This 14,018-foot (4,273 m) peak is named in honor of John Muir, a geologist, conservationist and founder of the Sierra Club.

Among mountain climbers, a peak needs to meet certain criteria in order to be included in some lists.

To be listed as an independent peak a summit must have 300 feet (91 m) of clean prominence.

The trail passes very near the summit and the climb involves a short stretch of difficult scrambling and/or easy rock climbing up the steep western slope to the summit block, (class 3).

The south side of the east buttress, also class 4, was first climbed on September 1, 1935, by Arthur B. Johnson and William Rice.