Palisades (California Sierra)

The Palisades (or the Palisade Group) are a group of peaks in the central part of the Sierra Nevada in the U.S. state of California. They are located about 12 mi southwest of the town of Big Pine, California. The peaks in the group are particularly steep, rugged peaks and "contain the finest alpine climbing in California." The group makes up about 6 mi of the Sierra Crest, which divides the Central Valley watershed from the Owens Valley, and which runs generally northwest to southeast.

Situation
Josiah Whitney in his book Geology, Volume 1 writes: "At the head of the north fork, along the main crest of the Sierra, is a range of peaks, from 13,500 to 14,000 feet high, which we called 'the Palisades.' These were unlike the rest of the crest in outline and color, and were doubtless volcanic; they were very grand and fantastic in shape."

Although referred to by early geologists as "volcanic", the Palisades are a dark granitic rock. On the northeast side of the group lie the Palisade Glacier and the Middle Palisade Glacier, the largest glaciers in the Sierra Nevada. These glaciers feed Big Pine Creek.

Notable peaks of the group include four independent fourteeners: and the following mountains in addition:
 * North Palisade, 14248 ft
 * Mount Sill, 14159 ft
 * Split Mountain, 14064 ft
 * Middle Palisade, 14018 ft
 * Mount Agassiz, 13899 ft, the northwesternmost peak of the group before Bishop Pass.
 * Birch Mountain, 13608 ft, which juts out further towards the Owens Valley than the rest of the group.
 * Norman Clyde Peak, 13861 ft
 * Palisade Crest, 13559 ft
 * Mount Gayley, 13510 ft
 * Temple Crag, 12982 ft, known for its many rock climbing routes.
 * Mount Winchell, 13781 ft
 * The Thumb, 13356 ft, also known as "East Palisade."

North Palisade has some additional subpeaks over 14000 ft; see the North Palisade article for those summits.