East Vidette

Mountain summit of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Tulare County, California

East Vidette

Location in California

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East Vidette

East Vidette (the United States)

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CountryUnited StatesStateCaliforniaCountyTulareProtected areaKings Canyon National ParkParent rangeSierra NevadaTopo mapUSGS Mount BrewerClimbingFirst ascent1910Easiest routeclass 3 scrambling

East Vidette is a 12,356-foot-elevation (3,766-meter) mountain summit located two miles west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in the northeast corner of Tulare County in northern California.^[3] It is situated in Kings Canyon National Park, 12.5 miles (20.1 km) west-southwest of the community of Independence, and one mile southwest of the Kearsarge Pinnacles. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises nearly 2,800 feet (850 meters) above Vidette Meadow in less than one mile. The John Muir Trail traverses below the north and east aspects of this remote peak. The first ascent of the summit was made in 1910 by a Sierra Club party via the East Ridge.^[4]

Etymology

Vidette is an alternative spelling of vedette, which is a mounted sentry for bringing information, giving signals, or warnings of danger, to a main body of troops. The pyramid-shaped East Vidette appears to stand guard above a valley, which inspired members of the Sierra Club to name it: "Two of these promontories, standing guard, as it were, the one at the entrance to the valley and the other just within it, form a striking pair, and we named them the Videttes."^[5]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, East Vidette is located in an alpine climate zone.^[6] 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). Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Bubbs Creek, a tributary of the South Fork Kings River.

Gallery

East Vidette centered beyond Bullfrog Lake
East Vidette, Deerhorn Mountain, West Vidette, from Bullfrog Lake
East Vidette from NNW
Northeast aspect
Northwest aspect

References

^ ^a ^b "East Vidette, California". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
^ ^a ^b "East Vidette - 12,355' CA". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
^ ^a ^b "East Vidette". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
^ Steve Roper, The Climber's Guide to the High Sierra, 1976, Sierra Club Books, ISBN 9780871561473, page 359.
^ Cornelius Beach Bradley, Sierra Club Bulletin, 1899, page 272.
^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.