Rank | Wilderness | Peak | Elev-Ft | Range (Level 4) | Ascent Date |
---|
|
1. | Agua Tibia | Eagle Crag-Southeast Ridge | 5080 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | Unknown |
2. | Mount Shasta | Mount Shasta | 14,162 | California Cascades | 1982-07-03 |
3. | Carson-Iceberg | Sonora Peak | 11,459 | Lake Tahoe-Sonora Pass Sierra Nevada | 1989-06-20 |
4. | Desolation | Pyramid Peak | 9983 | Lake Tahoe-Sonora Pass Sierra Nevada | 1996-07-27 |
5. | John Krebs | Florence Peak | 12,432 | Sequoia Sierra Nevada | 2002-10-05 |
6. | Dinkey Lakes | Three Sisters | 10,612 | Central Sierra Nevada | 2003-10-09 |
7. | Snow Mountain | Snow Mountain | 7056 | Northern California Coast Range | 2005-06-12 |
8. | Inyo Mountains | Waucoba Mountain | 11,123 | West Great Basin Ranges | 2006-10-28 |
9. | Whipple Mountains | Whipple Mountains High Point | 4130 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2009-01-06 |
10. | Chemehuevi Mountains | Chemehuevi Peak | 3694 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2009-01-07 |
11. | Mojave | Clark Mountain | 7907 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2009-04-18 |
12. | Golden Trout | Cirque Peak | 12,900 | Sequoia Sierra Nevada | 2009-07-25 |
13. | Death Valley | Telescope Peak | 11,048 | West Great Basin Ranges | 2009-07-26 |
14. | Nopah Range | Nopah Range High Point | 6394 | South Great Basin Ranges | 2010-01-17 |
15. | Orocopia Mountains | Orocopia Mountains High Point | 3815 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2010-01-28 |
16. | Turtle Mountains | Turtle Mountains High Point | 4298 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2010-01-30 |
17. | Sheephole Valley | Sheep Hole Mountains High Point | 4613 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2010-02-28 |
18. | Palen/McCoy | Granite Mountain | 4331 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2010-04-18 |
19. | Chuckwalla Mountains | Black Butte | 4504 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2010-04-25 |
20. | Owens Peak | Owens Peak | 8453 | Southern Sierra Nevada | 2010-05-14 2x |
21. | Mokelumne | Round Top | 10,381 | Lake Tahoe-Sonora Pass Sierra Nevada | 2010-09-26 2x |
22. | Manly Peak | Manly Peak | 7195 | West Great Basin Ranges | 2010-11-21 |
23. | Resting Spring Range | Stewart Point | 5266 | South Great Basin Ranges | 2010-12-05 |
24. | Sequoia-Kings Canyon | Mount Whitney | 14,498 | Sequoia Sierra Nevada | 2011-08-09 2x |
24. | John Muir | Mount Whitney | 14,498 | Sequoia Sierra Nevada | 2011-08-09 2x |
26. | Owens River Headwaters | San Joaquin Mountain | 11,549 | Central Sierra Nevada | 2011-10-01 2x |
27. | Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel | South Yolla Bolly Mountain | 8094 | Northern California Coast Range | 2011-10-30 |
28. | Old Woman Mountains | Old Woman Mountain | 5325 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2011-11-06 2x |
29. | Chumash | Sawmill Mountain | 8818 | Transverse Ranges | 2011-12-05 |
30. | Golden Valley | Dome Mountain | 4974 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2012-02-18 |
31. | Clipper Mountain | Clipper Mountain | 4593 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2012-02-20 |
32. | Newberry Mountains | Newberry Mountains High Point | 5117 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2012-02-21 |
33. | Joshua Tree | Quail Mountain | 5813 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2012-03-27 |
34. | Malpais Mesa | Malpais Mesa High Point | 7731 | West Great Basin Ranges | 2012-03-31 |
35. | Cache Creek | Brushy Sky High | 3196 | Northern California Coast Range | 2012-04-21 |
36. | Kiavah | Scodie Mountain | 7294 | Southern Sierra Nevada | 2012-05-27 |
36. | Bright Star | Bright Star Wilderness High Point | 6080 | Southern Sierra Nevada | 2012-05-27 |
38. | Yuki | Yuki Wilderness High Point | 6520 | Northern California Coast Range | 2012-11-04 |
38. | Sanhedrin | Sanhedrin Wilderness High Point | 6120 | Northern California Coast Range | 2012-11-04 |
40. | Kingston Range | Kingston Peak | 7336 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2012-11-10 2x |
41. | South Fork Eel River | Cahto Peak-North Slope | 4160 | Northern California Coast Range | 2012-11-24 |
42. | El Paso Mountains | Black Mountain | 5244 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2013-01-18 |
43. | Black Mountain | Black Mountain | 3939 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2013-02-01 |
44. | Bristol Mountains | Old Dad Mountains High Point | 3914 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2013-02-20 |
44. | Kelso Dunes | Bristol Mountains High Point | 3871 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2013-02-20 |
46. | Piute Mountains | Piute Mountains High Point | 4199 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2013-02-21 |
46. | Trilobite | Marble Mountains High Point | 3842 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2013-02-21 |
46. | Bigelow Cholla Garden | Sacramento Mountains High Point | 3281 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2013-02-21 |
49. | Stepladder Mountains | Stepladder Mountains | 2940 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2013-02-22 2x |
50. | King Range | King Peak | 4088 | Northern California Coast Range | 2013-03-24 |
51. | Granite Mountain | Granite Mountain | 8920 | West Great Basin Ranges | 2013-04-23 |
52. | White Mountains | White Mountains Wilderness High Point | 14,080 | West Great Basin Ranges | 2013-05-25 |
53. | Granite Chief | Granite Chief | 9006 | Lake Tahoe-Sonora Pass Sierra Nevada | 2013-09-27 2x |
54. | Emigrant | Leavitt Peak | 11,569 | Lake Tahoe-Sonora Pass Sierra Nevada | 2013-09-29 2x |
55. | Santa Rosa | Toro Peak-North Summit | 8000 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2013-10-31 |
56. | Picacho Peak | Picacho Peak Wilderness High Point | 1430 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2013-11-01 |
57. | Palo Verde Mountains | Palo Verde Peak | 1760 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2013-11-02 |
58. | Indian Pass | Quartz Peak | 2160 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2013-11-03 |
59. | Ventana | Junipero Serra Peak | 5862 | Central California Coast Ranges | 2014-01-11 |
60. | Cucamonga | Telegraph Peak | 8985 | Transverse Ranges | 2014-01-25 |
61. | Phillip Burton | Mount Wittenberg | 1407 | Northern California Coast Range | 2014-02-22 |
62. | Ibex | Ibex Peak | 4751 | West Great Basin Ranges | 2014-03-29 |
62. | Saddle Peak Hills | Saddle Peak Hills High Point | 2280 | West Great Basin Ranges | 2014-03-29 |
64. | South Nopah Range | Noon Benchmark | 4239 | South Great Basin Ranges | 2014-03-30 |
65. | Hoover | Mount Conness | 12,590 | Yosemite-Ritter Sierra Nevada | 2014-06-29 2x |
66. | South Warner | Eagle Peak | 9892 | Northwest Great Basin Ranges | 2014-08-16 |
67. | Funeral Mountains | Funeral Mountains Wilderness High Point | 5320 | West Great Basin Ranges | 2014-11-02 |
68. | Grass Valley | Grass Valley Wilderness High Point | 4681 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2014-12-28 |
69. | Cleghorn Lakes | Bald Benchmark | 4079 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2015-01-16 |
69. | Riverside Mountains | Riverside 2 Benchmark | 2254 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2015-01-16 |
71. | Big Maria Mountains | Big Maria Mountains High Point | 3381 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2015-01-17 2x |
72. | Stateline | Stateline Wilderness High Point | 4928 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2015-02-13 |
73. | Dead Mountains | Mount Manchester | 3600 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2015-02-14 |
74. | Pinnacles | South Chalone Peak | 3269 | Central California Coast Ranges | 2015-03-08 |
75. | Beauty Mountain | Iron Spring Mountain | 5755 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2015-03-20 |
76. | Otay Mountain | Otay Mountain Wilderness High Point | 3551 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2015-03-25 |
77. | Cahuilla Mountain | Cahuilla Mountain | 5635 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2015-04-17 |
77. | South Fork San Jacinto | South Fork San Jacinto Wilderness High Point | 5447 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2015-04-17 |
79. | San Jacinto State Wilderness | San Jacinto Peak | 10,839 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2015-04-19 |
80. | San Rafael | San Rafael Mountain | 6593 | Transverse Ranges | 2015-05-03 |
81. | Sheep Mountain | Mount San Antonio | 10,064 | Transverse Ranges | 2015-10-17 |
82. | Sespe | Reyes Peak | 7514 | Transverse Ranges | 2015-11-14 |
83. | Pinto Mountains | Pinto Mountains Wilderness High Point | 3840 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2015-12-06 |
84. | Rice Valley | West Maria Benchmark | 2887 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2016-01-18 |
85. | Mesquite | Keany Benchmark-North Peak | 5381 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2016-02-13 |
85. | Hollow Hills | Silver Lake Benchmark | 3773 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2016-02-13 |
87. | Pahrump Valley | Pahrump Valley Wilderness High Point | 5151 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2016-02-14 |
87. | North Mesquite Mountains | North Mesquite Mountains Wilderness High Point | 4701 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2016-02-14 |
89. | Rodman Mountains | Rodman Mountains Wilderness High Point | 5240 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2016-02-15 |
90. | San Mateo Canyon | San Mateo Peak | 3591 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2016-02-20 |
91. | Fish Creek Mountains | Eagle Benchmark | 2371 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2016-03-14 |
92. | Cedar Roughs | Cedar Roughs | 2368 | Northern California Coast Range | 2016-04-03 |
93. | Pleasant View Ridge | Mount Lewis | 8396 | Transverse Ranges | 2016-05-07 |
94. | San Gorgonio | San Gorgonio Mountain | 11,499 | Transverse Ranges | 2016-05-21 |
95. | Dick Smith | Big Pine Mountain | 6800 | Transverse Ranges | 2016-07-02 |
96. | Trinity Alps | Thompson Peak | 8994 | Klamath Mountains | 2016-08-13 |
97. | South Sierra | Olancha Peak | 12,123 | Southern Sierra Nevada | 2016-09-09 2x |
98. | Chimney Peak | Chimney Peak | 7994 | Southern Sierra Nevada | 2016-09-10 |
99. | Cadiz Dunes | Cadiz Dunes Wilderness High Point | 974 | Mojave Desert Ranges | 2017-02-17 |
100. | Carrizo Gorge | Mount Tule | 4647 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2017-03-15 |
101. | Hauser | Morena Butte | 3920 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2017-03-16 |
102. | Chanchelulla | Chanchelulla Peak | 6401 | Northern California Coast Range | 2017-05-27 |
103. | Mount Lassic | Signal Peak | 5876 | Northern California Coast Range | 2017-05-28 |
104. | Thousand Lakes | Crater Peak | 8683 | California Cascades | 2017-07-01 |
105. | Ansel Adams | Mount Ritter | 13,143 | Yosemite-Ritter Sierra Nevada | 2017-07-29 2x |
106. | Yosemite | Mount Lyell | 13,114 | Yosemite-Ritter Sierra Nevada | 2017-09-08 2x |
107. | Marble Mountain | Boulder Peak | 8299 | Klamath Mountains | 2017-09-30 |
108. | Russian | Russian Peak | 8190 | Klamath Mountains | 2017-10-03 |
109. | Coyote Mountains | Coyote Mountains Wilderness High Point | 1975 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | 2018-03-28 |
| Monarch | Hogback Peak | 11,080 | Central Sierra Nevada | |
| Lassen Volcanic | Lassen Volcanic Wilderness High Point | 10,400 | California Cascades | |
| Jennie Lakes | Mitchell Peak | 10,365 | Sequoia Sierra Nevada | |
| Kaiser | Kaiser Peak | 10,310 | Central Sierra Nevada | |
| Domeland | Domeland Wilderness High Point | 9724 | Southern Sierra Nevada | |
| San Jacinto | Tahquitz Peak | 8846 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | |
| Sacatar Trail | Sacatar Trail Wilderness High Point | 8840 | Southern Sierra Nevada | |
| Piper Mountain | Juniper Benchmark-Northeast Slope | 8840 | West Great Basin Ranges | |
| Caribou | Red Cinder | 8375 | California Cascades | |
| San Gabriel | Waterman Mountain | 8038 | Transverse Ranges | |
| Sylvania Mountains | Sylvania Mountains Wilderness High Point | 7970 | West Great Basin Ranges | |
| Surprise Canyon | Surprise Canyon Wilderness High Point | 7770 | West Great Basin Ranges | |
| Argus Range | Argus Range Wilderness High Point | 7720 | West Great Basin Ranges | |
| Bighorn Mountain | Tip Top Mountain | 7623 | Transverse Ranges | |
| Coso Range | Coso Range Wilderness High Point | 7581 | West Great Basin Ranges | |
| Siskiyou | Preston Peak | 7309 | Klamath Mountains | |
| Castle Crags | Castle Crags High Point | 7200 | Klamath Mountains | |
| Bucks Lake | Mount Pleasant | 7120 | Northern Sierra Nevada | |
| Red Buttes | Red Butte | 6739 | Klamath Mountains | |
| Sawtooth Mountains | Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness High Point | 5960 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | |
| Matilija | Matilija Wilderness High Point | 5938 | Transverse Ranges | |
| Darwin Falls | Darwin Falls Wilderness High Point | 5699 | West Great Basin Ranges | |
| Lava Beds | Callahan Flow | 5680 | California Cascades | |
| Magic Mountain | Magic Mountain Wilderness High Point | 4705 | Transverse Ranges | |
| Pine Creek | Pine Creek Wilderness High Point | 4424 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | |
| Ishi | Barkley Mountain-West Slope | 4320 | California Cascades | |
| Machesna Mountain | Machesna Mountain | 4063 | Central California Coast Ranges | |
| Jacumba | Jacumba Wilderness High Point | 4038 | Northern Baja California | |
| Elkhorn Ridge | Brush Mountain | 3761 | Northern California Coast Range | |
| North Fork | North Fork Wilderness High Point | 3607 | Northern California Coast Range | |
| Silver Peak | Silver Peak | 3590 | Central California Coast Ranges | |
| Garcia | Pine Ridge | 3200 | Central California Coast Ranges | |
| Santa Lucia | Hi Mountain-Southeast Ridge | 3160 | Central California Coast Ranges | |
| Little Chuckwalla Mountains | Little Chuckwalla Mountains High Point | 2160 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | |
| Mecca Hills | Mecca Hills Wilderness High Point | 1814 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | |
| Little Picacho | Mala Pais Benchmark | 1474 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | |
| North Algodones Dunes | North Algodones Dunes Wilderness High Point | 500 | Peninsular Southern California Ranges | |
| Farallon | Maintop Island High Point | 223 | Central California Coast Ranges | |
California has more wilderness areas than any other state--148--and they include areas in every major mountain range between Mexico and Oregon. Many famous peaks are on this list, but it also includes many "liners" near summits, where the summit area has a road or radio tower, forcing the wilderness boundary and high point to a random slope point.
Also, note that there are two wilderness areas in California that are closed to public entry. The first is the Fallaron Islands, and the second is the Rocks and Islands wilderness off the northern coast. This latter area is largely marine and I could not find any discernable high point on its tiny offshore rocks, so it is not listed here, making the list total 147.
There are also two wilderness areas (Havasu and Imperial Refuge) located parly in California and party in Arizona, and their high points are in Arizona. They are not on this list either--see the Arizona Wilderness High Point List on this site for these peaks.
A big thank you to Daryn Dodge, who researched many of these points and supplied a detailed Excel file that allowed me to easily update the preliminary list of 75 peaks that was here. Appreciate it, Daryn!