North Guard
Description
WikipediaNorth Guard is a remote 13,327-foot-elevation (4,062-meter) mountain summit located near the northern end of the Great Western Divide of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Tulare County of northern California. It is situated in Kings Canyon National Park, 0.9 miles (1.4 km) southeast of Mount Farquhar, and 0.6 miles (0.97 km) north-northwest of Mount Brewer, which is the nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 3,858 feet (1,176 meters) above East Lake in three miles. North Guard ranks as the 87th highest summit in California, and the second highest point of the northern Great Western Divide. It's not as high as Mount Brewer, but offers better climbing and is considered one of the classic climbing routes in the Sierra Nevada.
First ascent
Best months
Hiking score 0–100 · 10-yr climate averagesNeighbouring summits
| Name | Elevation | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Brewer | 4,136 m | SE 155° | 1.0 km |
| Mount Farquhar | 3,926 m | NW 331° | 1.5 km |
| Cross Mountain | 3,709 m | NW 331° | 2.5 km |
| South Guard | 4,021 m | S 168° | 2.6 km |
| Mount Sheldon | 3,858 m | SW 208° | 2.7 km |
| Sky Pilot Peak | 3,966 m | S 164° | 3.5 km |
Climbing routes
nearest first| Route | Area | Grade | From summit |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Ridge of North Guard-The parapet ridge | North Guard | 1+ | 3 m |
| Northeast Face | Mt. Brewer | 5b | 990 m |
| South West Chute 2 A.K.A. "Bob Burd Staircase" | Mt. Francis Farquhar | 1- | 1.6 km |
| Northwest Ridge | Mt. Francis Farquhar | 1- | 1.6 km |
| Ikigai | Bubbs Creek Wall | 7a+ | 6.2 km |
| What's Up Bubb? | Bubbs Creek Wall | 7b | 6.2 km |
| The Emperor | Bubbs Creek Wall | 7a+ | 6.2 km |
| Samurai Warrior - Ronan | Bubbs Creek Wall | 7a+ | 6.2 km |
| Turn Down For What | Ericsson Crag #3 | 6b | 7.0 km |
| The Epic-cureans | Charlotte Dome | 5a | 7.4 km |
| South Face | Charlotte Dome | 5b | 7.4 km |
| South West Arete | Charlotte Dome | 5b | 7.4 km |