Castle Peak (California)

Castle Peak
Castle Peak from Andesite Peak
Highest point
Elevation	9,109 ft (2,776 m) NAVD 88
Prominence	1,343 ft (409 m)
Listing	Sierra Peaks Section
Coordinates	39°21′56″N 120°20′57″W
Geography
Castle Peak Location in California Castle Peak Castle Peak (the United States)
Location	Nevada County, California, U.S.
Parent range	Sierra Nevada
Topo map	USGS Norden
Climbing
Easiest route	Exposed scramble (class 3)

Castle Peak is a mountain in California's Sierra Nevada near I-80, Donner Pass, and the Nevada border. It is in the Tahoe National Forest not far off the Pacific Crest Trail, and adjacent to Castle Pass. It was originally named Mount Stanford by the Whitney Survey of 1860–74.

Castle Peak takes its name from its conical shape.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Castle 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. Donner Pass averages 51.6 inches (1,310 mm) of precipitation per year, and with an average of 411.5 inches (10.45 m) of snow per year, it is one of the snowiest places in the contiguous United States.

Gallery

See also

• Sierra Nevada subalpine zone — habitat and forest surrounding peak.