What are the most fun mountains in California you've climbed? Criteria can include, uniqueness of the trail, scrambling features, exposure, scenery, historical context, height, difficulty, remoteness, easy access, solitude, whatever goes into making a climb enjoyable for you.

This was one of my favorites last year. From reading the register, many seemed to agree. Short but extremely sweet.

http://www.summitpost.org/eagle-mountain/153757

A few I can think of:

Lone Pine Peak, Sierra Nevada Mtns - great views from the summit: Owens Valley to the north, out towards the desert/Owens Dry (Damp?) Lake to the southeast, the Whitney area to the Northwest. While the Whitney area will be over run with hikers, you'll most likely have the summit of LPP to yourself. Easy hike up the Meysan Lakes trail followed by a scramble up a scee slope to the summit ridge.

Telescope Peak, Panimant Mtns/Death Valley - Great views from the top in all directions. 7 mile trail hike.

Sitton Peak, Santa Ana Mtns, So Cal - While the summit itself has some nice views toward the PAcific Ocean, this is one where the chapparel and scrub oak woodland scenery along the trail is interesting (yeah, I'm somewhat of a ecology/botany geek!). The peak itself is a 1/4 mile scramble up a loose, sand-covered, chapparel covered granite mound after a 4.5 mile trail hike.

Fremont Peak, Fremont State Park, CA Central Coast. An 11 mile drive up from the town of San Juan Baustista, followed by a stupidly-easy 3/4 mile hike to the summit for an impressive view of the Coastal Mountains of Central California, and out towards the PAcific Ocean/Monterey Bay. This would be a great peak to do a combined as an 11-mile uphill bicycle ride with a 3/4 mile hike.

Maybe I have pedestrian tastes, but I quite enjoyed Shasta. I thought it had a very unique energy to it, unlike any other mountain I've climbed.

Middle Palisade east face route.

This peak / route has a lot of qualities that I look for when I head for the mountains. An interesting and scenic approach hike. Great camping. Some glacier travel. (Well, what we in California consider to be glaciers, anyway. ) I like the fact that, on approach, the route looks very technical and intimidating, but 'opens up' as one proceeds. This class 3 route is a lot of fun. The rock is pretty solid, but there is a lot of debris on the ledges one should be mindful of. The exposure is spicy, but not terrifying. Incredible views from the top.


Dave During the Approach to Middle Palisade

A couple other peaks that have similar qualities IMO:
Mount Ritter and Mount Russell.

In addition to the excellent peaks already mentioned, I'd add Mt Winchell, Mt Abbot, Cloudripper, and Dragon Peak.

+1 for Shasta and Winchell. I enjoyed the Northeast Buttress of Bear Creek Spire a lot for the exposure and beautiful area. I thought North Peak North Couloir was really fun, maybe because it was my first alpine ice climb. Cone Peak from Vicente flat was a great hike with amazing views of the Big Sur coast.

Walter Starr in his "Guide to the John Muir Trail and the High Sierra Region" wrote in 1934 that Mt.Sill's position in the Palisades makes it the peer of all Sierra peaks for the extent and quality of views .When conditions are favorable you can see Whitney peaks to the South,Yosemite peaks to the North ,White Mountain & other peaks to the East,and Kaweah peaks to the West. They are all grand .

http://www.summitpost.org/picacho-to-so ... 1/c-150851


You won't get altitude sickness

For me, I would say these are pretty cool:
http://www.summitpost.org/thunder-mountain-ca/729392
http://www.summitpost.org/lookout-peak/308329
http://www.summitpost.org/mount-conness/150473

Then anything around Virginia Lakes: http://www.summitpost.org/virginia-lake ... ead/931096

HeyItsBen wrote:This was one of my favorites last year. From reading the register, many seemed to agree. Short but extremely sweet.

http://www.summitpost.org/eagle-mountain/153757

Yes, rather a stunner!

I think by now everyone should know that Mt Shasta (via any official and not named route) is my favorite peak in CA. Why? Because it’s has snow, ice, glaciers, various degree of slopes, unreliable weather with cold and high winds as well as beautiful blue sky and is over 14,000 foot high.--all you might want to chose from through the whole year.

But there is also a human factor I like to go to Mt Shasta: Ranger Station personnel and climbing rangers are knowledgeable and very nice and helpful people. So for me MT Shasta provides the whole package.



Oh, I forgot, it’s a magical and spiritual mountain, especially if you are alone (in solitude).

clmbr wrote: it’s a magical and spiritual mountain, especially if you are alone (in solitude).

...and unroped.

Jesus Malverde wrote:

clmbr wrote: it’s a magical and spiritual mountain, especially if you are alone (in solitude).

...and unroped.

The peaks around Mt. Whitney have the best and most beautiful granite in the High Sierra