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mtbaxter - Aug 25, 2012 7:22 pm - Hasn't voted
Aug 20, 2012 ascentThis was the 4th of 5 CA P2K peaks we summited on a long weekend centered around our run in the Running With The Bears Half Marathon on Saturday near Greenville, one of the California Half Marathon Series.
The outing was hampered by several massive wildfires. The fire closest to this mountain completely burned two 2K prominence peaks directly to the east. These peaks were obviously closed to the public and I will have to go back up there someday to summit Observation and Hot Springs. At the time the Rush Fire was over 320,000 acres, about 42 x 16 miles in size, almost half the size of Yosemite NP, and burning in two states!
The lookout was manned by a retired CDF firefighter and his wife. Very friendly and informative. They told us we were lucky to come up the route that we did, as it started on a private ranch road which is gated and usually locked up. It was open for access by a fire crew which was mopping up a small 1/2 acre fire near the ranch and we were fortuitous to sneak in and out. The ranch route is the route that the lookout staff uses and they said the public route road is not as well maintained. I used 4WD on the ranch route and I think although nicely graded it traverses steep slopes and is rocky and would be scary in a standard car.
I cannon comment on the public route, not having driven it.
Highway 139, east of Eagle Lake, just south of Stone Ranch, turn R on unsigned road untitled on Topo! topo map as well as Lassen NF map. Near BM 5483. Set odometer at 0.
Soon the gate just before the ranch house.
Pass a mine (near our small fire and fire crew) and turn R at 3.9 miles (many steer on road near watering station)
At 8.4 mi an open gate
At 9.6 mile the summit and tower.
There were some familiar climber names in the tower guest register, more in the small book outside next to the benchmark in a pile of rocks.
gret_nelson2 - Jul 29, 2013 7:29 pm - Hasn't voted
DirectionsJust to add a few notes to the other report. We checked our odometer & it is 20.4 miles on HW 139 out of Susanville's main st. The dirt road is pretty easy to travel on & a hiker can start at the bottom for a 20 mile trip or anywhere along the road. At the beginning there is a BLM marker sign that says "Fredonyer". We saw another road about 10 miles before this one & it appeared to be a starting point of another hiker, but it really is not because it takes you through to Private Land. Altogether, it was a great outing & easy enough for anyone to enjoy!
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