Banner Peak is the second tallest peak in the Ritter Range of California's Sierra Nevada.^[7] The mountain is 12,942 feet (3,945 m) tall, and there are several glaciers on its slopes. It lies within the boundaries of the Ansel Adams Wilderness; at the foot of the peak lie Garnet Lake, Lake Ediza, and the famous Thousand Island Lake. Banner Peak is near the town of Mammoth Lakes; from there, climbers can hike to the foot of the mountain where various routes reach the summit, the easiest of which is a class 2^[6] from the west end of Thousand Island Lake and then the saddle between Banner Peak and the slightly taller Mount Ritter. Other nearby lakes include Lake Catherine and Shadow Lake.

Quick Facts Highest point, Elevation ...

Banner Peak
Banner Peak from Thousand Island Lake
Highest point
Elevation	12,942 ft (3,945 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence	856 ft (261 m)[1]
Parent peak	Mount Ritter[2]
Listing	Sierra Peaks Section[3] Western States Climbers Enblem peak[4]
Coordinates	37°41′48″N 119°11′43″W[5]
Geography
Banner Peak Location in California Show map of California Banner Peak Banner Peak (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Madera County, California, U.S.
Parent range	Ritter Range, Sierra Nevada
Topo map	USGS Mount Ritter
Geology
Age of rock	Cretaceous
Type of rock	Metavolcanic rock
Climbing
First ascent	1883 by Willard D. Johnson and John Miller[6]
Easiest route	Scramble, class 2[3][6]

Close

The peak was named in 1883 by USGS topographer Willard D. Johnson who observed a banner cloud streaming from the summit.^[8]

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Banner Peak is located in an alpine climate zone.^[9] 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.