"After the first glass, you see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see things as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, which is the most horrible thing in the world."
--Oscar Wilde on Absinthe
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aobbard - Sep 8, 2015 3:56 pm Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2015
Easy peak, rough roadPleasant, easy hike with fantastic views. Given the work of the drive, you may want to lengthen the hike with a ridge-walk. I walked another couple miles North, and another mile South along the dirt-bike/horse trail. About 1/2 mile North of peak, aircraft wreckage is strewn all over, from the ridge down a few hundred yards down the West slope. It's from an F-111A crash in 1969. Crew of 2 was killed, and it was months before the wreck was located. The site was "re-discovered" by dirt bikers in 1998.
The "road" up to the trailhead described here is now definitely high-clearance, 4WD low. Several miles North (about 9.2 miles from the I-80 exit), there's a new road cut in climbing up the West slope (I think by Newmont Mining?) that leads up 6 miles and 3K feet to the crest. Road is steep, with super-tight switchbacks, but well-graded. From here it would be an easy ~2 mile ridge-walk, following horse-trails, South to the summit.
joseyinnet - Apr 8, 2013 11:51 am Date Climbed: Oct 13, 2012
backup planTried to climb Pilot Peak but turned back because of the weather, so figured I could do this easy one instead. Kind of rough driving in a lot of places, pretty cold and windy too, but very enjoyable.
Kadee - Oct 22, 2009 11:55 am Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2009
Horse TrailGreat hike with Dean and Ken. Very enjoyable area.
Dean - Aug 30, 2009 8:19 am Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2009
Fun hikeWhen we couldn't get Pilot Peak due to the weather, we substituted this peak and Spruce Mtn. As it turned out, this was a really fun hike thanks to companions Kadee and Ken J.