [[List of highest points in California by county|California county high points]] 4th
  | [[Sierra Peaks Section|{{abbr|SPS|Sierra Peaks Section}}]] [[SPS Emblem|Emblem]] peak<ref name="SPS">{{cite sps |access-date=2008-09-28}}</ref>
  | Western States Climbers peak<ref name="wsc">{{cite wsc |access-date=2016-03-24}}</ref> }}
| location = [[Fresno County, California|Fresno County]], [[California]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| range = [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]], [[Palisades (California Sierra)|The Palisades]]
| coordinates = {{coord|37.094260386|N|118.514455033|W|type:mountain_region:US-CA_scale:100000_source:NGS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| range_coordinates = 
| coordinates_ref = <ref name="ngs">{{cite ngs |pid=HR2629 |name=North Palisade |access-date=2009-12-11}}</ref>
| topo = [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] North Palisade Quadrangle<ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis |id=264233 |name=North Palisade |access-date=2008-11-28}}</ref>
| type = [[Igneous]], primarily [[diorite]]<ref name=Porcella-Burns>{{cite book 
  | last1 = Porcella
  | first1 = Stephen
  | last2 = Burns
  | first2 = Cameron M.
  | title = Climbing California's Fourteeners: 183 Routes to the Fifteen Highest Peaks
  | year = 1998
  | publisher = [[The Mountaineers (Pacific NW)|The Mountaineers]] Books
  | location = [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]]
  | isbn = 0-89886-555-7}}</ref>
| age = 
| first_ascent = July 25, 1903 by [[James S. Hutchinson]], [[Joseph Nisbet LeConte|Joseph N. LeConte]], James K. Moffitt<ref name=pnhs>{{cite Farquhar |index=N |access-date=2008-11-28}}</ref>
| easiest_route = The LeConte Route, {{YDS|4}}<ref name="Secor">{{cite Secor |edition=3 |pages=248–255}}</ref>
}}

'''North Palisade''' is the third-highest mountain in the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] range of [[California]], and one of the state's small number of peaks over 14,000 feet, known as [[fourteener]]s. It is the highest peak of the [[Palisades (California Sierra)|Palisades]] group of peaks in the central part of the Sierra range. It sports a small glacier (the [[Palisade Glaciers|Palisade Glacier]]) and several highly prized [[rock climbing]] routes on its northeast side.

== History ==
North Palisade has a collection of names from the 19th century. The [[Wheeler Survey]] referred to it as Northwest Palisade in 1878. The following year, Lilbourne A. Winchell called it Dusy's Peak after local rancher [[Frank Dusy]]. In 1895, [[Bolton Brown]] advocated yet another name, after [[David Starr Jordan]].<ref name=pnhs/>  In 2009, U.S. Senator [[Dianne Feinstein]], supported by U.S. Senator [[Barbara Boxer]], introduced legislation to rename the peak as "Brower Palisade", in honor of environmentalist [[David Brower]]. There was significant opposition to this proposal.<ref>
{{cite news
  | url = http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005124273
  | title = A mountain by any other name
  | last = Dorworth
  | first = Dick
  | newspaper = Idaho Mountain Express and Guide
  | date = January 7, 2009
  | access-date = 2009-12-11
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110719120208/http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005124273
  | archive-date = July 19, 2011
  | url-status = dead
  }}
</ref>

The first ascent was made on July 25, 1903, by  [[James S. Hutchinson]], [[Joseph Nisbet LeConte]] and [[James K. Moffitt]].<ref name="pnhs" /> They approached the area overland from south of the Palisades, and scouted possible routes from the summits of [[Marion Peak]] and [[Mount Sill]]. Armed with this intelligence, they planned to ascend the southwest chute of the U Notch, and find a way to bypass the rock face between the notch and the upper reaches of North Palisade. Around {{convert|13100|ft|m|-2}}, they followed a northward branch of this chute, and slowly climbed a difficult system of cracks. From here they found a catwalk ledge that took them to a series of icy gullies, bound toward the summit. These gullies were blocked by a pair of chockstones, requiring class 4 moves to pass. Beyond these obstacles, they crested the southeast ridge, and climbed a series of granite blocks to the summit.<ref name=Porcella-Burns/><ref name="Secor"/>

After making this climb, LeConte is quoted as writing in a letter, "I have called the peak merely the North Palisade. Put Dusy's name on some less imposing mass, and give us a name to be handed down through all time."<ref name=LATimes13Nov08>{{cite news
  | url = http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-brower13-2008nov13,0,972816,full.story
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121026031304/http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-brower13-2008nov13,0,972816,full.story
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = October 26, 2012
  | title = Admirers of environmentalist seek a monument 14,242 feet high
  | last = Anton
  | first = Mike
  | newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]]
  | date = November 13, 2008
  | access-date = 2009-12-11 }}</ref>
The peak has been called North Palisade since that day, and received official recognition by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.<ref name=gnis/>

==Subsidiary peaks==
North Palisade has several named subsidiary peaks (nearby peaks which have less than 300&nbsp;ft (91 m) of [[topographic prominence]]). These all lie on the main ridge crest, and are as follows:
* '''Polemonium Peak''', 14,080+ ft (4,294+ m). Prominence of 160 feet (49 m).<ref name="pb1">{{cite peakbagger |id=2728 |name=Polemonium Peak, California }}</ref> This lies between the "U-Notch" and "V-Notch" [[couloir]]s (popular snow/ice climbs), 0.15&nbsp;mi (0.25&nbsp;km) east-southeast of North Palisade. Named on the [[USGS]] topographic map. The peak is named for the ''[[Polemonium eximium]]'' skypilot (plant) found in the area.<ref>{{cite gnis |id=274665 |name=Polemonium Peak |access-date=2009-12-11}}</ref>
* '''Starlight Peak''', {{convert|14200|ft|m|0}}. Prominence of {{convert|80|ft|0}}.<ref name="pb2">{{cite peakbagger |id=16763 |name=Starlight Peak, California}}</ref> This is the northwest summit of North Palisade, less than 0.1&nbsp;mi (0.15&nbsp;km) from the main summit. Some climbing routes end atop this peak known for its famous "Milk Bottle", a {{convert|20|ft|m|abbr=on}} pillar of rock with huge [[Exposure (heights)|exposure]] ({{YDS|5.6}}).
* '''[[Thunderbolt Peak]]''', {{convert|14003|ft|m|0}}. Prominence of {{convert|203|ft|0}}.<ref name="pb4">{{cite peakbagger |id=2725 |name=Thunderbolt Peak, California }}</ref> About 0.25&nbsp;mi (0.4&nbsp;km) northwest of North Palisade. Named on the [[USGS]] topographic map. The Sierra Club guidebook notes: "This was the last 14,000 foot (4,267 m) peak to be climbed in the Sierra. During a wild storm on the first ascent, a bolt of lightning left [[Jules Eichorn]] severely shaken; hence the name".<ref name="Roper">{{cite Roper |page=198}}</ref>
[[File:Palisades (California).jpg|thumb|center|upright=1.6|Thunderbolt, Starlight, North Palisade, and Polemonium Peaks]]

==Climate==
There is no weather station at the summit, but this climate table contains [[Interpolation|interpolated]] data for an area around the summit. The peak of North Palisade has an [[Alpine climate]] (''ET'').
{{Weather box
|location = North Palisade 37.0914 N, 118.5081 W, Elevation: {{cvt|13494|ft}} (1991–2020 normals)
|single line = y

|Jan high F = 25.3
|Feb high F = 23.6
|Mar high F = 26.5
|Apr high F = 31.1
|May high F = 38.5
|Jun high F = 48.1
|Jul high F = 54.4
|Aug high F = 53.7
|Sep high F = 48.6
|Oct high F = 40.3
|Nov high F = 31.8
|Dec high F = 25.0

|Jan mean F = 15.5
|Feb mean F = 13.5
|Mar mean F = 15.9
|Apr mean F = 19.4
|May mean F = 25.9
|Jun mean F = 34.9
|Jul mean F = 41.5
|Aug mean F = 40.6
|Sep mean F = 35.6
|Oct mean F = 28.4
|Nov mean F = 21.6
|Dec mean F = 15.7

|Jan low F = 5.8
|Feb low F = 3.4
|Mar low F = 5.3
|Apr low F = 7.7
|May low F = 13.4
|Jun low F = 21.8
|Jul low F = 28.6
|Aug low F = 27.6
|Sep low F = 22.7
|Oct low F = 16.5
|Nov low F = 11.4
|Dec low F = 6.3

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 8.89
|Feb precipitation inch = 7.32
|Mar precipitation inch = 6.42
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.25
|May precipitation inch = 2.09
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.53
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.32
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.18
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.31
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.02
|Nov precipitation inch = 2.76
|Dec precipitation inch = 7.98

|source=PRISM Climate Group<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/
|title= PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University
|publisher= PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University
|access-date= October 6, 2023
|quote= To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clicking ''Coordinates'' (under ''Location''); copy ''Latitude'' and ''Longitude figures'' from top of table; click ''Zoom to location''; click ''Precipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp''; click ''30-year normals, 1991-2020''; click ''800m''; click ''Retrieve Time Series'' button.
|archive-date= July 25, 2019
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190725164937/http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/
|url-status= live
}}</ref>
}}

==See also==
* [[List of mountain peaks of California]]
* [[List of highest points in California by county]]
* [[Palisades (California Sierra)|The Palisades of the Sierra Nevada]]
* [[List of California fourteeners]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite summitpost |id=150406 |name=North Palisade}}
* {{cite web |url=http://timberlinetrails.net/NorthPalisadeAerialPhoto.html |title=North Palisade - Aerial view (Including Subsidiary Peaks) |publisher=Timberline Trails}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.sierradescents.com/climbing/north-palisade/u-notch-couloir.html |title=Climbing North Palisade via the U-Notch Couloir |publisher=SierraDescents.com}}

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{{NA highest}}
{{California highest}}
{{California Fourteeners}}
{{California}}
{{Sierra Nevada}}
{{John Muir Wilderness}}
{{Kings Canyon National Park}}
{{Navboxes bottom}}

[[Category:Fourteeners of California]]
[[Category:Highest points of United States national parks]]
[[Category:Mountains of Kings Canyon National Park]]
[[Category:Mountains of the John Muir Wilderness]]
[[Category:Mountains of Inyo County, California]]
[[Category:Mountains of Fresno County, California]]
[[Category:Four-thousanders of the United States]]
[[Category:Mountains of Northern California]]