Mount Gayley
Southwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation	13,516 ft (4,120 m)[1]
Prominence	430 ft (130 m)[1]
Parent peak	Mount Sill[2]
Coordinates	37°06′11″N 118°29′59″W / 37.1030007°N 118.4998074°W / 37.1030007; -118.4998074[3]
Naming
Etymology	Charles Mills Gayley
Geography
Mount Gayley Show map of California Mount Gayley Show map of the United States
Location	Inyo County, California, U.S.
Parent range	Sierra Nevada[1]
Topo map	USGS Split Mountain
Climbing
First ascent	1927 by Norman Clyde[4]
Easiest route	Exposed scramble, class 3[2]

Mount Gayley is a 13,510-foot-elevation (4,118 meter) mountain summit located one mile east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Inyo County, California, United States.^[3] It is situated in the Palisades area of the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is approximately 13 miles (21 km) west-southwest of the community of Big Pine, 0.67 miles (1.08 km) southwest of Temple Crag, and 0.5 miles (0.80 km) north-northeast of parent Mount Sill. Mount Gayley ranks as the 59th highest summit in California.^[2]

History

The name commemorates Charles Mills Gayley (1858–1932), beloved English professor and Academic Dean of the University of California, Berkeley.^[5] This mountain's name was officially adopted prior to 1939 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names based on a recommendation by the Sierra Club.^[6] Mount Sill and nearby Mount Jepson were also named for University of California professors. The first ascent of the summit was made June 10, 1927, by Norman Clyde, who is credited with 130 first ascents, most of which were in the Sierra Nevada.^[7]

Climbing

Established climbing routes on Mount Gayley:^[8]

• Southwest Ridge (aka Yellow Brick Road) – class 3 – First ascent 1927
• South Face – class 3 – Several possible routes
• West Face – class 3 – FA June 1950 by Robert Cogburn and Ed Robbins

Access from Big Pine: Glacier Lodge Road, North Fork Big Pine Creek Trail, then Glacier Trail.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Mount Gayley is located in an alpine climate zone.^[9] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Sierra Nevada mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range (orographic lift). This climate supports the Palisade Glacier below the west slope. Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains into Big Pine Creek.

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