The generally accepted rule is that to be classified as a true 14er, a peak must also have at least 300 feet of prominence.

An example of this would be to backpack from Onion Valley to Whitney Portal. Whitney Trail Guide: How to Successfully Summit the Highest Peak in the Lower 48 | This Mount Whitney Trail Guide is your A to Z resource on any and all things involving the Mount Whitney Hike.

In our guide we go over the essential details of planning your hike up this California 14er peak. >> MOUNT WHITNEY PERMITS: My in-depth guide to getting Mt. On Class 4 hikes, you will actually be climbing, and handholds and footholds are required. The main fourteener article has a list of all of the fourteeners in the United States, as well as references, more information about how the list is determined, and caveats about accuracy. How many 14ers does California have?

We weren’t making good time, my judgement was off, and I had pretty gnarly headaches. Most of the California 14ers are an excellent option for beginners and experienced climbers alike. That being said, the below are two of the shortest 14er peaks for ultimate ease.

For more information on how to start hiking the California 14ers, check out my post, “7 Tips to Hiking and Summitting Your First Fourteener Mountain.” This will help you choose the right peak for your first 14er, develop a training plan, and get prepared with gear and logistics.

All of these peaks, with the exception of Mount Sill, are class 4 or 5, so you should only attempt the Palisade Traverse after you have built up your mountaineering experience. Below are a few useful resources (besides the ones we’ve linked to in the 14er descriptions below) for planning and preparing for your summits of the 15 California fourteeners. If you’re looking for additional California hiking adventures, check out our resources below: Hiking Death Valley's Tallest Peak, Telescope Peak, Ultimate Guide to Backpacking the Trans Catalina Trail, California backpacking permit process for popular trails and campsites.

For instance, Mount Whitney has a class 1 trail AND a few class 5 options as well. | shedreamsofalpine.com. The trail to the summit of Split Lake is approximately 14 miles round trip with 7,500 feet of elevation gain.

| shedreamsofalpine.com, Ultimate Guide to Hiking Split Mountain - California Fourteener | Split Mountain is a lesser-known California 14er, but with equally beautiful views and scenes into the Sierra Nevada backcountry. June to September are the prime months to attempt the California 14ers. all on Map, Epic, fail: the southern California 14er link-up.
Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. The summit of a mountain or hill may be measured in three principal ways: The following sortable table comprises the 12 California summits with at least 14,000 feet (4267 meters) of elevation and at least 300 feet (91.44 meters) of topographic prominence. I hope this guide has inspired you to add at least one of the California 14ers to your bucket list  – and given you the confidence to know it’s possible! You could also backpack to Mount Whitney and get an Inyo National Forest Permit instead (a bit easier than Mount Whitney Permits). (2), Climber's Log Entries The following list of California fourteeners is ordered from the most beginner hike to climbs that require the most experience.

Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. Just before the summit of Mount Williamson, you’ll have to ascend a chimney. The West Chute requires 4th class scrambling, but it is the easiest route to the summit.

There are many routes up North Palisade, and route finding can definitely be a struggle. If you click on the map below you can zoom in and, and explore this California 14ers map further. Mount Williamson begins with the same intense approach hike from Shepherd’s Pass as Mount Tyndall, so most people will combine the two summits into one trip. Many people do Mt. This is a great beginner California 14er not to be missed! While there are technically only 12 "true" 14ers in California, I have included all 15 peaks in California above 14,000 feet in the list below. But Mount Langley is one of the best hikes in California (in my opinion), and makes an excellent beginner 14er peak with a Class 1 trail to the summit. While the hike itself is not technically difficult, the trailhead is high up at 12,000 feet, so altitude can be a concern if you’re not acclimated to it. Summiting Middle Palisade via the Northeast Face is a 16.2-mile round trip hike with 6,873 feet elevation gain.

It was done in August of 2012 by Sean O'Rourke.The current women's speed record was done by Andrea Sansone in seven days, 11 hours and 22 minutes during July and August 2017. North Palisade’s easiest route includes sections of class 4 terrain. While it is considered Class 2, I personally found it to be fairly technical mainly because “route finding” can lead you into class 3 or class 4 sections if you’re not careful.

While there are several routes up to the summit monolith, including a beautiful ridge line and various alpine couloirs, reaching the actual summit requires technical rock climbing rated 5.9. Class 2 hikes are slightly more difficult and may briefly involve the need to use your hands. Whitney, whether you are day hiking or backpacking.
This approach hike is probably the most difficult part of climbing Mount Tyndall, so be prepared for a slog. Whitney permits goes over everything you need to know in order to get a permit. These hikes are steep, and a fall would be fatal, so ropes are often used on Class 4 terrain.

The easiest route up Polemonium Peak is the Class 4 U-Notch.

The peak is named for a flower unique to the Sierra Nevada called Polemonium Eximium, commonly known as Sky Pilot. | shedreamsofalpine.com, Hiking Mount Langley - California 14er Complete Trail Guide | Mount Langley is the 9th tallest mountain in California and one of three California 14ers that can be accessed via a Class-1 hiking trail which makes it one of the easiest California 14ers to summit. Route finding is critical. This scale ranges from Class 1 to Class 5, with the difficulty increasing in the higher numbers. Mount Williamson is an imposingly grand peak with many complex routes to the summit. The Fishhook Arete in particular is a great multi-pitch 5.9 climb with a sweeping view. >> READ THE FULL TRAIL GUIDE: For that trip report and all the info you need to prepare for your own hike of Mount Langley, check out my Mount Langley trail guide.

Like many of the California 14ers, Mount Russell begins at the Mt. Plus, the Cottonwood Lakes area is just a beautiful area to spend time in. In the mountaineering parlance of the Western United States, a fourteener is a mountain peak with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet (4267 meters). >> JOHN MUIR TRAIL ENTRY/EXIT: Mount Whitney is part of the JMT and many people hiking Northbound on the JMT choose to start at Whitney Portal. Speed Record The current speed record for climbing all 15 California 14ers listed above is 62 hours and 3 minutes.

It’s a 7 mile hike with approximately 3,400 feet of elevation gain. Summer is the ideal time to hike or climb the California 14ers. The Palisade Traverse is a route that incorporates the summits of Thunderbolt Peak, Starlight Peak, North Palisade, Polemonium Peak, and Mount Sill so you can check off five 14ers in one push. While hiking White Mountain Peak you will have to battle its over 3400 feet of elevation gain in 15 miles all while adapting to the high altitude of its high summit. While this requires more technical skill, this doesn’t usually require a rope.

Please Note: some of the below links may be affiliate links. You’ll need to do your research and due diligence on the files you download, but it’s a great starting point for planning your trip or creating a GPX file for your GPS. A bucket list hike for every outdoor lover! >> READ THE FULL TRAIL GUIDE: If summitting Mt. Many of the California 14ers have class 5 “options” to reach the summit. The total hike to the summit of Mount Tyndall and back is approximately 25 miles with 9,000 feet of elevation gain. While hikers can bag a few beginner California 14ers, most are semi-technical peaks with high-consequence terrain. Winter Ascent Mountaineers Route to Mount Whitney, 7 Tips to Hiking and Summitting Your First Fourteener Mountain, 7 of the Best Hikes in Southern California to Help Train for the Big Mountains, Mountaineering Basics: How to Get Into Mountaineering. Prominence is defined as how high the summit of a peak rises above the surrounding saddle. Permit Required: Yes, if you're camping overnight. Even experienced climbers are challenged in this terrain due to complicated route finding, loose blocks of granite rock, and the technical terrain. You could also choose to do a technical rock climb up the East Buttress on one of several routes, rated from Class 4 to 5.9.