| Whaleback | |
| Elevation Ft: | 11717 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence Ft: | 557 |
| Isolation Mi: | 1.66 |
| Isolation Ref: | [2] |
| Parent Peak: | Peak 12660 |
| Etymology: | Whaleback |
| Listing: | Sierra Peaks Section |
| Map: | California#USA |
| Map Size: | 260 |
| Label Position: | left |
| Location: | Kings Canyon National Park Tulare County, California, U.S. |
| Range: | Sierra Nevada Great Western Divide |
| Coordinates: | 36.6303°N -118.5312°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [3] |
| Topo: | USGS Sphinx Lakes |
| Rock: | granitic |
| First Ascent: | 1936, Adele van Loben Sels, May Pridham[4] |
Whaleback is a remote 11717feet three-mile-long ridge located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Tulare County of northern California.[3] It is situated in Kings Canyon National Park, extending north from the Great Western Divide. This geographical feature has significant topographic relief as it rises 2900abbr=offNaNabbr=off above Shortys Cabin in Cloud Canyon in approximately one mile. Whaleback ranks as the 488th highest peak in California.[2] The first ascent of the summit was made August 5, 1936, by May Pridham and Adele van Loben Sels.[5]
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Whaleback 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, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range (orographic lift). Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into headwaters of the Roaring River.