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2012 Map of Mount Ritter

Name: 2012 Topographic Map of Mount Ritter
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2012
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2012

About this map

Mount Ritter and Banner Peak anchor the High Sierra landscape of this 2012 survey, defining the jagged profile of the Ritter Range. This area of the eastern Sierra serves as a critical hydrologic divide, where the headwaters of the Middle Fork San Joaquin River and the North Fork San Joaquin River emerge from high-altitude basins. The map illustrates a complex network of alpine lakes, including the expansive Thousand Island Lake and Garnet Lake, which feed the river systems below.

Evidence of historical backcountry transit is visible at Hemlock Crossing and over high gaps like Island Pass and Agnew Pass. These routes connect remote meadows such as Stevenson Meadow and Spooky Meadow with the high peaks and permanent snowfields that characterize the terrain. The drainage patterns around Minaret Lake and Shadow Lake highlight the concentration of water resources in this part of Madera County.