Independence Peak
Independence Peak rises to 3,571 m in California. Mount Williamson stands 4,383 m to the south, 7.4 miles off. The nearest named place is University Peak, a peak 1.9 miles away.
The story
Independence Peak is an 11,742-foot-elevation (3,579-meter) mountain summit located one mile east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Inyo County of northern California. It is situated immediately south of Onion Valley on the eastern boundary of John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is also 8 miles (13 km) west-southwest of the community of Independence, and 1.9 miles (3.1 km) northeast of parent University Peak. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 3,600 feet (1,100 meters) above Onion Valley in one mile. Independence Peak can be climbed via the north slope from Onion Valley. The first ascent of the summit was made in 1926 by Norman Clyde, who is credited with 130 first ascents, most of which were in the Sierra Nevada. He climbed this peak three times in 1926, and twice in 1927. He was principal of the high school in Independence from 1924 to 1928, which provided him access to this nearest peak to his home.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q49038369, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Elevation
- 3571 m
How to reach it
Named places within 25 miles
- University Peak: 1.9 mi
- Kearsarge Peak: 2.1 mi
- Mount Bradley: 2.3 mi
- Mount Gould: 2.9 mi
- Dragon Peak: 3.2 mi
- Tub Springs: 3.2 mi
- Boron Springs: 3.9 mi
- McGann Springs: 6.7 mi
- Grover Anton Spring: 8.8 mi
- Harry Birch Springs: 10.6 mi
- Shorty's Vidette Meadow Cabin: 4.0 mi
- Donald Downs Plaque: 5.3 mi
- Shorty's Woods Creek Crossing Cabin: 9.6 mi
- Manzanar Cemetery Monument: 9.7 mi
- Shorty's Gardiner Basin Cabin: 10.3 mi
- Upper Gardiner Falls: 8.0 mi
- Lower Gardiner Falls: 8.1 mi
- Mist Falls: 12.5 mi
- Lower Picket Creek Falls: 14.2 mi
- Upper Picket Creek Falls: 14.6 mi
- Chicken Ranch: 13.9 mi
- Boot Arch: 14.1 mi
- Cyclops Skull Arch: 14.2 mi
- Man of Steel (movie site): 14.4 mi
- Iron Man (movie site): 14.7 mi
- Bk 34 Mess Hall Garden: 9.7 mi
- Japanese Garden: 9.8 mi
- Rose Garden: 9.9 mi
- Arai Pond: 9.9 mi
- Bk 12 Mess Hall Garden: 10.0 mi
- Ebersbacher Ledges: 12.9 mi
- Muro Blanco: 14.7 mi
- Paul's Paradise: 15.8 mi
- Southern Blonde Rock: 17.1 mi
- Chocolate Block: 17.2 mi
- Whitney Portal Arch: 14.7 mi
- Mobius Arch: 15.3 mi
- Lathe Arch: 15.3 mi
- Heart Arch: 15.4 mi
- Hitching Post Arch: 16.6 mi
- Eastern California Museum: 7.6 mi
- Mary Austin's House: 7.7 mi
- Manzanar National Historic Site Visitor Center: 10.4 mi
- Southern Inyo Museum: 18.3 mi
- Museum of Western Film History: 18.6 mi
- Dehy Park: 7.8 mi
- Independence Park: 7.9 mi
- Merritt Park: 9.9 mi
- Spainhower Park: 18.1 mi
- Diaz Lake Recreation Area: 20.6 mi
- Kearsarge: 3.4 mi
- San Carlos: 11.8 mi
- Bend City: 11.8 mi
- Fort Independence Travel Plaza: 7.7 mi
- Division Creek Rest Area: 13.8 mi
- Paiute Mural: 9.9 mi
- Miss Alabama: 17.2 mi
- Whitney Portal Picnic Area: 13.1 mi
- Grizzly Falls Picnic Area: 23.0 mi
- Kern Hot Spring: 20.0 mi
Other summits around it
The highest named summits within 11.3 miles of Independence Peak. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Williamson | S 171° | 4,383 m | 7.4 mi |
| Mount Tyndall | S 182° | 4,275 m | 7.3 mi |
| Mount Barnard | S 176° | 4,266 m | 9.2 mi |
| Mount Stanford | SW 222° | 4,260.2 m | 5.3 mi |
| Gregory's Monument | SW 221° | 4,254.4 m | 5.4 mi |
| Mount Keith | S 189° | 4,249 m | 4.3 mi |
| Trojan Peak | S 174° | 4,245 m | 8.3 mi |
| Junction Peak | SSW 201° | 4,224 m | 5.2 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 06:58 | 18:31 | 19:05 |
| June solstice | 05:35 | 19:38 | 20:16 |
| September equinox | 06:42 | 18:18 | 18:52 |
| December solstice | 07:03 | 16:01 | 16:41 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 44 | 47 | 54 | 60 | 69 | 79 | 85 | 83 | 76 | 64 | 52 | 43 |
| Precip in | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.9 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Independence, 8 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/358798259
Day trips start here
Take the scenic way to Independence Peak.
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