Mount Ritter, Mountain peak in Madera County, California
Mount Ritter is a 13,143 foot summit and the highest peak in the Ritter Range of California. The mountain features metavolcanic rock formations from the Cretaceous period that shape its appearance and structure.
Josiah Whitney named the peak after Carl Ritter, a former teacher in Berlin, while leading the California Geological Survey during the 1840s. This naming honors the surveyor's academic connections to European science.
The summit register holds hundreds of entries from climbers sharing their personal experiences and achievements over many decades. This collection shows how the mountain connects people through their stories and signatures left at the top.
Climbing this summit requires technical skills and proper safety equipment for a successful ascent. Access is possible through Agnew Meadow or several camping areas in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, which means planning ahead is important.
The summit rises with a topographic prominence of 3,957 feet above surrounding terrain, making it stand out distinctly in the landscape. This elevation difference creates a striking feature that dominates the view from many directions.
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