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Summit

Pinoche Peak

California

About

Pinoche Peak is a summit in the Bass Lake Ranger District of Sierra National Forest in California, about 2.8 miles from the town of El Portal. Typical averages from the Yosemite Village 12 W weather station, about 9 miles away at 6,620 feet, show a strong seasonal swing. Summer is the warmest and driest stretch: July and August highs reach about 75°F with lows near 60°F and only about one wet day each month. June and September are milder, with highs around 67°F and 70°F and just two or three wet days. October cools to highs near 60°F. From November through April, highs stay in the 40s, lows hover around freezing from December through March, and wet days climb to roughly 8 to 10 a month. Late spring through early fall offers the most settled conditions, with July and August the driest months. Nearby, the Pinoch Ridge and South Fork Merced hikes lie within about 4 miles, Road Closure Crag offers climbing a little over 3 miles away, and Dry Gulch campground sits about 4 miles off.

Summit Facts

Summit elevation

5,758 ft

Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).

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Location

Pinoche Peak

California

Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Jun–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 60–75°F and lows of 46–60°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Yosemite Village 12 W, CA weather station, 8.9 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan44° high32° low
  2. Feb42° high31° low
  3. Mar45° high32° low
  4. Apr49° high36° low
  5. May58° high43° low
  6. Jun67° high52° low
  7. Jul75° high60° low
  8. Aug75° high59° low
  9. Sep70° high54° low
  10. Oct60° high46° low
  11. Nov49° high37° low
  12. Dec43° high32° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
El Portal, California · 2.7 mi

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Bass Lake Ranger District as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

Is Pinoche Peak open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Sierra National Forest. It doesn't name Pinoche Peak, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Sierra National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Pinoche Peak

Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    44° / 32°

    10 wet

  2. Feb

    42° / 31°

    9 wet

  3. Mar

    45° / 32°

    10 wet

  4. Apr

    49° / 36°

    8 wet

  5. May

    58° / 43°

    7 wet

  6. Jun

    67° / 52°

    3 wet

  7. Jul

    75° / 60°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    75° / 59°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    70° / 54°

    2 wet

  10. Oct

    60° / 46°

    4 wet

  11. Nov

    49° / 37°

    7 wet

  12. Dec

    43° / 32°

    9 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Yosemite Village 12 W, CA, 8.9 mi away at 6,620 ft. The station sits about 900 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.