With the weather cooperating better this week, I headed back to Northern
California and the Coast Ranges west of Interstate 5, picking up a mix of
P1Ks, other summits of interest, plus a healthy dose of bonus peaks for
stat-padding purposes. That, and I just like hiking around new areas.
Today was an abbreviated one because I had about 6hrs of driving to get
me from San Jose. I left shortly after 6a, hitting little traffic, and
was ready to hike to first peak soon after the noon hour had started.
Antelope Mtn/Peak 5,456ft
As a P1K, Antelope was the primary target on this 5mi outing. Both summits
are located on private timber property. The well-graded and public
Scarface Rd cuts across the mountains from Gazelle near I-5 to SR3 near
Ft. Jones, and gets within a few miles of Antelope Mtn. There are good logging
roads starting from Scarface Rd that nearly reach the summit. I didn't want to
park so obviously near one of these gated roads, so I with
some steep cross-country to reach about half a mile
above the gate. The roads see some, but not a lot of traffic judging by the
tread marks. There are nice views along the road I traveled
to Shasta Valley and Mt. Shasta. With about 2/3mi to
go, I left the good road to follow an old, no longer traveled
until it ended about 1/3mi to the summit. The remaining cross-country was pretty
decent, mostly with some minor brush and trees to avoid at
the top. I found with and fallen
. are a bit limited because of the many trees
at the top. A red can was empty, possibly once holding a register. I
of my own inside the can before heading back. Peak 5,456ft was
an easy bonus only 1/3mi off my route. There was through
the manzanita up the South Ridge all the way to making it
pretty easy. No real views from this summit either. I was happy to
to
the jeep without sight or sound of another person, and no nasty note on
the jeep.
Mineral Range HP
I drove the rest of (I'm terribly curious about the
etymology of this road's name - Al Pacino fan?) west to Scott Valley where I
intended to visit Peak 6,108ft next. I saw a street sign for "Mineral
Range Rd" and was immediately reminded that there was a range highpoint
around here that I had yet to visit. Some quick work on the GPSr found
a few road options and I soon found myself at of the driveable
portion of one of these, about one and a quarter miles still from the
summit. It would do. The area appears to be private and is signed as such,
but I couldn't tell if it was a timber interest or private community. I
found a few abandoned trailers and old buildings along I
followed, but nothing that looked lived in. Still, the roads looked to
be used occasionally and I saw what looked like a new or
propane tank
installed at one site. Again, I was happy to disturb no one and have no
one disturb me. I hiked to the summit in about 35min, finding
of oaks over and a nice
to Scott Valley.
Peak 6,108ft/Peak 5,479ft
These two summits are located north of Ft. Jones on the edge of the
Klamath National Forest. Dennis Poulin had climbed Peak 6,108ft, the P1K,
some years earlier and posted a TR on PB. Access from the north is through
NF lands, on forest roads that start off decent enough but grow
considerably brushy at the end, reaching nearly to the saddle between the two
peaks. I climbed the P1K first, finding the same conditions Dennis described. I
went up pretty much the same as he did, then
using the easier bypass on the way down. There are some good views looking
at a few places on the rocky section of ridgeline, but
nothing elsewhere. The had a small duck, but no register
that I could find. was a fun little bonus on the way back,
only a quarter mile off the route and some scrambling on the summit rocks.
There are several poles installed at the summit with and
held up by guywires. What, no flag?
After returning to the jeep, I showered and changed into some fresh clothes
before driving the mountain. I found a quiet place to
spend the night on forest lands a few miles further down the main road.
Bigger day planned for tomorrow...
Continued...