Hawkins Peak (California)

Hawkins Peak is a 10,024-foot-elevation (3,055 meter) mountain summit located in Alpine County, California, United States.

Description
This landmark of Hope Valley is set 15 mi south of South Lake Tahoe, on land managed by Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest. Hawkins Peak is situated in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, with precipitation runoff from the peak draining into tributaries of the West Fork Carson River. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises 4,000 ft above California State Route 88 at West Carson Canyon in two miles. The nearest higher neighbor is Stevens Peak, 5.6 mi to the west across Hope Valley.

History
In 1833, Joseph R. Walker's expedition passed through the gap between Hawkins Peak and Markleeville Peak to the south. The United States Geological Survey surveyed this area in 1889 and labelled this geographic feature on their 1893 Markleeville quadrangle map. This landform's toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, and has been in Sierra Club publications since at least 1895. The mountain's namesake is John Hawkins, the first white settler in Hot Springs Valley and squatter on a cattle ranch east of the peak, circa 1850s.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Hawkins Peak is located in an alpine climate zone. 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 (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range.

Geology
Hawkins Peak is one of several volcanic peaks that surround Markleeville. It is a possible flank vent of the Round Top (Alpine County, California) volcano.