How high is a mountain?

Well, I was GOING to write today about whether the title on my picture was accurate. I am standing on Verdugo Peak, in the Verdugo Mountains - elevation 3120, according to the highest reading on my GPS. But - is that a mountain? I mean, when others are reaching heights of 14,000 ft and up, does 3120 qualify?

So I started to research - what is a mountain? Wikipedia has a nice article, and some of their example are lower than Verdugo Peak - so that made me feel good. Then I remembered that the Los Angeles chapter of the Sierra Club has a list of peaks over 5000 ft high - but they ALSO have a list of "Lower Peaks" shorter than 5000 ft. And Verdugo peak is on it! So that would seem to put and end to this question.

As a matter of fact, I have climbed a few of the Lower Peaks:

• Verdogo Peak
• Echo Mountain, above Alta Dena
• Rocky Peak, in the western San Fernando Valley
• Mt Zion, above Arcadia

And I have climbed a few of the Hundred Peaks (taller than 5000 ft):

• Vetter Mountain, with a beautiful, restored fire lookout tower
• Mt Mooney - near Vetter, but not much going for it
• Mt Hillyer - a nice climb, but not much of a "peak"

The Sierra Club lets you join the Hundred Peaks section when you have climbed 25 of the Hundred Peaks list (which actually has 275 peaks - you get a pin or something when you have climbed 100 of the 275). But I have a long way to go!