NORTHERN SIERRA PEAKS GUIDE SUMMARY
by Petesthousandpeaks
North of Interstate 80
ADAMS PEAK dirt roads, private land, brushy cross
country
MT. FILLMORE rough dirt roads, use trail to top
BLUE NOSE
MOUNTAIN dirt roads, navigation,
dense forest
EUREKA PEAK State Park, trail to near top
MT. ELWELL short dirt road approach, easy trail
to near top
HASKELL PEAK good dirt road, trail to top
SIERRA BUTTES mostly paved road, short trail to lookout
on top, exciting staircase
ENGLISH MOUNTAIN rough roads, lots of cross-country
MT. LOLA dirt road, moderate trail to top
BLACK BUTTES rough road, trail to nearby lake
OLD MAN MOUNTAIN rough road, mostly no trail, lots of
brush
SIGNAL PEAK dirt road/trail to top
BASIN PEAK PCT, longer hike on mostly trail
CASTLE PEAK trailhead along Interstate, use trail
to near top, class 3
South of Interstate 80 and
North of Highway 50
DEVILS PEAK rough road, no trail, easy class 3
DONNER PEAK PCT trailhead, good trail, then short
class 2, navigation
MT. JUDAH easy trail to top
ANDERSON
PEAK PCT to near top, some
loose class 1-2
TINKER KNOB long hike, PCT to near top, easy short
class 2
GRANITE CHIEF longer trail/use trail to top
NEEDLE PEAK long hike with lots of cross country,
navigation, easier than it looks
LYON PEAK good navigation necessary, long off-trail
hike, or bad road from west
MT. MILDRED remote peak, long trail hike, cross
country to top
TWIN PEAKS near TRT, good trail most of the way,
some class 2 talus
ELLIS PEAK good shorter trail, OHV use
RUBICON PEAK paved trailhead, use trail to near top
PHIPPS PEAK long hike mostly on trail, some short
cross-country
MT. TALLAC paved trailheads, trail to top, long
hike with plenty of gain
DICKS PEAK trail to nearby Dicks Pass, some scrambling
JACKS PEAK remote peak, long hike, well off trail
TELLS PEAK faint trail to top, good navigation
required
RED PEAK long hike, navigation necessary, no
trail to top
SILVER PEAK good navigation required, moderate hike,
some on trail, brush
MCCONNELL
PEAK good navigation required,
faint approach trail, class 2-3 to top
MT. PRICE good trail to nearby lake, lots of scrambling
from there
PYRAMID PEAK popular peak, some use trail, obvious
to summit
RALSTON PEAK moderate trail/use trail to top
ECHO PEAK easy with trail to near top
MT. ROSE paved trailhead, popular peak, good
trail to top
SNOW VALLEY
PEAK dirt roads, trail to
top
South of Highway 50 and North
of Highway 88
DUANE BLISS
PEAK TRT approach, fair cross-country
gain
GENOA PEAK dirt road approach, short use trail
to top
FREEL PEAK rough road from south, TRT approach,
official trail to the top
JOBS SISTER easy from Freel Peak, with cross-country/use
trail
JOBS PEAK rough road approach, navigation to find
good use trail
WADE long hike, with mostly cross-country
MT. COMO mostly 4WD approach, long use trail
MT. SIEGEL mostly 4WD approach, navigation necessary,
easy trail-less hike once there
THOMPSON
PEAK straight up from Hwy.
88, no trail
WATERHOUSE
PEAK cross-country forest
hike right from paved highway
STEVENS PEAK dirt road approach, some scrambling
RED LAKE
PEAK use trail from Hwy.
88, class 3 at top
South of Highway 88 and North
of Highway 4
ROUND TOP popular fee trailhead on paved highway,
popular peak, mostly trail/usetrail to top, scary class 3 for
beginners
HAWKINS PEAK rough road, mostly use trail to top,
some rocks
MARKLEEVILLE
PEAK dirt road approach,
no trail
DA-EK DOW GO-ET MOUNTAIN dirt road, easy short
hiking approach, class 4
THE NIPPLE off PCT, some easy cross-country, no
trail, to top
THUNDER MOUNTAIN dirt trailhead along paved highway,
good popular trail to near top
THIMBLE PEAK navigation required, no trail, class
4 summit crag
MOKELUMNE
PEAK remote peak, long hike,
some trail
RAYMOND PEAK dirt road approach, off PCT, no trail
to top
REYNOLDS
PEAK dirt road approach,
good navigation required, no trail and class 3 at top
South of Highway 4 and North
of Highway 108
SILVER PEAK paved trailhead, remote peak, mostly
no trail, lots of gain
HIGHLAND
PEAK paved official trailhead,
PCT, some use trail to near the top
TRYON PEAK off PCT, short cross-country
LOOKOUT PEAK short dirt road approach, plenty of
cross-country, navigation required
BULLRUN PEAK short dirt road approach, mostly trail,
some route-finding
HENRY PEAK short dirt road approach, mostly trail,
some easy navigation
PEEPSIGHT
PEAK short dirt road approach,
good navigation necessary, with some trail
FISH VALLEY
PEAK remote peak, rough road
approach, lots of cross-country travel required with good navigation
ANTELOPE
PEAK remote peak, rough road
approach, lots of off-trail travel with good navigation required
WHITECLIFF
PEAK remote peak, rough road
approach, good navigation on long trails/cross-country required
LOST CANNON
PEAK dirt road approach,
no trail, shorter climb
WHITE MOUNTAIN dirt road approach, mostly no trail
WELLS PEAK dirt road approach, some trail with
cross-country
STANISLAUS
PEAK paved highway approach,
long use trail with class 2 near top
SONORA PEAK paved highway approach, PCT, use trail
to top or near top
DISASTER
PEAK paved road approach,
long trail to near top
South of Highway 108 and
Sweetwater Range
LEAVITT PEAK from paved highway, PCT, some use trail
to top
BLACKHAWK
MOUNTAIN paved resort road
approach, long approach trail (T-Y Trail), good navigation required,
then moderate scramble
DESERT CREEK
PEAK bad approach road, no
trail
MIDDLE SISTER dirt approach road, good navigation
required, some use trail
EAST SISTER dirt approach road, no trail
SOUTH SISTER long dirt approach road, no trail after
awhile
MT. PATTERSON long dirt approach road, good navigation
required, old roadbed to top
WHEELER PEAK long dirt approach road, old roadbed
to near top, or lots of cross-country
These brief summaries assume the easiest, or more commonly taken, route, in most cases, and are provided only as a quick reference. You should go to the specific peak guide page (click here to go back to directory) and read the route descriptions more carefully to get better details, distances, and gain. Some dirt roads can be hiked or driven, or all paved roads can be taken from other, longer, directions. By no means should any peak be attempted with these short descriptions! All hazards apply in full. No claims to accuracy or preciseness are hereby made.
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