{{Short description|Mountain peak of the Sierra Nevada in California, United States}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Picture Puzzle | other_name = | image = Picture Puzzle from Bishop Pass.jpg | image_caption = South aspect, from Bishop Pass | elevation = 13,286+ ft (4050+ m) | elevation_ref = <ref name="pb">{{cite peakbagger |pid=2743 |name=Picture Puzzle Peak, California |accessdate=2021-04-20}}</ref> | prominence = {{cvt|600|ft|0}} | prominence_ref = <ref name="pb"/> | isolation_mi = 1.12 | isolation_ref = <ref name="loj">{{cite loj |id=32335 |title=Picture Puzzle CA |accessdate=2021-04-20}}</ref> | parent_peak = Cloudripper (13,525 ft)<ref name="loj"/> | etymology = | map = USA California#USA | map_caption = Location in California | map_size = 220 | label_position = right | country = United States | state = California | region = Inyo | region_type = County | part_type = Protected&nbsp;area | part = John Muir Wilderness | range = Sierra Nevada<br />Inconsolable Range<ref name="pb"/> | coordinates = {{coord|37.1279154|N|118.5388440|W|type:mountain_region:US-CA_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref = <ref name="gnis">{{cite gnis|id=1667282|name=Picture Puzzle|accessdate=2021-04-20}}</ref> | topo = USGS ''Mount Thompson'' | rock = Inconsolable Quartz Monzodiorite<ref>[https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/stratotype-inventory-sequoia-and-kings-canyon-national-parks-california.htm Stratotype Inventory—Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California, nps.gov]</ref> | age = Cretaceous | first_ascent = 1937 by Norman Clyde<ref name="Secor"/> | easiest_route = Exposed scramble, {{YDS|3}}<ref name="Secor"/> }}

'''Picture Puzzle''', also known as '''Picture Puzzle Peak''', is a {{convert|13,297|ft|meter|adj=mid|-elevation|abbr=off|sp=us}} mountain summit located one mile east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Inyo County of northern California, United States.<ref name="gnis"/><ref>Steve Roper, ''The Climber's Guide to the High Sierra'', 1976, Sierra Club Books, {{ISBN|9780871561473}}, page 195.</ref> It is situated in the Palisades area of the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is approximately {{convert|14.5|mi}} west of the community of Big Pine, one mile north of Bishop Pass, {{convert|0.8|mi}} northwest of Aperture Peak, {{convert|1.2|mi}} north-northwest of Mount Agassiz, and {{convert|1.1|mi}} south-southwest of parent Cloudripper. Picture Puzzle ranks as the 90th-highest summit in California,<ref name="loj"/> and the third-highest peak of the Inconsolable Range.<ref name="pb"/>

==Climbing== Established climbing routes on Picture Puzzle:<ref name="Secor">{{cite Secor |page=203 |edition=3}}</ref> * Northeast Couloir – {{YDS|3}} * North Slope – class 3 * West Face – class 4

The first ascent of the summit was made June 15, 1937, by Norman Clyde, who is credited with 130 first ascents, most of which were in the Sierra Nevada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/norman_clyde/page57.html |title=Norman Clyde - Mountaineer |website=OwensValleyHistory.com}}</ref><ref name="Secor"/>

==Climate== According to the Köppen climate classification system, Picture Puzzle is located in an alpine climate zone.<ref name=KGcc2007>{{Cite Köppen-Geiger cc 2007}}</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, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range (orographic lift). Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains east into headwaters of North Fork Big Pine Creek, and west into headwaters of South Fork Bishop Creek.

==Gallery== <div style="max-width: 400px;"> <gallery mode=slideshow> File:Picture Puzzle, Bishop Pass.jpg|South aspect File:Picture Puzzle peak.jpg File:"Bishop Pass, Kings River Canyon (Proposed as a national park)," California, 1936., ca. 1936 - NARA - 519918.jpg|Picture Puzzle by Ansel Adams ca. 1936 File:Mysterious isolated orange rock - Flickr - daveynin.jpg|Picture Puzzle (left) and Aperture Peak (right) File:Picture Puzzle Peak NW.jpg|Picture Puzzle from northwest File:Picture Puzzle, near Bishop Lake.jpg </gallery> </div>

==See also== * {{Portal-inline|Mountains|size=tiny}} * List of the major 4000-meter summits of California

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * Weather forecast: [https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/daily-table/2-5382511/United%20States/California/Inyo%20County/Picture%20Puzzle Picture Puzzle] * Picture Puzzle from Chocolate Peak: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/timlawnicki/48907546982/in/photolist-2hvMXNE-LTE2wy-mts4wQ-ZAJGpE-2e7p1NZ-253sCzg-WoENyg-2iziEw5-j1eWip-2iPzJMs-o86ZyB-2ht5BjB-hQvBTT-8dSVpo-vwstLb-3cgnb-LziAdD-of21Tk-8K2jMQ-79qky-9b8c5w-sv4mJf-23vdMMg-8K3xin-44CBa6-pqwnHn-21FudHn-dPzAog-fncfSx-doCkL3-buj89N-bAA681-4c97mY-9qu4eF-2fE2bTj-6fUVUs-dhpCR4-ePGmrv-24txtuT-wtWmTK-231U52y-Gqyitc-ppXvCg-w9DGCe-w9uZgy-PfA9T9-MX8PhN-oeRiTn-ouLyGU-zY8TJQ Flickr photo] * Cloudripper and Picture Puzzle: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N03/44931974745/in/photolist-2bsu7FK-S5DXsY-HhZgD3-Gqyh6c-GqqdKb-fqMsDw-cTx56s-c2HCRC-bUiDSz-hiReL3-Gqyjqn-tBvjp7-HcyM3u-HeTxeg-SjjKJp-HeTxV6-6Vafqw-vxYGa-eax4i8-GqyiFX-dYi1Mv-dLiETp-GqqaXN-ou89t1-bmoCzj-GqyiTv-HeTxN2-HeTxCx-HkXsNx-xjtNFy-aAKY6D-HeTwHg-HhZkrd-GqqfYE-HeTyaV-GqqbjE-oc1Lt5-5ANQx2-GqqbWb-pYxzeD-GqqdWU-4q9w9U-qcUmUw-cys6hb-hUq2du-o8eXHt-dyPgti-qZUrQ7-7LvBw5-bNAqYk Flickr photo]

Category:Inyo National Forest Category:Mountains of Inyo County, California Category:Mountains of the John Muir Wilderness Category:Four-thousanders of the United States Category:Mountains of Northern California Category:Sierra Nevada (United States)