Kaiser Peak

Overview

Kaiser Peak is the signature peak of the Kaiser Wilderness and is the highpoint of the Kaiser Ridge.

It rises over Huntington Lake to the south and provides an excellent view of the central Sierra Nevada to the north.

Routes

There are three main trails to the Peak:

Kaiser Loop East (D&F Pack Station, class 1, route on topo)
From the D&F Pack Station climb 5.3 miles and gain nearly 3000 ft of elevation. Water is available early season along Deer Creek, but this creek will be dry after the snowmelt abates. You'll catch occasional glimpses of Huntington Lake until the view opens up above the treeline. Midway along the route lies College Rock: A 50ft dome embedded in the side of the ridge that provides some short class 4-5 scrambles.

Kaiser Loop West (Billy Creek Campground, class 1, route on topo)
From the Billy Creek Campground, travel 3 miles north passing junctions to Mary's Meadown on the right and Nellie Lake on the left. Cross over the Kaiser ridge and bear right (east) to follow the ridge to the peak.

George Lake (Class 1-2, route not on the USGS topo)
From the south end of George Lake, scramble along the snowmelt stream that flows between Kaiser Peak and the prominent unnamed minor peak on your left. A use trail exisits for much of the route, though it can be difficult to locate in the more marshy lower sections. The trail runs to the right of the small couloir which will have snow most of the year.



George Lake itself can be reached most easily from Potter Pass, which in turn can be reached from the D&F pack station allowing one to do a loop hike to the peak.

Getting There

From Fresno to Huntington Lake:
Take highway 168 ~70 miles toward Clovis/Huntington Lake
Turn left onto Huntington Lake Road.
(During the Spring, the last chance for gas may be Shaver Lake, During the summer there is a station on Huntington Lake Rd)

D&F Pack Station Trailhead:
The trailhead lies near Huntington Lake at the end of Deer Creek Road near the D&F Pack Station. Deer Creek Road is easy to miss and there is a "Pack Station" sign at the turnoff, which lies past the downtown area about a mile from 168. The parking lot is 1/2 mile from the Huntingron Lake Road and has room for 3-4 cars.



Billy Creek Camp Trailhead:
The Billy Creek campground is also along Huntington Lake Road, and is on the western end of the lake

Red Tape

Official regulations can be found on the following site:
http://www.sierranevadawild.net/wildernesses/Kaiser_Wilderness.htm

No permits are required for day trips. Permits are required for overnight trips and quotas are in place from 5/1 - 11/1.

When To Climb

The Peak is best climbed from May through November (or more specifically, when the peak is not snowbound). In the spring/summer there will be water and wildflowers along the trail.

Mountain Conditions

Huntington Lake Weather:
http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/USCA0501.html

Kaiser Point Snow Survey (East of the Peak)
href=http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/staMeta?station_id=KSP

Current conditions at the nearby Sierra Summit Ski Resort:
http://www.sierrasummit.com/current_conditions.php

Caltrans Road Conditions for Route 168
href=http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi?roadnumber=168

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

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rhyang - Aug 19, 2004 2:43 am - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

Just some additional info - basically head up towards College Lake - there are ducks / cairns for most of the way. From there you go towards the saddle (which should be obvious from looking at the topo), and scramble up rocks just to the right of it. That's really the only steep part. From the saddle you just pick up the Kaiser Loop trail and walk up to the peak.

DaleMatson - May 17, 2016 7:56 pm - Hasn't voted

Kaiser Peak

I think you mean to say College Rock not College Lake. College Rock is half way distance wise and 2/3 of the total climb.

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