Highland Peak (California)

{{Short description|Mountain in the American state of California}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Highland Peak

| other_name =

| photo = Highland Peak.jpg

| photo_caption = Highland Peak, north aspect

| elevation_ft = 10936

| elevation_ref = {{cite peakbagger |pid=2582|name=Highland Peak, California|accessdate=2021-05-27}}

| prominence_ft = 2456

| prominence_ref =

| isolation_mi = 10.64

| isolation_ref = {{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/17231|title=Highland Peak - 10,935' CA|website=listsofjohn.com|accessdate=2021-05-27}}

| parent_peak = Stanislaus Peak (11,233 ft)

| listing = Sierra Peaks Section
Major summits of California

| map = California#USA

| map_caption = Location in California

| map_size = 260

| label_position = bottom

| part_type = Protected area | part = Carson–Iceberg Wilderness

|country = United States

|state = California

|region = Alpine

|region_type = County

| range = Sierra Nevada

| coordinates = {{coord|38.5436240|N|119.7555481|W|type:mountain_region:US-CA_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref = {{cite gnis|id=225297|name=Highland Peak|accessdate=2021-05-27}}

| topo = USGS Ebbetts Pass

| rock = RhyoliteMary Hill, Geology of the Sierra Nevada, University of California Press, 2006, {{ISBN|9780520936942}}

| type = Lava dome

| first_ascent =

| easiest_route = {{YDS|2}}

}}

Highland Peak is a prominent {{convert|10,936|ft|meter|adj=mid|-elevation|abbr=off|sp=us}} mountain summit located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Alpine County of northern California, United States. It is situated 3.5 miles east of Ebbetts Pass in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, on land managed by Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest. Although it ranks as the 680th-highest summit in California, it ranks 36th-highest of those with at least 500 meters of topographic prominence. Also, there is no higher peak than Highland Peak to the north within the Sierra Nevada. Highland Peak has a subsidiary South Peak ({{convert|10,824|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=semicolon}}), with one-half mile separation between summits. The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the western foot of this mountain, providing an approach option. Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains into tributaries of the East Fork Carson River. . Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises over {{convert|2900.|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above Noble Canyon in 1.6 mile (2.6 km).

History

This mountain's name was applied in 1878 by Lieutenant Montgomery M. Macomb during the Wheeler Survey.Peter Browning, Place Names of the Sierra Nevada: From Abbot to Zumwalt, Wilderness Press, 1986, {{ISBN|9780899970479}}, page 96. The name commemorates the short-lived Highland City, set on the high land between the Carson and Stanislaus watersheds.[https://books.google.com/books?id=ibMwDwAAQBAJ&dq=highland+peak+first+ascent&pg=PA398 Erwin G. Gudde, California Place Names, page 165.] The mountain's name has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names, and a brass USGS benchmark bearing the name was placed at the summit in 1956.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Highland Peak is located in an alpine climate zone.{{cite journal | author = Peel, M. C. |author2=Finlayson, B. L. |author3=McMahon, T. A. | year = 2007 | title = Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification | journal = Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume = 11 | issn = 1027-5606}} 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).

{{Weather box

|location = Highland Peak (CA) 38.5423 N, 119.7608 W, Elevation: {{cvt|10371|ft}} (1991–2020 normals)

|single line = y

|Jan high F = 33.1

|Feb high F = 31.9

|Mar high F = 34.4

|Apr high F = 38.2

|May high F = 46.3

|Jun high F = 56.4

|Jul high F = 65.4

|Aug high F = 64.8

|Sep high F = 58.8

|Oct high F = 49.0

|Nov high F = 38.8

|Dec high F = 32.8

|Jan mean F = 24.1

|Feb mean F = 22.3

|Mar mean F = 24.4

|Apr mean F = 27.3

|May mean F = 34.8

|Jun mean F = 43.9

|Jul mean F = 51.9

|Aug mean F = 51.2

|Sep mean F = 45.6

|Oct mean F = 37.3

|Nov mean F = 29.3

|Dec mean F = 24.0

|Jan low F = 15.1

|Feb low F = 12.7

|Mar low F = 14.3

|Apr low F = 16.4

|May low F = 23.2

|Jun low F = 31.3

|Jul low F = 38.4

|Aug low F = 37.6

|Sep low F = 32.4

|Oct low F = 25.6

|Nov low F = 19.8

|Dec low F = 15.2

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 9.65

|Feb precipitation inch = 8.20

|Mar precipitation inch = 8.13

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.95

|May precipitation inch = 3.02

|Jun precipitation inch = 1.14

|Jul precipitation inch = 0.67

|Aug precipitation inch = 0.52

|Sep precipitation inch = 0.91

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.04

|Nov precipitation inch = 5.18

|Dec precipitation inch = 9.21

|source=PRISM Climate Group{{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.}}

}}