Mount Clark, Granite summit in Yosemite National Park, United States.
Mount Clark is an 11,527-foot granite peak in the Clark Range, a sub-range of the Sierra Nevada. It lies in Mariposa County, California, about 2.2 km south of Mount Quartzite and 2.6 km north of Mount Grey. Obelisk Lake sits at 9,853 feet on its northeast flank.
Clarence King and James T. Gardiner made the first recorded ascent in 1866 during a United States Geological Survey expedition. This early climb was part of the scientific exploration of Yosemite's high country.
Both the peak and the Clark Range are named for Galen Clark, who was the first guardian of Yosemite National Park and of Mariposa Grove, the grove of giant sequoias he worked to protect. The name was made official on 1 January 1932. Earlier surveyors knew the peak as Gothic Peak and then The Obelisk.
The southeast arête route requires solid climbing skills and proper equipment, with the final approach rated as a class 4 rock climbing challenge. Climbers should have previous experience on similar terrain and be comfortable with rope work and protective gear.
Before it was called Mount Clark, the peak appeared on Whitney Survey maps as The Obelisk, and the name survives in Obelisk Lake at 9,853 feet on its northeast flank. The mountain was also earlier known as Gothic Peak.
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