Identification of the Great Peaks of the Southern Sierra 247 



rounding region can be found in Russell's report of the Mono Lake 

 Basin.* The height of Mount Dana is 13,050 feet. 



Mount Lyell was named at the same time and by the same party 

 in honor of Sir Charles Lyell, the great English geologist. The first 



ascent is a matter of doubt. Professor Brewer and Mr. Hoffmann in 

 1863 ascended to the base of the last rocky pinnacle, but did not suc- 

 ceed in reaching the summit. John Muir probably made the first 

 ascent, though he does not lay claim to it in any of his writings. In 

 1889 the only records on the summit were — 



Edward A. Parker, McLean, July 2, 1875. 



I. C. Russell, G. K. Gilbert, Aug. 12, 1883. 

 W. D. Johnson, John Miller, Aug. 23-24, 1883. 

 Gustave Starke, Sept. 12, 1885. 



H. P. Dyer, A. C. Hixon, J. A. Marsh, V. K. Chestnut, 

 July 23, 1889. 



The residual glacier on the north side of the mountain is the larg- 

 est, with one exception, to be found in the Sierra. It is covered with 

 compact snow in the early part of the summer, but by fall this cover- 

 ing has generally melted off and the regular system of crevasses is 

 exposed. I. C. Russell made a thorough examination of the glacier 

 under these conditions, and his map shows the positions of the cre- 

 vasses in 1883.1 The elevation of Mount Lyell is 13,090 feet. 



*Quarternary History of Mono Valley, California. By Israel C. Russell, U. S. Geologi- 

 cal Survey, Eighth Annual Report, part I, page 269. Also, Existing Glaciers of the United 

 States. By Israel C. Russell. U. S. Geological Survey, Fifth Annual Report, page 309. 



■fQuarternary History of Mono Valley, California. By Israel C. Russell. U. S. Geological 

 Survey, Eighth Annual Report, part I, page 324. 



