| Palisade Crest | |
| Elevation Ft: | 13559 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence Ft: | 561 |
| Parent Peak: | North Palisade[2] |
| Map: | California |
| Map Width: | 200 |
| Range: | Sierra Nevada |
| Coordinates: | 37.0814°N -118.4896°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [3] |
| Topo: | USGS Split Mountain |
| First Ascent: | 1969 by Don Jensen, Joan Jensen and Rex Post[4] |
| Easiest Route: | Northwest ridge (rock climb,) |
Palisade Crest is a jagged ridge in The Palisades's region of the Sierra Nevada southeast of Mount Sill and northwest of Middle Palisade. Its twelve pinnacles are unofficially named for characters from The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.[4] The highest pinnacle, at 13559feet, is called Gandalf Peak.[5]
The ridge marks the boundary between Kings Canyon National Park and the John Muir Wilderness.
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Palisade Crest is located in an alpine climate zone.[6] 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.