I 

I 

Mount Whitney Quadrangle, 

lnyo and Tulare Counties, 

California-Analytic Data 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1760 

Mount Whitney Quadrangle, 

lnyo and Tulare Counties, 

California-Analytic Data 

By JAMES G. MOORE 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1760 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

DONALD PAUL HODEL, Secretary 

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Dallas L. Peck, Director 

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1987 

For sale by the 

Books and Open-File Reports Section 

U.S. Geological Survey 

Federal Center, Box 25425 

Denver, CO 80225 

library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 

Moore, james Gregory, 1930-

Mount Whitney quadrangle, lnyo and Tulare Counties, 

California-Analytic data. 

(U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1760) 

Bibliography. 

Supt. of Docs. No.: I 19.3:1760 

1. Geology-California-Whitney, Mount, region. I. 

Title. II. Series. 

QE75.B9 No. 1760 557.3 s 87-600254 

[QE90.W48] [557.94'86] 
CONTENTS 

Abstract 1 

Introduction 1 

General geology 1 

Sampling and analytic methods 1 

Mount Whitney Intrusive Suite 3 

Other granitic rocks 5 

Average granitic rock composition 6 

References cited 6 

FIGURES 

I. Generalized geologic map of the Mount Whitney quadrangle 

showing locations of analyzed samples 2 

2. Plots of modes of the Mount Whitney Instrusive Suite 4 

3. Plots of modes of granitic rocks other than those of the Mount Whitney 

Intrusive Suite 5 

TABLES 

1. Chemical analyses, norms, and modes of granitic rocks from the Mount Whitney 

Intrusive Suite 8 

2. Chemical analyses, norms, and modes of granitic rocks other than from the 

Mount Whitney Intrusive Suite 9 

3. Modes of the Whitney Granodiorite, in volume percent 10 

4. Modes of the Paradise Granodiorite, in volume percent 10 

5. Modes of the granidiorite of Sugarloaf, in volume percent 11 

6. Modes of the granodiorite of Lone Pine Creek, in volume percent 11 

7. Modes of dikes and sills of the Mount Whitney Intrusive Suite, in volume 

percent 11 

8. Modes of the Dragon pluton, in volume percent 12 

9. Modes of the Independence pluton, in volume percent 12 

10. Modes of the Bullfrog pluton, in volume percent 12 

11. Modes of the granodiorite of Chagoopa, in volume percent 13 

12. Modes of the granite of Mount Kaweah, in volume percent 13 

13. Modes of older sheared granitic rock, in volume percent 13 

14. Area, in square kilometers, of rock units in the Mount Whitney quadrangle 14 

15. Average chemical composition, in weight percent, of granitic rocks in the 

Mount Whitney quadrangle 14 

16. Radiometric ages of granitic rock units in the Mount Whitney quadrangle 

and vicinity 15 

III 

Mount 

Tulare 

Whitney 

Counties, 

Quadrangle, lnyo and 

California-Analytic Data 

By james G. Moore 

Abstract 

The Mount Whitney quadrangle includes 620 km 2 

of the highest part of the crest of the Sierra Nevada, 

which is here underlain largely by Cretaceous granitic 

rocks. Seventy percent of the granitic rocks of the 

quadrangle belong to the Mount Whitney Intrusive 

Suite (80 km long and ZO km wide), which was 

emplaced in the Late Cretaceous during the final 

culmination of Sierra Nevada plutonism. 

About 170 samples of plutonic rocks were 

collected in the quadrangle; 110 were analyzed 

modally for their major mineral content and 15 were 

further analyzed chemically for their major 

elements. Ten samples collected within and adjacent 

to the quadrangle were dated by radiometric 

methods. The average plutonic rock in the quadrangle 

is estimated to contain 70.47 percent SiOz and 3.98 

percent KzO. This report supplements the geologic 

quadrangle map of the quadrangle by documenting 

these analyses as well as the location of the analyzed 

samples. 

INTRODUCTION 

T~e Mount Whitney quadrangle includes about 

620 km of the highest part of the Sierra Nevada. All 

of the quadrangle west of the Sierra Nevada crest is 

within Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, and 

that part east of the crest includes the steep east 

escarpment of the range and a small part of the west 

side of the Owens Valley. Mount Whitney, the highest 

point in the conterminous United States at an 

elevation of 4,418 m, is on the main range crest in the 

southeastern part of the quadrangle. A second northtrending major drainage divide, the Great Western 

Divide, lies in the western part of the quadrangle 

separated from the main crest to the east by the Kern 

River canyon. 

This report supplements the geologic map of the 

Mount Whitney quadrangle (Moore, 1981) by 

documenting modal and chemical analyses. 

GENERAL GEOLOGY 

The oldest rocks of the quadrangle are small 

masses of metavolcanic rocks preserved both as 

screens between and as inclusions within granitic 

plutons. These metamorphic rocks are closely 

associated with masses of sheared granitic rocks cut 

by mafic dikes tentatively assigned to the Late 

Jurassic Independence dike swarm. 

Cretaceous granitic rocks greatly predominate 

among the b~drock units of the quadrangle (fig. 1~. Of 

the 620 km in the quadrangle, about 600 km (98 

percent) are underlain by granitoids; the remainder is 

either covered by sediments deposited in the Owens 

Valley or underlain by small masses of pregranitic 

metamorphosed volcanic rocks. Seventy percent of 

the granitic rocks are part of the Mount Whitney 

Intrusive Suite (Moore and Sisson, 1987), which is more 

than 80 km long and 20 km wide and is one of the 

largest cogenetic intrusive complexes in the Sierra 

Nevada batholith. This group of four related granitic 

intrusions as well as cogenetic dikes and sills was 

emplaced in the Late Cretaceous during the final 

culmination of Sierra Nevada plutonism. 

SAMPLING AND ANALYTIC METHODS 

About 170 samples of typical plutonic rocks 

weighing about one kilogram each were collected in 

the quadrangle, but sampling density was uneven due 

to the inaccessibility of the terrain in some areas. 

Fourteen samples were analyzed chemically for their 

major elements (tables 1, 2), and 110 samples were 

modally analyzed (tables 3-13). The locations of 

samples for both types of analyses are shown in figure 

1, and plots showing the modal proportions of quartz, 

K-feldspar, and plagioclase in the granitic rocks 

appear in figures 2 and 3. The modal analyses were 

made by point counting selectively stained slabs 

(Norman, 1974) to determine volume percentages of 

quartz, K -feldspar, plagioclase, and mafic minerals. 

At least 1,000 regularly spaced points were counted on 

1 
2 
EXPLANATION 

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS > Q::! 

<:C f.· ...... "j ·.: .. :.:.:~~~·:·.:·: }ffi 

Sedimentary rocks, !;;: 

:::J undivided Cl 

GRANITIC ROCKS 

VKds~~ 

~~;aa Dikes and 

sills 

Whitney 

Granodiorite 

v:Kp/1 

Paradise 

Granodiorite 

~~~tf~~~It~~ Granodiorite (f) 

of lone :::J 

Pine Creek 0 

I.LJ 

ED u 

~ I.LJ 

Mitchell Peak Q::! 

u 

Granodiorite 

.· .·.· .· ·. ·.· .· ·· ~ 

: : ~: : :~.~. ~ ~ ~: : ~: 

Granodiorite 

of Sugarloaf 

Dragon pluton 

L~ ... 1 Ki ~ 

~ 

Independence 

pluton 

Granite of 

Mount Kaweah 

u 

~~i~ (i) 

~ Mafic plutonic Sheared Sheared granite Q::! 

rocks granodiorite 1-

Q::! 

0 

METAMORPHIC ROCKS u 

(i) 

WI,JJJI ~ ::> 

""':) 

Metavolcanic rocks, 

undivided 

Contact 

Fault 

Figure 1. Generalized geologic map .(from Moore, 

1981) and locations of analyzed samples in Mount 

Whitney quadrangle. Circles, chemically analyzed 

(tables 1, 2); dots, modally analyzed (tables 3-13); 

circles with crosses, geochronologically analyzed 

(table 16). 

slabs of about 70 cm2• The modal classification 

scheme for granitic rocks employed is that of 

Streckeisen and others (1973). 

The specific gravity of fist-sized samples was 

determined on a beam balance by measuring the 

difference between the length of the lever arm during 

balance of the sample in air and the length of the arm 

during balance while submerged in water. 

MOUNT WHITNEY INTRUSIVE SUITE 

The Mount Whitney Intrusive Suite is one of the 

largest and youngest composite granitic intrusions in 

the Sierra Nevada and dominates the granitoids of the 

Mount Whitney quadrangle. Radiometric ages for 

rocks in the suite fall in the range 80.4-87 Ma (see 

table 16). The major unit in the suite is the Paradise 

Granodiorite, which rings the slightly younger and 

more silicic Whitney Granodiorite. Marginal to the 

Paradise Granodiorite are the granodiorites of 

Sugarloaf on the west and Lone Pine Creek on the 

east. Silicic dikes and sills intrude various units of the 

suite. 

The Whitney Granodiorite is extremely 

porphyritic, containing large (4-8 em) nearly white Kfeldspar phenocrysts. The average modal composition 

of the Whitney Granodiorite is close to the boundary 

between the granite and granodiorite fields of 

Streckeisen and others (1973) (fig. 2A). Mafic 

inclus~ons are small and rare (averaging less than 

0.2/m ), and consequently very little structure can be 

discerned in the rock because the elongated 

phenocrysts are generally randomly oriented. The 

Paradise Granodiorite is slightly richer in plagioclase 

and mafic minerals (fig. 2B, table 4), and the Kfeldspar phenocrysts are smaller (1-3 em) and contain 

zonally arranged mafic minerals that give them a 

darker aspect. Maqc inclusions are not abundant 

(average about 0.2/m ), but they are abundant enough 

to commonly define a mappable foliation. 

The granodiorite of Sugarloaf is dark and 

nonporphyritic, and contains abundant mafic inclusions 

(average about 6/m 2). Its apparent counterpart on the 

opposite side of the Mount Whitney Intrusive Suite, the 

granodiorite of Lone Pine Creek, is similar in 

appearance, although somewhat more mafic (fig. 2C, 

table 6). 

Several dikes and sills of granite porphyry 

containing phenocrysts of quartz and K-feldspar 

intrude the Whitney Granodiorite, particularly near 

Mount Whitney. These rocks appear to be 

compositionally related to the Mount Whitney Intrusive 

Suite and may rep1•esent a silic.ic residue delivered 

from the magma chamber before complete 

consolidation. The Golden Bear dike, formerly 

assigned to the Mount Whitney Intrusive Suite (Moore, 

1981), is compositionally distinct, and hence it is 

probably unrelated to the suite. Modal analyses 

indicate that it is much poorer in quartz {fig. 2D, table 

7), and chemical analyses indicate that it is poorer in 

Si02 and higher in Na2o (table 1), than comparable 

rocks of the suite. The Golden Bear dike rock most 

resembles the quartz monzonite of the Dragon pluton; 

3 
Figure 2. Plots of modes of the Mount Whitney 

Instrusive Suite. Classification scheme for granitic 

rocks from Streckeisen and others (1973). A, Whitney 

Granodiorite: samples (dots) and average (circle) in 

Mount Whitney quadrangle. B, Paradise Granodiorite: 

samples (dots) and average (circle) in Mount Whitney 

quadrangle. Triangle is average of modes within 

Mount Pinchot quadrangle to the north. C, 

4 

Q 

EXPLANATION 

Q Quartz 

A Alkali feldspar 

P Plagioclase An5 _ 100 

( Streckeisen and 

others, 1973) 

Granodiorite of Sugarloaf: samples (dots) and average 

(circle) in Mount Whitney quadrangle. Granodiorite of 

Lone Pine Creek: samples (solid squares) and average 

(open square) in Mount Whitney quadrangle. D, Golden 

Bear dike: samples (dots) and average (circle) in 

Mount Whitney quadrangle. Sill south of Mount 

Whitney shown by solid square. 
however, unlike the Dragon pluton, it is younger than 

the Paradise Granodiorite and is probably the youngest 

intrusive roek in the quadrangle. 

OTHER GRANmC ROCKS 

The granodiorite of Chagoopa is of variable 

composition, ranging from quartz diorite to granite 

(fig. 3A, table 11), and contains an inner prophyritic 

facies. A darker, fine-grained facies of the 

granodiorite forms a thick sill in the granite of Mount 

Kaweah on Kaweah Peaks Ridge. 

35 .-A 65 90 

Figure 3. Plots of modes of granitic rocks other than 

those of the Mount Whitney Intrusive Suite. See figure 

2 for classification scheme. A, Granodiorite of 

Chagoopa: samples (dots) and average (circle) in 

Mount Whitney quadrangle. Independence pluton: 

samples (solid squares) and average (open square) in 

Mount Whitney quadrangle. Average of Independence 

pluton in Mount Pinchot quadrangle to the north shown 

by triangle. B, Bullfrog pluton: samples (dots) and 

The Bullfrog pluton occupies 77 km2 in the 

Mount Whitney quadrangle and an additional 59 km2 in 

the Mount Pinchot quadrangle to the north. This 

intrusive mass is mostly composed of light-colored, 

silicic granite and quartz monzonite (fig. 3B, table 10) 

that averages only 2.5 percent mafic mineralf a~d 

contains rare mafic inclusions (average 1 x 10- /m ) 

except near contacts. 

Silicic, light-colored granite similar to that of 

the Bullfrog pluton makes up the Independence 

pluton. The granite averages 2. 7 percent mafic 

minerals (fig. 3A, table 9). 

average (circle) in Mount Whitney quadrangle. 

Average in Mount Pinchot quadrangle shown by 

triangle. C, Dragon pluton: samples (dots) and 

average (circle) in Mount Whitney quadrangle. 

Average in Mount Pinchot quadrangle shown by 

triangle. D, Granite of Mount Kaweah (dots), older 

sheared granodiorite (triangle), and older sheared 

granite (square). 

5 
The granite of Mount Kaweah (in the southwest 

part of the quadrangle) is variable in composition (fig. 

3D, table 12). Oxidation of disseminated pyrite within 

the unit commonly produces a faint red staining. 

The rock of the Dragon pluton differs markedly 

in general composition from other granitoids of the 

quadrangle because of its low quartz content (average 

8.3 percent) and its alkalic character (tables 2, 8). The 

rock averages about 3 mafic inclusions per square 

meter. Most samples plot in the quartz monzodiorite 

and quartz monzonite fields of Streckeisen and others 

(fig. 3C). 

AVERAGE GRANITIC ROCK COMPOSITION 

The average chemical composition of the 

granitic rocks within the quadrangle has been 

estimated. This average is based on assignment of 

compositions to each of the intrusive masses and then 

weighting these compositions on the basis of the areal 

proportion of each mass that is exposed within the 

quadrangle (table 14). The assignment of compositions 

to the intrusive masses was done according to the 

following scheme: the Whitney Granodiorite is the 

average of two analyses (table 1); the Paradise 

Granodiorite is represented by the average of three 

analyses (table 1); the granodiorite of Sugarloaf and 

the chemically similar granodiorite of Lone Pine Creek 

are each given by the Sugarloaf unit analysis listed in 

table 1; the Bullfrog pluton, Independence pluton, 

older sheared granodiorite, granodiorite of Chagoopa, 

granite of Mount Kaweah, and Dragon pluton are each 

represented by a single analysis (table 2); the Mitchell 

Peak Granodiorite is represented by the analysis of the 

similar granodiorite of Sugarloaf (table 1), and older 

sheared granite by the analysis of the similar 

Independence pluton (table 2); mafic plutonic rocks 

were represented by an unpublished analysis of similar 

rocks from the neighboring Triple Divide Peak 

quadrangle, which contains 58.69 percent Si02 and 

2.32 percent K20. These last three unanalyzed masses 

are small and contribute little to the ~verall averages; 

they compose a total area of 4.9 km , or 0.8 percent 

of the area of granitic rocks of the quadrangle. 

The average granitic rock has been calculated 

separately for each of the four quadrants (7 .5-minute 

quadrangles) of the 15-minute quadrangle, and the 

results show that the compositions are quite uniform 

among the quadrants (table 15). The average granitoid 

6 

of the quadrangle is silicic, containing 70.5 percent 

Si02, and would lie on about the granodiorite-granite 

boundary. The average Si02 content of granitic rocks, 

exclusive of mafic plutonic rocks, in the Mount 

Pinchot quadrangle (bordering the Mount Whitney 

quadrangle to the north) has been estimated at 68.2 

percent (Moore, 1963); the estimated average 

composition of Mesozoic plutonic rocks of the Sierra 

Nevada is 68.4 percent (Dodge, 1972). 

REFERENCES CITED 

Chen, J.H., and Moore, J.G., 1982, Uranium-lead 

isotopic ages from the Sierra Nevada batholith, 

California: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 87, 

no. B6, p. 4761-4784. 

Dodge, F.C.W., 1972, Trace-element contents of some 

plutonic rocks of the Sierra Nevada batholith: U.S. 

Geological Survey Bulletin 1314-F, 13 p. 

Evernden, J.H., and Kistler, R.W ., 1970, Chronology of 

emplacement of Mesozoic batholithic complexes in 

California and western Nevada: U.S. Geological 

Survey Professional Paper 623, 42 p. 

Moore, J.G., 1963, Geology of the Mount Pinchot 

quadrangle, southern Sierra Nevada, California: 

U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1130, 152 p. 

___ 1981, Geologic map of the Mount Whitney 

quadrangle, Inyo and Tulare Counties, California: 

U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map 

GQ-1545, scale 1:62,500. 

Moore, J.G., and Sisson, T. W ., 1987, Geologic map of 

the Triple Divide Peak quadrangle, Tulare County, 

California: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic 

Quadrangle Map 1636, scale 1:62,500. 

Norman, M.B., 1974, Improved techniques for selective 

staining of feldspar and other minerals using 

amaranth: U.S. Geological Survey Journal of 

Research, v. 2, no. 1, p. 73-79. 

Steiger, R.H., and Jager, E., 1977, Subcommission on 

geochronology: convention on the use of decay 

constants in geo- and cosmochronology: Earth and 

Planetary Science Letters, v. 36, p. 359-362. 

Streckeisen, A.L., chairman, and others, 1973, Plutonic 

rocks: classification and nomenclature 

recommended by the International Union of 

Geological Sciences Subcommission on the 

Systematics of Igneous Rocks: Geotimes, v. 18, no. 

10, p. 26-30. 
TABLES 1-16 

-·========================== 
Table 1. Chemical analyses, norms, and modes of granitic rocks from the Mount Whitney 

Intrusive Suite 

(Chemistry (in weight percent) by X-ray spectroscopy; analyst: J. Carr (supervisor, 

v. G. Mossotti) except for FeO and u2o, analyst: M. Taylor (supervisor, P. J. Lamothe). 

CIPW norms in weight percent. Modes, in volume percent, determined by counting 1,000 - 2,000 

points on selectively stained slabs at least 70 cm2 in area; analyst: Oleg Polovtzoff] 

Whitney Paradise Granodiorite Dikes, 

Granodiorite Granodiorite of Susarloaf sills 

Locality No.--------- W-9 W-14 P-9 P-13 P-21 S-3 A-4 A-3 

Field No.--------- 20o-2 7-311 7-53 7-301 6-259 7-27 7-37 75 M47 

Chemical analyses 

SiOz---------------- 72.19 69.75 70.38 69.80 68.58 66.14 76.84 67.97 

A1203r-------------- 14.39 15.81 14.86 15.15 15.25 15.40 13.03 15.92 

Fe203--------------- 1.48 1.25 1.42 1.50 1.72 2.22 .49 1.21 

FeO----------------- 1.00 .94 1.32 1.26 1.46 2.35 .41 1.53 

MgO----------------- .58 .65 1.09 .92 1.10 2.04 • 20 .83 

CaO----------------- 2.52 2.46 3.05 3.02 3.54 4.26 1.08 2.72 

Na20---------------- 3.69 3.87 3.59 3.60 4.09 3.50 3.08 4.17 

K~----------------- 3.81 4.72 3.86 3.51 3.08 3. 28 5.15 4.10 

H~+ --------------- .33 • 36 .36 .53 .41 .56 .26 .32 

H~- --------------- .16 .04 .05 .18 .04 .06 .08 .12 

TiOz---------------- • 37 .40 .41 .49 .51 .60 .13 .45 

P~s---------------- .16 .16 .17 .17 .18 .21 .04 .17 

MnO----------------- .os .os .07 .os .05 .08 .01 .11 

COz----------------- .06 .09 .06 .06 .12 • 20 .09 .42 

To ta 1--------- 100.80 100.55 100.70 100.26 100.15 100.93 100.91 100.04 

CIPW norms 

Q------------------- 30.29 23.33 26.94 27.90 24.54 21.58 36.65 20.86 

c------------------- 0.24 0.34 0.52 

or------------------ 22.51 27.89 22.81 20.74 18.20 19.38 30.43 24.23 

ab-~---------------- 31.22 32.74 30.38 30.46 34.61 29.61 26.06 35.28 

an------------------ 11.45 11 .17 13.03 13.88 14.16 16.62 5.10 12.39 

di------------------ 0.07 0.42 0.94 1.32 

by------------------ 1.54 1.74 3.42 2.65 3.25 6.72 .65 3.34 

mt------------------ 2.15 1.81 2.06 2.17 2.49 3.22 .71 1.75 

il------------------ .70 0.76 0.78 0.93 0.97 1.14 • 25 .85 

ap------------------ .38 0.38 0.40 0.40 0.43 0.50 .09 .40 

Total--------- 100.31 100.06 100.24 99.47 99.59 100.09 100.46 99.10 

Modes 

Quartz-------------- 30.4 26.3 25.1 19.5 20.8 23.2 38.1 11.1 

Potassium feldspar-- 22.7 20.9 21.9 26.2 20.2 13.3 29.8 46.5 

Plagioclase--------- 39.9 45.4 44.3 45.3 47.3 48.2 30.7 38.8 

Mafic minerals------ 7.0 7.4 8.7 9.0 11.7 15.3 1.4 3.7 

Total--------- 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.1 

Bulk specific gravity 2.660 2.645 2.665 2.645 2.670 2.710 2.610 2.623 

8 
Table 2. Chemical analyses, norms, and modes of granitic rocks other than from the 

Mount Whitney Intrusive Suite 

[Chemistry (in weight percent) by X-ray spectroscopy, analyst; J. Carr (supervisor, 

v. G. Mossotti) except for FeO and HzD, analyst: M. Taylor (supervisor, P. J. Lamothe). 

CIPW norms in weight percent. Modes, in volume percent, determined by counting 1,00(}-2 ,000 

points on selectively stained slabs at least 70 cm2 in area; analyst, Oleg Polovtzoff] 

Locality Number 

Field 

Si0z----------------

A120~--------------

Fe20~--------------

Fe0-----------------

MgO-----------------

CaO-----------------

Na20----------------

KzD----------------- HzD+ --------------- HzD- --------------- TiOz----------------

PzDs---------------- MnO-----------------

COz-----------------

Total---------

Q-------------------

c-------------------

or------------------

ab------------------

an------------------

di------------------

hy------------------

mt------------------

il------------------

ap-----------------

To tal---------

Quartz--------------

Potassium feldspar--

Plagioclase---------

Mafic minerals------

Total---------

Bulk specific gravity 

Bullfrog 

pluton 

B-15 

6-67 

75.16 

13.09 

.79 

.so 

• 27 

1.14 

3.75 

4.64 

• 25 

.08 

• 22 

.06 

.04 

.08 

100.08 

32.93 

27.42 

31.73 

5.18 

0.04 

0.67 

1.10 

0.42 

0.14 

99.63 

27.8 

32.9 

36.7 

2.6 

100.0 

2.625 

Independence 

pluton 

I-2 

6-159 

Older sheared 

granodiorite 

0-1 

7-'44 

Chem:f.cal analyses 

73.67 

13.81 

1.'36 

.62 

.39 

1.48 

4.05 

4.05 

.39 

.12 

.29 

.u 

.07 

.17 

100.58 

31.17 

0.33 

23.93 

34.27 

6.63 

0.97 

1.39 

0.55 

0.26 

99.50 

32.4 

27.5 

36.0 

4.1 

100.0 

2.590 

73.38 

13.53 

1.47 

1.03 

.73 

2.11 

3.90 

3.06 

.40 

.03 

.31 

.12 

.03 

.06 

100.18 

CIPW norms 

Modes 

33.61 

0.25 

18.08 

33.00 

9.69 

2.04 

2.13 

0.59 

0.28 

99.67 

28.9 

19.2 

43.8 

8.1 

100.1 

2.655 

Granodiorite 

of Chagoopa 

C-3 

7-261 

71.03 

14.83 

1.32 

1.04 

.77 

2.31 

3.51 

4.43 

• 36 

.06 

.42 

.13 

.04 

.10 

100.37 

27.84 

0.37 

26.18 

29.70 

10.62 

2.12 

1.91 

0.80 

0.31 

99.85 

29.2 

24.0 

40.4 

6.4 

100.0 

2.630 

Granite of 

Mount Kaweah 

K-3 

7-257 

70.47 

14.97 

1.51 

1.35 

1.04 

3.09 

3.73 

3.69 

.39 

.06 

.49 

.16 

.os 

.06 

101.09 

26.93 

21.80 

31.56 

13.21 

0.45 

3.11 

2.19 

0.93 

0.38 

100.56 

Dragon 

pluton 

D-4 

6-21 

63.24 

17.80 

1.92 

1.89 

1.17 

2.29 

4.91 

4. 33 

.79 

.08 

.73 

.23 

.10 

.06 

99.57 

11.71 

1.42 

25.59 

41.54 

9.87 

3.78 

2.78 

1.39 

0.54 

98.62 

8.4 

24.4 

58.8 

8.4 

100.0 

2.635 

9 
Table 3. Modes of the Whitney Granodiorite, in volume percent 

Locality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase minerals gravity 

W-1 7-74 22.4 26.4 46.9 4.3 2.645 

W-2 8-29 27.9 32.8 34.7 4.6 2.635 

W-3 8-31 22.3 25.8 47.9 4.0 2.595 

W-4 8-30 31.4 16.8 45.6 6.2 2.640 

W-5 75 M44 25.1 21.4 47.9 5.6 2.665 

W-6 8-28 30.6 21.0 41.8 6.6 2.640 

W-7 7-238 22.8 19.4 . 50.9 6.9 2.655 

W-8 8-27 24.9 15.7 48.2 11.2 2.660 

W-9 20G-2 30.4 22.7 39.9 7.0 2.660 

W-10 6-90 22.5 31.1 41.4 s.o 2.650 

W-11 6-77 22.6 23.1 47.7 6.6 2.655 

W-12 6-254 25.1 23.3 44.4 7.2 2.640 

W-13 7-307 19.9 22.3 47.6 10.2 2.655 

W-14 7-311 26.3 20.9 45.4 7.4 2.645 

W-15 77-4 25.4 20.0 45.0 9.6 2.625 

W-16 7-54 23.4 18.4 50.6 7.6 2.650 

W-17 7-212 20.3 37.8 37.8 4.1 2.622 

Average-------------- 24.9 23.5 44.9 6.7 2.643 

Standard deviation--- 3.4 5.7 4.3 2.0 0.017 

Table 4. Modes of the Paradise Granodiorite, in volume percent 

Locality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase minerals gravity 

P-1 75 M20 21.3 19.3 49.8 9.6 2.680 

P-2 75 Ml9 20.5 26.0 47.3 6.2 2.665 

P-3 75 M21 21.5 27.2 43.0 8.3 2.675 

P-4 75 M42 21.2 25.3 42.9 10.6 2.675 

P-5 75 M40 25.7 20.3 42.8 11.2 2.625 

P-6 75 M45 26.7 23.6 41.6 8.1 2.670 

P-7 6-315 21.1 18.0 47.2 13.7 2.668 

P-8 8-33 25.6 18.5 44.2 11.7 2.685 

P-9 7-53 25.1 21.9 44.3 8.7 2.665 

P-10 8-32 21.5 10.0 54.0 14.5 2. 710 

P-11 8-34 23.8 21.7 43.0 u.s 2.680 

P-12 6-64 21.1 21.4 47.4 10.1 2.670 

P-13 7-301 19 .s 26.2 45.3 9.0 2.645 

P-14 6-294 20.3 28.8 44.4 6.5 2.645 

P-15 8-26 24.4 24.5 41.4 9.7 2.660 

P-16 6-310 22.6 26.4 43.5 7.5 2.665 

P-17 6-312 25.4 17.1 51.3 6.2 2.660 

P-18 6-314 25.3 21.5 46.4 6.8 2.640 

P-19 6-53 16 .s 16.1 51.8 15.6 2.695 

P-20 6-257 21.1 22.3 47.9 8.7 2.660 

P-21 6-259 20.8 20.2 47.3 11.7 2.670 

P-22 6-256 21.2 25.5 44.9 8.4 2.690 

P-23 8-20 25.1 19.6 44.8 10.5 2.690 

P-24 7-28 19.8 18.3 48.9 13.0 2.690 

P-25 8-21 24.0 18.6 46.4 n.o 2.705 

P-26 8-22 25.8 17.8 46.8 9.6 2.670 

P-27 8-23 26.3 16.9 47.0 9.8 2.673 

P-28 8-24 22.9 22.3 44.6 10.2 2.703 

P-29 7-26 26.0 16.4 49.2 8.4 2.660 

P-30 7-211 26.2 16.0 47.5 10.3 2.680 

Average-------------- 23.0 20.9 46.2 9.9 2.672 

Standard deviation--- 2.4 4.1 3.0 2.3 .019 

10 
Table 5. Modes of the granodiorite of Sugarloaf, in volume percent 

IDeality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase minerals gravity 

S-1 8-17 24.5 21.7 43.0 10.8 2.675 

S-2 8-10 18.0 10.4 51.5 20.1 2.720 

S-3 7-27 23.2 13.3 48.2 15.3 2.710 

S-4 6-336 20.7 34.5 35.6 9.3 2.670 

Average-------------- 21.6 20.0 44.6 13.9 2.694 

Standard deviation--- 2.5 9.4 6.0 4.2 .022 

Table 6. Modes of the granodiorite of Lone Pine Creek, in volume 

percent 

IDeality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase minerals gravity 

L-1 6-79 24.6 5.3 48.9 21.2 2. 730 

L-2 6-50 20.9 6.3 50.2 22.6 2.745 

L-3 6-52 19.3 20.4 41.9 18.4 2.710 

Average-------------- 21.6 10.7 47.0 20.7 2. 728 

Standard deviation--- 2.2 6.9 3.6 1.7 .014 

Table 'l. Modes of dikes and sills of the Mount Whitney Intrusive Suite, 

in volume percent 

[Samples A-1 to A-3, Golden Bear dike; sample A-4, sill south of Mount Whitney] 

IDeality* Field Mafic Spec! fie 

number number Quartz K-fe1dspar Plagioclase minerals gravity 

A-1 6-288b 12.8 42.2 40.9 4.1 2.615 

A-1 6-288c 8.3 36.4 50.3 s.o 2.595 

A-2 75 M46b 9.4 23.1 66.4 1.1 2.630 

A-3 75 M47c u.s 50.4 35.6 2.5 2.605 

A-3 75 M47d 10.5 42.5 42.0 s.o 2.650 

Average-------------- 10.5 38.9 47.0 3.5 2.619 

Standard deviation--- 1.6 9.1 10.8 1.5 .019 

A-4 8-37 38.1 29.8 30.7 1.4 2.610 

11 
Table 8. Modes of the Dragon pluton, in volume percent 

IDeality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase minerals gravity 

D-1 6-230 12.7 36.0 44.6 6.7 2.650 

D-2 6-207 6.3 26.7 58.3 8.7 2.680 

D-3 6-17 4.1 24.8 62.0 9.1 2.685 

D-4 6-21 8.4 24.4 58.8 8.4 2.635 

D-5 6-15 4.8 7.4 76.6 11.2 2.730 

D-6 6-73 11.4 34.9 44.0 9.7 2.645 

D-7 6-161 11.5 13.8 53.9 20.8 2.705 

D-8 6-271 6.9 36.2 50.1 6.8 2.640 

D-9 6-268 10.3 38.5 44.9 6.3 2.630 

D-10 7-61 17.2 17.0 52.4 13.4 2. 720 

D-11 6-59 3.1 41.9 52.3 2.7 2.640 

D-12 6-246 3.1 34.5 58.1 4.3 2.660 

Average-------------- 8.3 28.0 54.6 9.0 2.668 

Standard deviation--- 4.2 10.4 8.7 4.5 .033 

Table 9. Modes of the Independence pluton, in volume percent 

IDeality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase minerals gravity 

I-1 6-72 25.3 45.4 27.4 1.9 2.615 

I-2 6-159 32.4 27.5 36.0 4.1 2.590 

I-3 6-27 29.1 33.9 35.0 2.0 2.620 

Average-------------- 28.9 35.6 32.8 2.7 2.608 

Standard deviation--- 2.9 7.4 3.8 1.0 .013 

Table 10. Modes of the Bullfrog pluton, in volume percent 

IDeality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase minerals grav:f.ty 

B-1 75 M49 24.3 42.5 32.1 1.1 2.600 

B-2 75 M37 37.5 40.2 21.6 .7 2.610 

B-3 6-292 28.2 39.8 31.0 1.0 2.615 

B-4 75 M50 28.4 44.9 25.7 1.0 2.612 

B-5 7-52 31.6 47.9 18.0 2.5 2.630 

B-6 6-235 19.7 48.6 28.5 3.2 2.570 

B-7 75 M36 29.7 44.4 24.7 1.2 2.615 

B-8 6-76 26.0 39.8 32.6 1.6 2.600 

B-9 6-277 10.4 20.8 66.5 2.3 2.610 

B-10 6-317 16.8 47.7 33.2 2.3 2.628 

B-11 6-316c 16.9 27.8 43.6 11.7 2.685 

B-12 6-35 12.3 56.2 27.8 3.7 2.625 

B-13 6-28 30.1 55.9 13.9 .1 2.600 

B-14 6-253 32.7 31.2 33.0 3.1 2.623 

B-15 6-67 27.8 32.9 36.7 2.6 2.625 

B-16 7-62 26.9 45.3 26.6 1.2 2.605 

B-17 6-243 31.6 28.3 38.3 1.8 2.625 

B-18 6-47 20.2 41.9 35.0 2.9 2.630 

B-19 6-43 24.3 33.8 39.2 2.7 2.615 

B-20 6-41 28.6 32.8 36.6 2.0 2.600 

B-21 6-39 16.8 36.2 46.3 1.7 2.615 

B-22 6-38 28.3 32.3 35.8 3.6 2.625 

B-23 6-295 22.6 33.8 40.5 3.1 2.620 

B-24 6-293 27.2 45.7 24.1 3.0 2.625 

Average-------------- 24.9 39.6 33.0 2.5 2.617 

Standard deviation--- 6.7 8.7 10.4 2.1 .019 

12 
Table 11. Modes of the granodiorite of Chagoopa, in volume percent 

Locality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase minerals gravity 

C-1 6-123 14.9 27.0 51.2 6.9 2.670 

C-2 7-42 28.8 20.1 45.0 6.1 2.640 

C-3 7-261 29.2 24.0 40.4 6.4 2.630 

C-4 7-259 22.6 29.9 42.1 5.4 2.655 

C-5 7-258 10.1 5.3 68.4 16.2 2.705 

C-6 7-43 21.5 20.8 48.6 9.1 2.660 

Average-------------- 21.2 21.2 49.3 8.4 2.660 

Standard deviation--- 6.9 7.9 9.3 3.7 .024 

Table 12. Modes of the granite of Mount Kaweah, in volume percent 

Locality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase minerals gravity 

K-1 6-125 17.4 30.0 46.2 6.2 

K-2 7-262 27.1 44.3 26.8 2.1 2.601 

K-3 7-257 27.2 58.6 11.3 2.9 2.600 

Average-------------- 23.9 44.3 28.1 3.7 2.601 

Standard deviation--- 4.6 11.7 14.3 1.8 .0005 

Table 13. Modes of older sheared granitic rock, in volume percent 

Locality Field Mafic Specific 

No. No. Quartz K-feldspar Plagioclase m:fnera1s gravity 

0-1 7-44 28.9 19.2 43.8 8.1 2.655 

0-2 7-30 38.4 33.1 24.4 4.1 2.612 

0-1 Sheared granodiorite 

0-2 Sheared granite 

13 
14 

Table 14. Area, in square kilometers, of rock units in the Mount Whitney 

quadrangle 

Qua d r an t Total 

Pluton or mass NW. NE. sw. SE. quadrangle 

Whitney Granodiorite--------------- 20.2 17.9 16.6 138.0 192.7 

Paradise Granodiorite-------------- 115.5 19.8 70.7 11.9 217.9 

Granodiorite of Sugarloaf---------- 11.8 11.8 

Granodiorite of Lone Pine Creek---- .8 4.8 5.6 

Bullfrog pluton-------------------- 19.0 57.7 .3 77.0 

Dragon pluton---------------------- 34.5 34.5 

Independence pluton---------------- 8.1 8.1 

Granite of Mount Kaweah------------ 23.8 23.8 

Granodiorite of Chagoopa----------- 22.8 22.8 

Older sheared granodiorite--------- 1.9 1.9 

Older sheared granite-------------- .8 .8 

Granodiorite of Mitchell Peak------ .4 .4 

Mafic plutonic rocks--------------- • 3 3.4 3.7 

Total (granitic rocks)------ 155.0 142.2 148.8 155.0 601.0 

Sedimentary rocks------------------ 9.0 9.0 

Metavolcanic rocks----------------- 3.8 6.2 lO.U 

Total------------------------ 155.0 155.0 155.0 155.0 620.0 

Table 15. Average chemical composition, in weight percent, of 

granitic rocks in the Mount Whitney quadrangle 

g u an d r an t Total 

NW. NE. sw. SE. quadrangle 

SiOz----------------- 70.58 70.77 69.90 70.64 70.47 

Al203i--------------- 14.88 15.00 15.03 15.09 15.00 

Fe203---------------- 1.44 1.35 1.54 1.41 1.43 

FeO------------------ 1.20 1.13 1.33 1.04 1.18 

MgO------------------ .90 .73 1.03 .69 .84 

CaO------------------ 2.87 2.04 3.03 2.59 2.63 

Na20----------------- 3.17 4.07 3.70 3.77 3.82 

K20------------------ 3. 73 4.28 3.73 4.17 3.98 

Ti02----------------- .43 .43 .46 .39 .43 

P2o5----------------- .16 -14 .16 .16 .16 

MnO------------------ .06 .06 .13 .05 .08 

Specific Gravity----- 2.662 2.646 2.656 2.648 2.653 
Table 16. Radiometric ages of granitic rock units in the Mount Whitney 

quadrangle and vicinity 

Localityl 

No. 

49 

(50) 

59 

(100) 

103 

104 

105 

106 

107 

(108) 

Field-lab 

No. 

CN 40 

CN 41 

6-124 

1584 

1584-HBD 

1587 

1587-R 

1587-HBD 

l588 

1589 

1590 

1590R 

1591 

1592 

1592-HBD 

Granitic unit 

Whitney Granodiorite 

Granodiorite of 

Lone Pine Creek 

Granite of Mount Kaweah 

Whitney Granodiorite 

do. 

Paradise Granodiorite 

do. 

do. 

Whitney Granodiorite 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

Granodiorite of 

Lone Pine Creek 

do. 

Elevation 

(feet) 

13,480 

7, 700 

11,300 

8,480 

8,480 

9,280 

9,280 

9,280 

11,530 

11,500 

13,777 

13,777 

11,600 

7,680 

7,680 

Dating 

method 

U-Pb 

U-Pb 

U-Pb 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

K-Ar 

1 Samples in parentheses are slightly east of quadrangle in Lone Pine 

quadrangle, see figure 2 for location of others. 

Mineral2 

z 

z 

z 

B 

H 

B 

B 

H 

B 

B 

B 

B 

B 

B 

H 

2 Z, zircon; B, biotite; H, hornblende. Zircon ages (Chen and Moore, 1982); 

other ages (Evernden and Kis tier, 1970). 

3 Ages in parentheses are discordant. All K-Ar ages are recalculated using the 

decay and abundance constants defined in Steiger and Jager, 1977. 

Age3 

(Ma) 

83 

87 

(>95) 

81.1 

82.0 

80.4 

80.4 

86.1 

83.9 

81.6 

84.0 

83.6 

81.3 

82.1 

83.6 

15