Merriam Peak
Description
WikipediaMerriam Peak is a 13,103-foot-elevation (3,994-meter) mountain summit located in Fresno County in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States. It is situated south of the Royce Lakes and north of French Canyon, in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Sierra National Forest. It is set 0.7 miles (1.1 km) south-southeast of Royce Peak, the nearest higher neighbor. Merriam Peak is the 129th highest summit in California. Topographic relief is significant as it rises approximately 3,000 feet (910 meters) above French Canyon in one mile. This mountain was named in 1929 by the California State Geographic Board, and officially adopted in 1930 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to honor Dr. Clinton Hart Merriam (1855–1942), an American zoologist and naturalist, who served on the U.S. Board on Geographic Names from 1914 through 1925.
First ascent
Best months
Hiking score 0–100 · 10-yr climate averagesNeighbouring summits
| Name | Elevation | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royce Peak | 4,047 m | NW 334° | 1.1 km |
| Feather Peak | 4,039 m | NW 329° | 2.2 km |
| Treasure Benchmark | 3,829 m | N 18° | 2.3 km |
| Mount Morrow | 3,780 m | SW 222° | 3.7 km |
| Pilot Knob | 3,732 m | S 170° | 4.0 km |
| Gemini | 3,919 m | W 255° | 4.8 km |
Climbing routes
nearest first| Route | Area | Grade | From summit |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Flying Buttress | Merriam Peak | 6c | 39 m |
| Gargoyle | Merriam Peak | 6c | 39 m |
| Dr. Bear Love Project | Merriam Peak | 6c | 39 m |
| The Foundation Crack | Merriam Peak | 6c+ | 39 m |
| Triple Cracks Project | Merriam Peak | 6c+ | 39 m |
| Direct North Buttress | Merriam Peak | 6a+ | 39 m |
| North Ridge | Feather Peak | 4a | 2.2 km |
| Southwest Ridge | Feather Peak | 1 | 2.2 km |
| Southeast Slope | Feather Peak | 1- | 2.2 km |
| Northeast Face | Feather Peak | 5c | 2.2 km |
| Treasure Iceland | Bear Claw Spire (Peak 12,563) | 4a | 2.3 km |
| West Slope | Bear Claw Spire (Peak 12,563) | 1- | 2.3 km |
| Northeast Ridge | Bear Claw Spire (Peak 12,563) | 4c | 2.3 km |
| South Chute to South West Ridge | Spire Peak | 1- | 2.5 km |
| White Peregrines | Granite Park Spire | 6a+ | 3.5 km |
| West Ridge | Mt. Julius Caesar | 1- | 5.5 km |
| East Face | Seven Gables | 1 | 6.1 km |
| East Buttress | Seven Gables | 5c | 6.1 km |
| Northwest Ridge | Four Gables, Peak 12,801' & Peak 12,808' | 5a | 6.2 km |
| Direct East Face | Four Gables, Peak 12,801' & Peak 12,808' | 6b+ | 6.2 km |
| Northeast Ridge | Bear Creek Spire | 1+ | 6.6 km |
| East Arete | Bear Creek Spire | 5b | 6.6 km |
| North Arete | Bear Creek Spire | 5b | 6.6 km |
| North Face | Mt Gabb | 1 | 8.2 km |
| North Face | Mount Dade | 1+ | 8.2 km |