134 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



that the spots upon the sun's surface have some close relation to 

 these. 



Prof. Whitney remarked that during the past fortnight the 

 Geological Survey had ascended three of the mountains known as 

 " Castle Peak." Of these, one is about four miles north of the 

 Summit, on the Central Pacific, in Nevada County, and is the one 

 referred to by Dr. Cooper at the last meeting ; another is twelve 

 miles south-west of Bridgeport, Mono County, while the third is 

 about ten miles west of this, and in Tuolumne, at the head of the 

 West Walker River. The last mentioned mountain is the one origin- 

 ally named "Castle Peak" by George H. Goddard in 1854, and until 

 now it has never been ascended or measured, although it has been 

 attempted to be reached several times by the Geological Survey. 

 It is a mass of granite pinnacles, and presents a grand appearance, 

 especially from Pilot Peak and other points on and near the road to 

 the Yosemite from Coulterville. The elevation is a little over 

 11,000 feet. Standing back in the interior of the chain, it is hardly 

 visible from Mono Lake or Bridgeport. " 



The second Castle Peak to which reference was made is about 

 12,000 feet high, and a very conspicuous object from various 

 points on the road from Carson to Aurora. It is, however, very 

 far from having a castellated appearance, as it is round-backed and 

 made up of metamorphic slates. Still the name has become firmly 

 fixed on it by the people living near, and it cannot now be changed, 

 although evidently given originally through the mistaken idea that 

 it was the point so named by Mr. Goddard. The views from both 

 these points are exceedingly grand, commanding a large part of the 

 central masses of the Sierra, and some of the most picturesque 

 scenery. 



The mountain known as Castle Peak, or as Fremont's Peak, 

 north of the Pacific Railroad, is also a grand point of view, and is 

 the most elevated summit between the Pyramid Peak group and 

 Lassen Peak, being about 9,500 feet high. It is very conspicuous 

 from all along between Donner Lake and the Summit, and has a 

 fine group of volcanic crags on its western edge. It is a portion of 

 the broken rim of a stupendous volcano, and from it to the north 

 one can look down into the former crater, at a depth of 600 to 800 

 feet below. 



