Graveyard Peak-The Daily Ledger

Graveyard Peak is an 11,539-foot-elevation (3,517 meter) mountain summit located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Fresno County of northern California, United States. It is situated in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Sierra National Forest. Graveyard Peak ranks as the 535th-highest summit in California, and topographic relief is significant as the south aspect rises over above Devils Bathtub in approximately one mile. It is two miles southeast of Silver Peak, five miles north of Lake Thomas A Edison, and approximately south of the community of Mammoth Lakes. The peak is set on Silver Divide, so precipitation runoff from the north side of this mountain drains into Fish Creek which is a tributary of the San Joaquin River, and from the south slope to Lake Thomas A Edison.

History

Graveyard Peak and Graveyard Lakes are named in association with nearby Graveyard Meadows which in turn was named for two sheepmen who were murdered and buried there. This landform's toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.

Graveyard Peak

The first ascent of the summit was made September 8, 1935, by William Stewart and David Parish.

Graveyard Peak

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Graveyard Peak is located in an alpine climate zone. 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.

Graveyard Peak