Castle Rocks

Castle Rocks
Castle Rocks
	Northwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation	9,088 ft (2,770 m)
Prominence	481 ft (147 m)
Parent peak	Paradise Peak (9,362 ft)
Isolation	1.34 mi (2.16 km)
Coordinates	36°29′46″N 118°42′09″W / 36.4960687°N 118.7024237°W
Geography
	Castle Rocks Location within California Castle Rocks Location within the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Tulare
Protected area	Sequoia National Park
Parent range	Sierra Nevada
Topo map	USGS Silver City
Geology
Rock age	Early Cretaceous
Rock type(s)	Granodiorite and Granite
Climbing
Easiest route	class 4

Castle Rocks is a 9,088-foot-elevation (2,770-meter) mountain summit in Tulare County, California, United States.

Description

Castle 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. 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.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Castle Rocks 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.

Climbing

Castle Rock Spire - class 5.9 - First ascent April 28, 1950 - William Siri, Bill Long, Jim Wilson, Al Steck, Phil Bettler
West Face of Castle Rock Spire - class 5.9 - FA 1969 - Fred Beckey, Galen Rowell, Mort Hempel, Ben Borson
East Face of Castle Rock Spire - class 5.10 - FA July 2013 - Daniel Jeffcoach, Tom Ruddy

Rock-climbing routes on The Fin:

Charley Knapp Route - class 5.9 - First ascent May 23, 1984 - Patrick Paul, Herb Laeger, Ron Carson
Silver Lining - class 5.9 - FA May 26, 1985 - Patrick Paul, Herb Laeger, Eve Laeger, Ron Carson
Aspire - class 5.9 - FA May 1986 - Herb Laeger, Richard Leversee
North Buttress - class 5.10 - FA June 26, 1997 - Dave Nettle, Richard Leversee, Kevin Daniels
Cutting Edge - class 5.9 - FA 2017 - Vitaliy Musiyenko, Daniel Jeffcoach
Super Totally Trad - class 5.11 - FA 2017 - Vitaliy Musiyenko, Jeremy Ross
Tainted Love - class 5.11 - FA 2017 - Vitaliy Musiyenko, Chaz Langelier

Other routes:

The Gargoyle on South Guard - class 5.10 - FA 1983 - Herb Laeger, Eve Laeger, Rich Smith
Beckey Route North Buttress of Amphitheater Dome - class 5.8 - 1968 - Fred Beckey, Roger Briggs, Jim Jones, Dave Leen

Gallery

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
North aspect viewed from Panther Gap

References

1 2 3 "Castle Rocks". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
1 2 3 "Ampitheater Dome, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
1 2 3 "Amphitheater Dome - 9,081' CA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
1 2 Geologic Map of Southwestern Sequoia National Park, Tulare County, California, Thomas W. Sisson, United States Geological Survey, 2013.
1 2 3 4 5 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.
1 2 3 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

Weather forecast: Castle Rocks
Castle Rocks Rock Climbing: Mountainproject.com
Castle Rocks topographical map: Mountainproject.com

[gnis-1] 1 2 3 "Castle Rocks". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 20, 2024.

[pb-2] 1 2 3 "Ampitheater Dome, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved October 13, 2024.

[listsofjohn-3] 1 2 3 "Amphitheater Dome - 9,081' CA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved October 20, 2024.

[usgs-4] 1 2 Geologic Map of Southwestern Sequoia National Park, Tulare County, California, Thomas W. Sisson, United States Geological Survey, 2013.

[secor-5] 1 2 3 4 5 Secor, R.J. (1999). The High Sierra Peaks, Passes, and Trails (2nd ed.). Seattle: The Mountaineers. pp. 126–127. ISBN 978-0898866254.

[6] "Climate of the Sierra Nevada". Encyclopædia Britannica.

[Bettler-7] North America, United States, California, Sequoia National Park, Castle Rock Spire, Philip C. Bettler, 1951, publications.americanalpineclub.org, 2018, Retrieved 2024-10-20.

[Rowell-8] North America, United States, California, Sierra Nevada, Castle Rock Spire, West Face, Galen Rowell, 1970, publications.americanalpineclub.org, Retrieved 2024-10-20.

[9] East Face, Mountainproject.com, Retrieved 2024-10-20.

[AAJ-10] 1 2 3 Castle Rocks, New Routes and Traverse, publications.americanalpineclub.org, 2018, Retrieved 2024-10-20.

[11] The Gargoyle Route, Mountainproject.com, Retrieved 2024-10-20.

[AAJ2-12] 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.