The Minarets are a jagged line of granite peaks in the Ritter Range of California’s Sierra Nevada, forming a dramatic arête and one of the most distinctive skylines in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. Named in 1868 by the California Geographical Survey, the group is known for its steep, narrow spires, especially visible from Minaret Summit. Seventeen spires have unofficial names, including Clyde Minaret, named for Norman Clyde, whose Southeast Face Route became a noted technical climb. The range is also linked to the deaths of Walter A. Starr, Jr. in 1933 and Steve Fossett in 2007. Its stark form and climbing history helped shape the identity of the surrounding wilderness.