Clarence King (1842-1901) of Rhode Island was a Yale-educated geologist and mining engineer who rode horseback across the continent in 1863. In California, he was hired to work on Whitney's geological survey of the state, and he went on to a distinguished professional career. Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada (originally published 1872) begins with a summary of the geological history of the Sierras and then recounts King's experiences in the range, both as a member of the Whitney expedition and as a mountain climber, 1864-1870. Highlights include his ascents of Mount Tyndall, Mount Shasta, and Mount Whitney; survey of Yosemite Valley; and field trips in the Merced Valley. King provides anecdotes of the mountains' people and natural history along the way.