Ultra-prominence Peaks of the 48 States

Arizona/California/Colorado/Idaho/Montana/Nevada/New Hampshire/New Mexico/North Carolina/Oregon/Utah/Washington/Wyoming, United States, North America
Page Type Page Type: List
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OVERVIEW

Topographic prominence allows all mountains to be measured on a level playing field. It measures how far a mountain rises above the lowest contour that encircles it and no higher peak. That lowest contour defines the peak's "key saddle". Prominence is the elevation difference between a peak's key saddle and the summit. Another way to define prominence is this: It is the minimum elevation loss that one could possibly experience by staying on the ground while traveling to a higher point. This definition has led to another term used by some when referring to topographic prominence: drop. A useful way to visualize prominence is to imagine water rising around a peak. As the water rises to the elevation of the key saddle, the mountain's summit becomes the highest point on an island. The prominence of the mountain is the same as the height of that imaginary island above the surrounding water.

By definition an Ultra-prominence peak rises at least 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) above its key saddle or surrounding water. The traditional threshold for Ultras in the U.S. has been 5000 feet of prominence, and there just happen to be no peaks in the 48 states whose “clean” prominence is between 1,500 meters and 5,000 feet. Clean prominence is a peak’s minimum prominence when exact saddle and/or summit elevations are not known. There are now 57 Ultra-prominence peaks in the 48 states. However, Mt. St. Helens is included in the list below, even though after the eruption of 1980 it is no longer an Ultra. I included St. Helens with its pre-eruption prominence because a number of SP members climbed it prior to the eruption, myself included.

On August 17, 2008, Duane Gilliland and I climbed Glacier National Park's Mt. Cleveland, thereby completing this entire list of 58 Ultras in the lower 48 states. We believe that we are the only two people on the planet to have done so. The current list of 57 Ultras had already been completed by Bob Packard and the late Edward Earl, and has since been completed by many others. Click here for the Front Runners List (FRL) on Peakbagger.com.

PROMINENCE RESOURCES

LINKS

The USA Lower 48 Peaks with 5000 feet of Prominence page at Peakbagger.com. Of course that list only has 57 peaks on it. For the full 58 peak list including St. Helens pre-eruption, use this link: Pre-1980 USA Lower 48 Peaks with 5000' of Prominence [Historic]. Join Peakbagger and log your climbs to turn those red dots to green at the bottom of the page! This site by Greg Slayden contains many sorts of lists, including lists based on prominence. 

Aaron Maizlish created the web home of prominence: http://www.peaklist.org/

The prominence pages at COHP.ORG: http://www.cohp.org/prominence/index.htm

This site by John Kirk also allows you to register and mark your climbs and produces lots of interesting peakbagging statistics: http://www.listsofjohn.com

For prominence bagging statistics, see Andy Martin's comprehensive front-runner stats page.

MAPS

Aaron Maizlish has created a beautiful map of the 57 current Ultras in the 48 states. See it here. For Ultra-prominence baggers there is a completion map that can be filled in and posted on the web here.

THE LIST

Here's the list of the Ultra-prominence peaks in the lower 48 states, including pre-eruption Mt. St. Helens. The peaks are listed in descending sequence by prominence. Compiled 1999 by Edward Earl, Andy Martin, John Roper, David Olson, Ken Jones and Ron Tagliapietra.

Rank   Peak Name State Elev. Saddle Prominence Peak Latitude Peak Longitude Peak Quad Saddle Quad
1 Mount Rainier WA 14,410 1,200 13,210 46.853 -121.759 Mount Rainier West Vernon 82 L/6 BC
2 Mount Whitney CA 14,491 4,420 10,071 36.579 -118.293 Mount Whitney Coyote Peak NM
3 Mount Shasta CA 14,162 4,400 9,762 41.409 -122.194 Mount Shasta Hollenbeck
4 Mount Elbert CO 14,433 5,360 9,073 39.118 -106.445 Mount Elbert Sylvania Canyon CA/NV
5 Mount Baker WA 10,781 1,900 8,881 48.778 -121.812 Mount Baker Skagit River 92 H/3 BC
6 San Jacinto Peak CA 10,804 2,520 8,284 33.814 -116.678 San Jacinto Peak Beaumont
7 San Gorgonio Mountain CA 11,499 3,220 8,279 34.101 -116.828 San Gorgonio Mountain Palmdale
8 Charleston Peak NV 11,915 3,675 8,240 36.272 -115.694 Charleston Peak Niavi Wash
9 Mount Adams WA 12,276 4,160 8,116 46.203 -121.489 Mount Adams Cougar Lake
10 Mount Olympus WA 7,969 140 7,829 47.800 -123.705 Mount Olympus Tumwater
11 Mount Hood OR 11,239 3,560 7,679 45.374 -121.694 Mount Hood Wapinitia Pass
12 Wheeler Peak NV 13,063 5,500 7,563 38.986 -114.313 Wheeler Peak Kanarraville UT
13 Glacier Peak WA 10,520 3,040 7,480 48.111 -121.113 Glacier Peak East Snoqualmie Pass
14 White Mountain Peak CA 14,246 7,050 7,196 37.634 -118.255 White Mountain Peak West of Huntoon Springs CA/NV
15 Gannett Peak WY 13,804 6,730 7,074 43.184 -109.653 Gannett Peak Mexican Flats NW
16 Cloud Peak WY 13,167 6,100 7,067 44.382 -107.173 Cloud Peak Waltman NW
17 Grand Teton WY 13,770 7,240 6,530 43.741 -110.802 Grand Teton Survey Peak
18 Sacajawea Peak OR 9,838 3,450 6,388 45.245 -117.291 Eagle Cap Telocaset
19 Kings Peak UT 13,528 7,180 6,348 40.779 -110.374 Kings Peak Kemmerer WY
20 Mount Graham AZ 10,760 4,440 6,320 32.702 -109.871 Mount Graham Railroad Pass
21 Mount San Antonio CA 10,064 3,840 6,224 34.289 -117.646 Mount San Antonio Cajon
22 Telescope Peak CA 11,048 4,880 6,168 36.170 -117.088 Telescope Peak The Dunes
23 Mount Peale UT 12,721 6,560 6,161 38.438 -109.229 Mount Peale Lisbon Valley
24 Mount Washington NH 6,288 140 6,148 44.271 -71.305 Mount Washington Fort Ann NY
25 Mount Mitchell NC 6,684 595 6,089 35.765 -82.265 Mount Mitchell Englewood IL
26 Humphreys Peak AZ 12,633 6,594 6,039 35.346 -111.678 Humphreys Peak Show Low South
27 Borah Peak ID 12,662 6,680 5,982 44.137 -113.779 Borah Peak Donkey Creek
28 Mount Saint Helens (pre-eruption) WA 9,677 3,760 5,917 46.198 -122.191 Mount Saint Helens Spirit Lake East
29 Mount Jefferson NV 11,941 6,080 5,861 38.752 -116.927 Mount Jefferson Wells Summit
30 Mount Ellen UT 11,522 5,680 5,842 38.110 -110.813 Mount Ellen Bitter Creek Divide
31 Deseret Peak UT 11,031 5,220 5,811 40.460 -112.626 Deseret Peak West Juab
32 Mount Jefferson OR 10,497 4,720 5,777 44.674 -121.798 Mount Jefferson Three Fingered Jack
33 Pilot Peak NV 10,716 4,990 5,726 41.021 -114.077 Pilot Peak Pilot Peak NW
34 Crazy Peak MT 11,209 5,500 5,709 46.018 -110.276 Crazy Peak Wolf Hill
35 McDonald Peak MT 9,820 4,180 5,640 47.383 -113.918 Mount Harding Cygnet Lake
36 South Sister OR 10,358 4,780 5,578 44.104 -121.768 South Sister Chemult
37 Sierra Blanca Peak NM 11,973 6,440 5,533 33.374 -105.809 Sierra Blanca Peak Ancho
38 Pikes Peak CO 14,110 8,600 5,510 38.841 -105.044 Pikes Peak Lake George
39 Mount Nebo UT 11,928 6,440 5,488 39.822 -111.759 Mona Fairview
40 Snowshoe Peak MT 8,738 3,320 5,418 48.223 -115.688 Snowshoe Peak Stryker
41 North Schell Peak NV 11,883 6,480 5,403 39.413 -114.599 North Schell Peak Green Springs NW
42 Star Peak NV 9,836 4,440 5,396 40.523 -118.170 Star Peak Star Creek Ranch
43 Hayford Peak NV 9,912 4,520 5,392 36.657 -115.200 Hayford Peak Burro Basin
44 Diamond Peak ID 12,197 6,820 5,377 44.142 -113.083 Diamond Peak Monida ID/MT & Targhee Peak ID/MT
45 Flat Top Mtn (HP Oquirrh Mountains) UT 10,620 5,250 5,370 40.373 -112.188 Mercur Fivemile Pass
46 Mount Stuart WA 9,415 4,080 5,335 47.475 -120.902 Mount Stuart Stevens Pass
47 Blanca Peak CO 14,345 9,040 5,305 37.577 -105.485 Blanca Peak Poncha Pass
48 Mount Timpanogos UT 11,749 6,480 5,269 40.391 -111.645 Timpanogos Cave Francis
49 Ibapah Peak UT 12,087 6,840 5,247 39.828 -113.919 Ibapah Peak Government Peak NV
50 Mount Cleveland MT 10,466 5,240 5,226 48.926 -113.847 Mount Cleveland Summit
51 Lassen Peak CA 10,457 5,240 5,217 40.488 -121.504 Lassen Peak Beckwourth Pass
52 Arc Dome NV 11,773 6,560 5,213 38.833 -117.352 Arc Dome Hickison Summit & Bates Mountain
53 He/She Devil ID 9,400 4,200 5,200 45.324 -116.548 He Devil New Meadows
54 Abercrombie Mountain WA 7,308 2,140 5,168 48.928 -117.458 Abercrombie Mountain Newport WA/ID
55 Mount Lemmon AZ 9,157 4,000 5,157 32.443 -110.788 Mount Lemmon Piety Hill
56 Chiricahua Peak AZ 9,759 4,620 5,139 31.846 -109.291 Chiricahua Peak Paramore Crater
57 Mount Eddy CA 9,025 3,920 5,105 41.320 -122.478 Mount Eddy Hotlum & Weed
58 Miller Peak AZ 9,466 4,460 5,006 31.393 -110.292 Miller Peak Sierra Bonita Ranch

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

Viewing: 1-10 of 10
ericnoel

ericnoel - Oct 28, 2006 11:01 pm - Voted 10/10

MSH KS

Just noticed that the key saddle quad info for Mt. St. Helens is missing, probably cause it isn't listed in Andy Martin's book? Anyway, for what it is worth the saddle quad is the Spirit Lake East quad and the saddle is just in between Meta Lake and the Norway Pass trailhead right along the FS road. The eruption did not change the key saddle since Adams is still the next highest neighbor both before and after.

Bob Bolton

Bob Bolton - Oct 29, 2006 5:59 am - Hasn't voted

Re: MSH KS

Thanks Eric! I remember noticing that it was missing once before, but then forgot to fix it. I'm not sure what the reason for the omission was. I have that information in certain places, but it somehow never made it onto my Ultra spreadsheet. Regardless, it's fixed now. Bob

redsplashman23

redsplashman23 - Dec 18, 2006 7:16 am - Voted 10/10

Charleston Peak

Just an update; redsplashman23 is now the owner of Charleston Peak. Great page you put together here!

Bob Bolton

Bob Bolton - Dec 19, 2006 12:51 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Charleston Peak

Hey thanks for the heads up and your kind comment! The change has been made. -Bob

Bubba Suess

Bubba Suess - Jun 4, 2008 1:52 am - Voted 10/10

Mount Lemmon

Update: Mount Lemmon is now owned by JUH33. He has really revamped the page and done a good job with it.

Bob Bolton

Bob Bolton - Jun 5, 2008 10:16 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Mount Lemmon

Thanks Bubba, change made. Only it looks like he changed his name to Andinistaloco! -Bob

Matt Lemke

Matt Lemke - Apr 8, 2012 10:33 pm - Hasn't voted

Glacier Peak

The Glacier Peak page is now owned by Josh Lewis

Bob Bolton

Bob Bolton - Apr 10, 2012 1:37 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Glacier Peak

Thanks Matt -- change made.

Matt Lemke

Matt Lemke - May 5, 2017 1:01 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Glacier Peak

Just looking through this page and many of the owners are now different. I counted at least 10 in the first half of the list! Oh how the times change...

Bob Bolton

Bob Bolton - Feb 15, 2020 9:53 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Glacier Peak

I have removed the page owner column as it was too much of a pain to maintain, and really unnecessary anyway!

Viewing: 1-10 of 10


Children

Children

Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. For example, the Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' The Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children.