In addition to bagging the Cascade Volcanoes and more interesting technical rock peaks in the Sierras, I've found myself thinking more and more about peakbagging the Big Sur peaks. I think this is because: (1) I don't really hear of anyone bagging these peaks, (2) some of the peaks are challenging to get to - no trails through heavy brush, and (3) there aren't so many peaks on the list to make it overwhelming. Sort of like bagging the Red Rocks peaks if I was living in Vegas <p>Here are some of the Big Sur peaks that I've found:<ul><table border=1 cellspacing=0 bgcolor=#ffffff><tr><td align=center><font style="font-weight: bold;">Rank</td><td align=center><font style="font-weight: bold;">Name</td><td align=center><font style="font-weight: bold;">Height</td></tr><tr><td align=center>1</td><td><a href="http://www.summitpost.com/mountains/mountain_link.pl?mountain_id=350">Junipero Serra Peak</a></td><td>5862'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>2</td><td>Pinyon Peak</td><td>5264'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>3</td><td><a href="http://www.summitpost.com/mountains/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/387">Cone Peak</a></td><td>5155'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>4</td><td>Chew's Ridge</td><td>5045'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>5</td><td>South Ventana Cone</td><td>4965'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>6</td><td>Black Butte</td><td>4941'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>7</td><td><a href="http://www.summitpost.com/mountains/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/444">Ventana Double Cone</a></td><td>4853'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>8</td><td>Twin Peak</td><td>4843'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>9</td><td>Bear Mountain</td><td>4771'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>10</td><td>Uncle Sam Mountain</td><td>4766'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>11</td><td><a href="http://www.summitpost.com/mountains/mountain_link.pl?mountain_id=936">Ventana Cone</a></td><td>4727'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>12</td><td>Kandlbinder Peak</td><td>4653'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>13</td><td>Black Cone</td><td>4535'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>14</td><td><a href="http://www.summitpost.com/mountains/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/856">Mount Carmel</a></td><td>4417'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>15</td><td>Miller Mountain</td><td>4341'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>?</td><td>Devils Peak</td><td>4158'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>?</td><td>Anderson Peak</td><td>4099'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>?</td><td>Pico Blanco</td><td>3709'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>?</td><td>Pine Mountain</td><td>3594'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>?</td><td>Post Summit</td><td>3455'</td></tr><tr><td align=center>?</td><td><a href="http://www.summitpost.com/mountains/mountain_link.pl?mountain_id=671">Mount Manuel</a></td><td>3380'</td></tr></table></ul>What do people think of peakbagging in Big Sur? An adventure or not worth the effort? <p>You can find information on the top 15 peaks in <a href="http://www.ventanawild.org/news/fe99/peaks.html">Thom Carson's "Fifteen Places to Climb High in the Ventana"</a>.

This is my second favorite area outside the Sierra, with some fine hiking indeed. While I was on Ventana Double Cone, I spotted the even more remote Ventana Cone halfway between Double Cone and South Ventana Cone (the naming in this region isn't particularly inventive). The stretch between South Ventana Cone and Ventana Cone is the toughest, something like two miles of possibly brutal bushwhacking. I plan to try doing this as a dayhike from China Camp, maybe this spring. Interested?

Not to digress too far from the topic, but the northern coast ranges offer more exciting stuff, higher, with snow cover and ski routes. Trinity Alps, Mt Eddy, Snow Mtn, Yolla Bolly, Marble Mtns. I admit the drive and the approach are both longer than Big Sur, but the peaks are more interesting, topping over 9000 ft at Trinity Alps (heavily glaciated) & Mt Eddy (9027' highest in N Coast Range with great view of Shasta), 8000 ft at Yolla Bolly, and 7000 ft at Snow Mtn. I heard from somewhere that the east slope of Yolla Bolly has the longest sustained steep slope (about 7000 vertical ft) outside the Sierra in the state. An area well worth some exploration.

Not to say that Big Sur is not exciting. It is the most gorgeous coastline I've ever found. The ruggedness and steepness of the slopes are uncomparable outside the Sierra. However, bushwacking and summer heat in the inland areas are the major drawbacks. It's long been a popular alternative to the sierra during winter.

Bob & Gordon,<ul><li><font style="font-weight: bold;">Big Sur:</font> I'm definately interested, however, I'm going to do some more reading and looking at maps first I don't mind bushwacking - I think it adds a sense of adventure that one doesn't find too much these days and it makes the summit that much sweeter. I think one reason I like Big Sur is that it's so different from the Sierra and the PNW in terms of plant life and scenery. The black oaks and snow reminded me of hiking on the East Coast. The peaks in the other areas Gordon mentioned are more similar to even more spectacular west coast peaks IMHO - but I have to admit I haven't seen photos for all of them.</li><li><font style="font-weight:bold;">Trinity Alps:</font> Generally, the Trinity Alps and other remote northern CA areas don't see much activity because the drive is too long from the Bay Area and there are much closer and better alternatives. The 6-hour 1-way drive up to Shasta is about my limit for weekend trips. I've done long drives to get to Shasta, Castle Crags, and King's Peak on the Lost Coast (gorgeous) but I think the Trinity Alps are farther away than I care to drive on a weekend. Maybe if I can find someone to drive up with <p>For an extended weekend or week trips outside of the winter, I'd rather do a multi-day climbing trip to say the Sawtooth Ridge or the Gorge of Despair just north of Mount Harrington. Both places seem to have lots of good multi-pitch moderate rock routes. I'd like to do more climbing in the Eastern Sierra, but that's quite a drive for a weekend as well.<p>Outside of winter, 9000 feet just doesn't sound that impressive when the driving time is 50+% greater than the drive to Yosemite. However, some SP mountain pages and photos could possibly change my mind!</li><li><font style="font-weight:bold;">Snow Mountain:</font> I've thought about this peak for a while now, but at a 5-hour 1-way drive from the Bay Area for a 15-mile round trip class 1 hike, it doesn't seem very enticing when I can get to Yosemite in 4 hours.... Without snow, this peak doesn't look very attractive to me from an aesthetic POV. My current thoughts are this peak is best enjoyed as an x-country ski trip since there isn't a whole lot of elevation gain. But, if anyone wants to go, let me know - I'd be more than willing to tag along and pay for gas </li></ul>Cheers,<br>John

John
High Sierra wins hands down if you compare any of these destinations to it. However, this thread wouldn't have gotten started if it were summer or fall now.

I agree length of drive is a big consideration; I for one do not usually go south of Palisades for the same reason. Eastern Sierra is not attractive right now in winter (from bay area) also because of the long drive.

Some pictures of <A HREF="http://www.backcountrypages.com/yollagallery.html">Mt Linn</A>, 8092 ft in the Yolla Bolly Mtns (not much further than snow mtn, much closer than Trinity Alps).
If you have bagged all major Cascades peaks, then these little ones offer some adventure too (shorter drive, similar scenery to Cascades, long hikes with lots of cumulative elevation gain, skiing possibilities). That said, most interesting Cascades peaks in Washington state are around 9000 feet or even less.

Gordon,

When's your next trip to the Yolla Bolly Mountains?

John

John
I was just researching the approach, and it seems Mt Linn is a very short hike (1 mile scrambling, after driving 30 miles on back roads) from the east. From the west it's at least 12 miles one-way (mostly ridge top trails, with the final 1 mile scrambling), with even more back roads driving. There are springs en route for camp sites. From the east of course you can also take a longer hike by taking different trailheads. Do you think it's good to do it as a day hike or backpacking? I'd think the scenery from the west is better since most of it is protected wilderness. The backroads however will not be entirely passable now, they will be clear of snow probably in late April or May?

Oh by the way I've heard things about the ambience of Round Valley (Covelo), which you drive by on the western approach. It is probably the most remote and insular community in the state. I would be excited to visit it.
Cheers
Gordon

I drove through Covelo on May 1, 1998. Indeed, a very neat place. Not really California-like. Reminds me of Montana or Wyoming, perhaps. You look around and all you see is mountains. Lots of Indians, too. When I was there, many of the surrounding peaks still had snow. In fact, the Mendocino Pass Road was closed at 5000' elevation. I met some locals who were backcountry boarding on north-facing slopes. In May at 5000'...fantastic!

My experiences with Snow Mountain have been less encouraging. I wanted to do some exploring outside the Sierra about 3 years ago in late September. So we decided to really get away from it all and do an overnight backpack trip, camping on the summit of Snow Mountain. After 30 miles of driving on dirt Forest Service roads, we came to the high point, only to discover...a parking lot packed with deer hunters. Here we are in the middle of nowhere, and literally not a single parking spot. Empty cases of Bud rolling around in the back of pickups, with 30.06 rifles on the rack... "Luckily", I forgot the food. Such an offense would have drawn serious ire from Kim, had this been a trailhead in the High Sierras. But in this instance, we exhchanged giddy laughs and high-tailed it back down the mountain, ending up later that afternoon in Fort Bragg, camping in a mostly-RV campground, picking bushels of fat blackberries.

I won't give any advice here...just wanted to share my experiences. Personally, I have no plans, living in the Bay Area, to spend any real time in Mendocino NF. Trinity Alps are possible, but I will probably not go there. I'd like someday to do some hiking in Big Sur. Also on the north coast, like John's King(s;'s;s') Peak.

Still, I saw some <a href=http://sepwww.stanford.edu/sep/morgan/images/scenery/california/mendocino/html/mendocino-NF.html>nice things</a> in Mendocino NF. If you wanted to do a weekend trip, with one day in the mountains and another day at the ocean, you might consider this area.

Morgan
Great to hear about your experiences in the Mendocino NF and see your pics! You brought up an important issue: the presence of objectionable activities in the area. In the northern coast ranges there are also many illegal marijuana plantations hidden in the hills, therefore exploring the hills is not without risks. Even in Big Sur area, the first time I tried to explore the Cone Peak area I saw people doing target shooting on trees, right off the dirt road. Sometimes these activities are also mixed with heavy drinking, it can be a little unnerving. Anyhow, the coast ranges have more pronounced problems as such because they're not remote enough. Hopefully, the protected wilderness areas would be free of hunting and other such activities (hunting is illegal in wilderness areas).

I'm not eager to explore the northern coast ranges, because of my limited time and the lure of High Sierra, even in spring. If I happen to be in the area some time I would, and all four groups (Yolla Bolly, Snow Mtn, Mt Eddy, Trinity Alps) have shorter routes except Thompson Peak group in Trinity Alps. I plan to day hike these peaks; if I have time to stay overnight I'd rather go to High Sierra.

snwburd is insane!

Cross country hiking in Ventana is not fun. I believe that it is in Jeff Schaffer's book where he talks about being able to make a couple miles a DAY off trail in Ventana. Along some of the ridges, it wouldn't be too bad but the canyons are overgrown and very steep.

"Along some of the ridges, it wouldn't be too bad but the canyons are overgrown and very steep."

You are correct that most cross-country travel is darn near impossible. It is similarly so in many of the coastal ranges in the lower half of the state - I've tried it in San Diego, Los Angeles, Big Sur, and Santa Cruz mountain., The scrub brush in these hills is nothing short of brutal. Further inland, in the Diablo range it gets easier, and I have been more successful in places like Pinnacles.

However, the route I suggested is hardly insane, as it follows the ridgeline between South Ventana Cone and Ventana Cone, which in your estimation wouldn't be too bad. Difficult, yes. But then that's the challenge, eh? And there was further consideration I made in that even if the route turns out to be far too difficult, you have the fallback that you were able to climb South Ventana Cone which is higher anyway.

I still think you are insane.

I may have to join you for that trip. Let me know when you plan on going.

Anybody interested in climbing Ventana Cone and South Ventana Cone Tuesday, April 16? Come on, you <i>know</i> you want to. Tell the boss you're sick. You might look the part the next day.
And if you're (un?)lucky enough to be unemployed, companies hire only 20% of candidates on Tuesdays, so you might as well go hiking then.
Respond here, or email me at: <a href=mailto:snwbord@hotmail.com>snwbord@hotmail.com</a>.
It looks to be about 18-20 miles, with 3-4 miles of ridgeline bushwhack. How much more fun than that could you have in one day?

Hmm... why a Tuesday snwburd? Why not a weekend or a Monday or Friday for a long weekend? I know April 16 is after taxes, but hopefully I'll have mine done by then - no not done yet

Ah, Tuesday was when my friend Michael <i>might</i> be able to go. He's off on his honeymoon until the 14th, so I won't know if he's game until then. In the meantime, if I get a better (read: another) offer for a Friday, that would work too. I don't work on Tuesdays and Fridays, and they're my easiest days for getting long dayhikes in. Weekends usually have family obligations. And this one I was hoping to do in a single day.

That said, I've also negotiated for a long weekend Fri-Sun around April 20. I haven't made any plans yet, but if anyone has some ideas, I'm all ears...