{{Short description|Geological formation in California, US}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Volcanic Ridge | image = 170828-FS-Inyo-PRW-MountRitter (36911169891).jpg | image_caption = Northwest aspect | elevation_ft = 11486 | elevation_ref = <ref name="listsofjohn">{{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/56075|title=Volcanic Ridge, West - 11,486' CA|website=listsofjohn.com|accessdate=2022-05-29}}</ref><ref>USGS Topographic map - ''Mount Ritter''</ref> | prominence_ft = 1232 | prominence_ref = <ref name="pb">{{cite peakbagger|pid=36717|name=Volcanic Ridge, California|accessdate=2022-05-29}}</ref> | isolation_mi = 1.06 | isolation_ref = | parent_peak = Clyde Minaret (12,263 ft)<ref name="listsofjohn"/> | etymology = | map = California#USA | map_caption = Location in California | map_size = 260 | label_position = bottom | location = Madera County, California, U.S. | range = Sierra Nevada<br />Ritter Range<ref name="pb"/> | coordinates = {{coord|37.6712082|N|119.1601810|W|type:mountain_region:US-CA_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref = <ref name="gnis">{{cite gnis|id=268713|name=Volcanic Ridge|accessdate=2022-05-29}}</ref> | topo = USGS ''Mount Ritter'' | type = | rock = Metavolcanic rock<ref>''California Transect, Reno to San Francisco'' (1986), Association of Engineering Geologists, p. 57.</ref> | age = Mesozoic<ref>N. King Huber (1983), ''The Geologic Story of Yosemite National Park'', U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1595, U.S. Government Printing Office, p. 22.</ref> | first_ascent = 1933 | easiest_route = {{YDS|2}}<ref name="listsofjohn"/> }} '''Volcanic Ridge''' is an {{convert|11,486|ft|meter|adj=mid|-elevation|abbr=off|sp=us}} ridge located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Madera County of northern California, United States.<ref name="gnis"/> It is situated in the Ansel Adams Wilderness on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is set in the Ritter Range, {{convert|1.9|mi}} southeast of Mount Ritter, and approximately {{convert|10|mi}} west of the community of Mammoth Lakes. The Minarets are one mile to the west and Devils Postpile National Monument is five miles to the southeast. Topographic relief is significant as the west aspect rises over {{convert|1,700|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above Iceberg Lake in approximately one-half mile.

==History== The descriptive toponym was likely applied during an 1898–99 survey by the USGS,<ref>Peter Browning, ''Place Names of the Sierra Nevada: From Abbot to Zumwalt'', Wilderness Press, 1986, {{ISBN|9780899970479}}, page 229.</ref> and has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.<ref name="gnis"/>

The first ascent of the summit was recorded August 13, 1933, by Craig Barbash and Howard Gates.<ref>[https://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/climbers_guide/minarets_ritter_range.html Walter A. Starr and Louis A. Elliott, A Climber’s Guide to the High Sierra (1954)]</ref>

The Minaret Mine was located on the south aspect of the ridge. Lead was mined there, but the remote location made mining unprofitable, and the mine ceased operations in the early 1930s.<ref>[https://www.nps.gov/depo/learn/historyculture/historic-places.htm Historic Places, Devils Postpile National Monument, NPS.gov]</ref>

Volcanic Ridge is the site of the fatal 2007 airplane crash of Steve Fossett.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/plane-wreckage-fossett-s-bone-fragment-found-3191843.php|title=Plane wreckage Fossett's - bone fragment found|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|date=October 3, 2008 | first=Kevin | last=Fagan}}</ref>

==Climate== According to the Köppen climate classification system, Volcanic Ridge is located in an alpine climate zone.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Sierra-Nevada-mountains/Climate |title=Climate of the Sierra Nevada |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref> 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. Precipitation runoff from this landform drains to the Middle Fork San Joaquin River.

==See also== * {{Portal-inline|Mountains|size=tiny}} * Sierra Nevada

==Gallery== <div style="max-width: 400px;"> <gallery mode=slideshow> File:Minarets past lupines from High Trail.jpg|Northeast aspect, with the Minarets in upper right corner. File:Sunset from Minaret Vista near Mammoth Mountain.jpg|Volcanic Ridge centered, with Ritter Range behind it. File:Ritterrange.JPG|Volcanic Ridge seen with Mount Ritter and Banner Peak behind. File:View of the Minarets, Mt Ritter, and Banner Peak from Mammoth Mountain.jpg|View of the Minarets, Volcanic Ridge, Mount Ritter, and Banner Peak seen from Mammoth Mountain. File:170828-FS-Inyo-PRW-MountRitter (36861833706).jpg|Northwest aspect from Mt. Ritter File:170828-FS-Inyo-PRW-MountRitter (37049559145).jpg|Volcanic Ridge and Ediza Lake File:FossettCrash-file1443.jpg|Steve Fossett crash site on Volcanic Ridge File:Ediza Lake.jpg|Volcanic Ridge (left) and the Minarets reflected in Ediza Lake. File:Ediza Lake and snowy Volcanic Ridge.jpg|Volcanic Ridge rises above Ediza Lake </gallery> </div>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * Weather forecast: [https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/daily-table/2-5406718/United%20States/California/Madera/Volcanic%20Ridge Volcanic Ridge]

{{Geographic Location 2 | Center = Volcanic Ridge | North = Ediza Lake | Northeast = San Joaquin Mountain | East = Mammoth Lakes | Southeast = Devils Postpile National Monument | South = Minaret Lake | Southwest = Clyde Minaret | West = Minarets | Northwest = Mount Ritter }}

Category:Mountains of Madera County, California Category:Mountains of the Ansel Adams Wilderness Category:Three-thousanders of the United States Category:Mountains of Northern California Category:Sierra Nevada (United States) Category:Inyo National Forest