
| Climbed solo on a dayhike out of Sacramento (really long drive!). The day was very clear and cold. My car said it was 3 degrees in Gerlach but about 19 at the trailhead. The dirt roads leading to the trailhead were all still in good shape. There was one portion where a low profile car may hit bottom but it should be passable.
There was just enough snow on the upper slopes to be very annoying. I could make out Shasta, Lassen, King Lear and dozens of other peaks nearby. Maybe it was the time of year I was on the peak, but I only saw three animals all day, birds included. It was so quiet and still that I was a little creeped out. The feeling of solitude was intense. Most of the time the only thing I could hear was my heart pounding from the steepness of the ascent.
I was able to bypass most of the class 3 climbing by staying left on the ascent. I'm just not comfortable on class 3 when soloing in the middle of nowhere. Stan Wilkinson's register entry got me thinking of how easy it can be to get hurt. This far out, a busted foot could really be a problem... The register is still on the west summit and has plenty of space.
Overall a really fun peak with awesome views. |