Page Type:
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Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
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40.47686°N / 121.519°W |
Activities:
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Scrambling |
Season:
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Summer |
Elevation:
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9222 ft / 2811 m |
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Disclaimer
Special thanks to chskiers for bringing this page to life and creating Eagle Peak on summitpost. Though the general overview of the Peak has been completely changed and updated, many of the other sections have remained completely intact from when he was a the owner of this great summit.Overview
Eagle Peak located in Mount Lassen National Park a very notable summit in the park. It is the third highest summit in the National Park with only the namesake summit of Mount Lassen and the famous cliffy summit of Brokeoff Mountain being higher. Unlike both Mount Lassen and Brokeoff Mountain Eagle Peak has no formal trail to the summit making it the highest off-trail peak in the entire park. The fact that Eagle Peak doesn’t have a trail makes the peak much less popular than the other two mountains. Eagle Peak like most of the other summits in the national park is of volcanic origin. The volcanic origin plays a major role in the poor stability of the rock which turns out to be more rubble and poor for true rock climbing as opposed to other mountains further south in the Sierra which are composed of stable granite which is better for rock climbing.
Luckily for summit baggers there is an easy Class 2+ (or low Class 3 depending on whom doing the interpretation of the YDS system) right on the gap between Eagle Peak and Ski Heil Peak. From either the Lake Helen- Bumpass Hell Parking Area or the Lassen Peak Trailhead take a quick off-trail hike or bushwhack up to the gap between Ski Heil Peak and Eagle Peak. If done right this should involve little or no true scrambling and maybe take 30 minutes to an hour to make it to the gap. From the gap you want to continue to about 100 yards beyond the height of land and past the southern cliffs. From there you will notice an area where the cliffs give way to a 100 foot Class 2+ rocky and somewhat brushy scramble to a more gradual area of Eagle Peak. From there just continue up the peak as you rise up at about 35 degree of a combination of scree and brush field until you reach up to the true summit. From the crux to the true summit is Class 2 max.
There is another Class 2 way up to the summit as well from the north section. This is a more direct route and should be best attempted from the Mount Lassen Trailhead Parking Area. Instead of going into the gap the route involves climbing straight up a loose scree field all of the way to the summit of Eagle Peak. The terrain on this side is open and would probably be a good quick snowclimb when conditions are ideal.
Because of the fact that there is no boot-path be very careful and try to follow the same way back. Just a little off routing can bring you to Class 4 or 5 terrains in a hurry. It should be noted that the elevation gain is only 600 feet from the Lassen Peak Trailhead and 1000 feet from Lake Helen or the Bumpass Hell Trailhead. Because of this short distance it is strongly advise that you also head to the summit of Ski Heil Peak which is easier in difficult that Eagle Peak and has good close-up views of Eagle Peak and the surrounding area. To do both should take no more that 3-5 hours maximum, which is not much effort for the excellent views you will be obtaining.
As for the views on Eagle Peak they are excellent. You have a great close-up view of nearby and towering Lassen Peak as well as many of the other peaks in the park. You also have a great shot of Mount Shasta and the Sacramento Valley. Eagle Peak still delivers good views and for not very much effort. The views are not quite as spectacular as neighboring Lassen Peak and nearby Brokeoff Mountain but still very worthwhile! Unfortunately Josh Lewis and I could not find a summit register on the summit, which leads me to believe that despite this peaks close proximity to Lassen Peak this peak does not receive much attention from the general public.
Getting There
Year round trailheads to this peak are on the Lassen Loop Road whether you are driving to the Lassen Peak trailhead on the South Side or cross-country skiing from the Manzanita Lake or Mineral entrances to Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Red Tape
Lassen Volcanic National Park is part of the US National Parks Service and a park entrance fee is charged. As of June 2008, a 7-Day vehicle entry pass is $10 and an annual pass to just this park is $25. You also have the option of purchasing an American the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass for $80.• Lassen Volcanic National Park Fees
• America the Beautiful Pass Info
Camping
If all you're interested in doing is climbing up the trail to the summit, then camping probably isn't required. If you plan on exploring the other great sites within Lassen Volcanic National Park, then opportunities abound! For campsite reservations, please visit the Lassen NPS page or call them at 1-877-444-6777.Campgrounds
For more information about the campground specifics, please visit the appropriate NPS website.
2 Routes