| Mount Russell | |
|---|---|
 The south face of Mount Russell viewed from atop Mount Whitney | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 14,094 ft (4,296 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 1,096 ft (334 m)[1] |
| Parent peak | Mount Whitney[2] |
| Listing |
|
| Coordinates | 36°35′26″N118°17′21″W / 36.5906707°N 118.2890359°W /36.5906707; -118.2890359[6] |
| Geography | |
  Mount Russell | |
| Location | Inyo andTulare counties California,U.S. |
| Parent range | Sierra Nevada |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Whitney |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | June 24, 1926 byNorman Clyde[7] |
| Easiest route | ExposedScramble,class 3[7] |
Mount Russell is a peak in theSierra Nevada mountain range in the U.S. state ofCalifornia, about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) north ofMount Whitney. Possessing an elevation of 14,094 feet (4,296 m), it is the seventh-highest peak in the state and one of California's twelvefourteeners.
Mount Russell is located on theSierra Crest, which in this area marks the boundary between theJohn Muir Wilderness, theInyo National Forest andSequoia National Park; and the boundary betweenInyo County andTulare County. It rises just southwest ofTulainyo Lake, one of the highest and largest of thealpine lakes of the southern Sierra.
The peak was named forIsrael Cook Russell, an Americangeologist who was a member of theWheeler Survey and who was best known for his explorations in Alaska.[8]
Thefirst ascent of Mount Russell was on June 24, 1926, by famed Sierra mountaineerNorman Clyde. It offers climbers at least a dozen routes, from multiple scrambling routes (class 3) to a serious technical route (Grade IV, 5.10).[7]
Mount Russell sees far less traffic than its much more famous neighbor Mount Whitney. However, since its southern and eastern slopes fall in the Mount Whitney Zone of the Inyo National Forest, these approaches are governed by stricter access limits. From May to October, only ten people per day are permitted to enter the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek for overnight use. Day-use climbers are grouped with the Whitney Main Trail day-use quota. This puts climbers on Russell's most common approaches in competition with climbers on Whitney's popular Mountaineer's Route, and also with the Main Trail users.[9]
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