Nopah Peak

Nopah Peak rises in the eastern California Mojave Desert near the Nevada line as the highest named summit in the Nopah Range. Part of the Basin and Range Province, it stands out for its dramatic relief, climbing more than 3,000 feet from Chicago Valley in less than a mile and dropping almost as steeply on its east side. Although a nearby point just south is slightly higher and draws peak-baggers because of its great topographic prominence, Nopah Peak remains central to the identity of this stark desert range. Most of the range lies within the Bureau of Land Management’s Nopah Range Wilderness, and the name’s origin remains uncertain.

Charleston View, California · United States