Junction Peak

{{Short description|Mountain in California, United States}}

{{For|Junction Peak and False Junction Peak in Nepal|Dhaulagiri}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Junction Peak

| photo = Kings Canyon-Junction Peak Aah11.jpg

| photo_caption = "Junction Peak" by Ansel Adams, circa 1930s.

| elevation_ft = 13894

| elevation_ref = {{NAVD88}}{{cite peakbagger |pid=2812 |name=Junction Peak, California |access-date=2009-01-19}}

| prominence_ft = 765

| prominence_ref =

| parent_peak = Mount Stanford{{cite peakbagger |kid=2812 |name=Forester Pass |access-date=2009-01-19}}

| map = USA California#USA

| map_caption = none

| map_size = 200

| label_position = left

| listing = {{unbulleted list

| Sierra Peaks Section Mountaineers peak{{cite sps |access-date=2009-01-19}}

| Western States Climbers Star peak{{cite wsc |access-date=2016-03-24}} }}

| location = {{unbulleted list

| Kings Canyon National Park

| Sequoia National Park

| John Muir Wilderness

| {{thinsp|Inyo / Tulare counties California, U.S.}} }}

| range = Sierra Nevada

| coordinates = {{coord|36.689935|N|118.3656507|W|type:mountain_region:US-CA_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| range_coordinates =

| coordinates_ref = {{cite gnis |id=262046 |name=Junction Peak |access-date=2009-01-19}}

| topo = USGS Mount Williamson

| first_ascent = August 8, 1899 by Edwin Bingham Copeland and E. N. Henderson

| easiest_route = South Face, South Ridge or West Ridge (all {{YDS|3}} scrambles){{cite Secor |edition=3 |pages=147}}

}}

Junction Peak is a thirteener in the Sierra Nevada. Joseph Nisbet LeConte chose this name in 1896, noting that it marks the point where the Sierra Crest crosses the water divide of the Kern and Kings rivers.{{cite Farquhar |index=J |access-date=2009-01-19}} Today it also is the boundary between Inyo and Tulare counties, and of Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia National Park and the John Muir Wilderness.

Botanist Edwin Bingham Copeland and partner E. N. Henderson were the first climbers known to reach Junction Peak's summit, on August 8, 1899. They pioneered the {{YDS|3}} South Ridge route, following the exposed ridge from Diamond Mesa to the top of Junction. Over the course of nearly a century, several more class 3 and 4 routes were established. The first winter climb was made by the West Ridge, culminating on March 21, 1973. The first technical climb recorded on Junction was the grade III 5.7 North Buttress route.

File:Junction Peak from Tyndall.jpg