Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Sierra Club Lower Peaks List Finish

Hiked: 10/12/2012 to 6/23/2021
Distance: 573.9 miles
Average Distance: 7.8 miles (per hike)
Summit Elevation: 1266' (Lowest) to 4957' (Highest)
Total Gain: 151,910'
Total Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 121.5
Average Gain: 2080' (per hike)
Total Hike Time: 268.5 hours
Average Miles/Hour: 2.1
Total Miles Driven: 12,208
Parking/Fees/Fares: $355
Islands: 2
Difficulty: Easy to Strenuous

Santa Paula Peak (highest on the list) has been suspended for years due to closure of a private access road. I hiked up Santa Paula Canyon to an unmaintained trail to reach it in 2021, 4 years after finishing the rest of the list. Stats were updated to include Santa Paula.

The Sierra Club Lower Peaks List contained 85 peaks at the time of my list finish. The list changed three times while I was working on it. It may have changed again by the time you read this. I found an old version of the list online that only had 63 peaks, and a version from 2004 that had 75 peaks. It is fluid. This meta post provides concrete data on what chasing the list required. It surprised me how much driving was necessary to get to all the mountains. Your experience will vary depending on where you live and how you many peaks you combine into single trips. A quick note about the Average Distance and Gain. I used the average per hike (74 hikes) instead of the average per peak because I climbed more than one official peak on many hikes. I thought it better represented the experience to list the averages per hike. For comparison, the average distance per peak was 7.1 miles and the average gain per peak was 1,898'.

Bagging all the peaks is something most people can physically do, but few have the perseverance and desire to do. It required a significant commitment of time, energy, and treasure. A natural way to approach the list is by doing the closest ones first, and that's what I did. The problem with that strategy is that each additional peak got more painful in terms of drive time and inconvenience. Completing the list is an accomplishment about which I have some small amount of pride. At the same time, I am humbled having stood on the shoulders of giants who provided beta, routes, reports, and inspiration. Thanks to the Sierra Club for selecting a fine group of peaks under 5000' to explore. Thanks to Bob Burd for the original inspiration to chase crazy lists. And special thanks to Adam Walker for being my climbing partner on Bishop.

Distance and Time in the table is for the round trip hike. Drive was the round trip drive in miles.

The table below can be sorted by clicking on any column heading or filtered by typing in the search box.
Note: a zero (0) for distance, gain, time, and drive means that peak was part of a multi-peak day hike and the stats were combined for one peak in the trip.

Peak Summit Distance (mi) Gain Time (hrs) Drive (mi) Report
Sitton Peak 3273' 9.5 2150' 4 58 report
Bonita Peak 3983' 6 1900' 3 138 report
Bedford Peak 3803' 7.2 1953' 2.5 58 report
Woodson Mountain 2897' 7.2 2059' 2.8 138 report
Los Pinos Peak 4510' 5.4 1400' 2 70 report
Sugarloaf Peak 3227' 11.2 2450' 4.2 68 report
Old Sugarloaf Peak 3326' 0 0' 0 0 report
Sandstone Peak 3111' 8 1927' 4.3 194 report
Boney Peak 2825' 0 0' 0 0 report
Inspiration Point 2800' 0 0' 0 0 report
Tri Peaks 3000' 0 0' 0 0 report
Trabuco Peak 4606' 10.9 2230' 4.7 70 report
Margarita Peak 3189' 6 1000' 2.2 118 report
San Mateo Peak 3591' 4.4 800' 2 70 report
Pleasants Peak 4007' 16.5 3775' 7 58 report
Yale, Mt. 4763' 9.2 2575' 4.3 166 report
Hastings Peak 4003' 0 0' 0 0 report
Bald Peak 3947' 9.4 2911' 4.3 64 report
Sierra Peak 3045' 12.7 2600' 5.2 60 report
San Juan Hill 1781' 9 2031' 2.8 62 report
Gilman Peak 1685' 0 0' 0 0 report
Iron Mountain 2696' 5.5 1101' 1.8 148 report
Cahuenga Peak 1820' 8.6 1783' 2.8 118 report
Hollywood, Mt. 1625' 0 0' 0 0 report
Azusa Peak 2081' 2.5 1260' 1.2 104 report
Wild Horse Peak 3279' 10.6 2121' 5 136 report
Stoddard Peak 4627' 14.2 2794' 6.3 130 report
Frankish Peak 4201' 0 0' 0 0 report
Potato Mountain 3400' 4.5 1214' 1.7 114 report
Zion, Mt. 3575' 9.2 2375' 4.7 128 report
McKinley Mountain 3795' 3 1645' 2 162 report
Jones Peak 3375' 6.1 2395' 3.5 124 report
Glendora Mountain 3322' 0.8 275' 0.5 112 report
Bliss, Mt. 3720' 8.5 2963' 3.5 112 report
Mugu Peak 1266' 2.1 1250' 1 196 report
Exchange Peak 2950' 8.3 2613' 3.7 26 report
Big Dome 2900' 0 0' 0 0 report
Russell, Mt. 2704' 3.7 1133' 1.8 134 report
Harrison Mountain 4743' 3.2 1725' 2.7 136 report
Verdugo Mountain 3123' 5.3 1981' 2.2 130 report
Muir, Mt. 4688' 6.5 1750' 2.2 162 report
Clamshell Peak 4360' 8.3 3435' 5.2 122 report
Silver Mountain 3388' 12.6 4100' 7 118 report
Pine Mountain 4542' 0 0' 0 0 report
Wilson Benchmark 4573' 11.8 1920' 4.5 210 report
Simi Peak 2403' 5 1530' 1.5 184 report
Temescal Peak 2126' 7.2 1000' 2.5 12 report
Eagle Peak 3226' 4.4 1050' 1.8 228 report
McAuley Peak 2049' 5.7 1540' 2.2 156 report
Saddle Peak East 2825' 2.3 630' 0.8 16 report
Calabasas Peak 2163' 4 1000' 1.7 12 report
Newcomb Peak 4166' 9.3 2025' 3.7 182 report
Agua Tibia 4779' 16.7 3300' 7.7 154 report
Arrowhead Peak 4237' 4.8 2470' 4 156 report
Morton Peak 4624' 8.1 2000' 3.7 150 report
Cram Peak 4162' 0 0' 0 0 report
Brown Mountain 4466' 14.4 2775' 8.5 148 report
Mastodon Peak 3440' 2.5 500' 0.8 112 report
Malapai Hill 4280' 1.7 570' 1 116 report
Monument Mountain 4834' 6.3 1620' 3 116 report
Mel, Mt. 3814' 8.7 2000' 4 66 report
Keys Peak 4484' 0 0' 0 0 report
McKinley, Mt. 4926' 19.8 4330' 9 178 report
Redrock Mountain Benchmark 3991' 12.3 2500' 7.5 202 report
Rocky Peak 2714' 5.2 1400' 2.2 176 report
Mission Point 2771' 4.7 1266' 2.2 50 report
Mendenhall Peak 4636' 7.7 2280' 3.2 184 report
Jupiter Mountain 4498' 4 1485' 2.2 216 report
May Peak 3948' 1.8 870' 1 172 report
Saddleback Butte 3651' 1.7 720' 1 300 report
Slide Mountain Lookout 4631' 9 2800' 3.5 214 report
Nordhoff Peak 4485' 11 2700' 4 152 report
Echo Mountain 3207' 5 1400' 2.5 138 report
Montecito Peak 3214' 2.6 950' 1.2 320 report
Cathedral Peak 3333' 3 1800' 3 5 report
Ghost Mountain 3400' 4.2 900' 2.5 240 report
Silver Peak 1804' 12.7 2800' 6.5 92 report
Gaviota Peak 2458' 6.2 2200' 2.4 362 report
Cachuma Mountain 4696' 7.7 1650' 2.8 376 report
El Montanon 1808' 9.3 2074' 4.25 250 report
Bishop Peak 1546' 3.9 1210' 3.5 512 report
Cerro Alto 2624' 4.3 1890' 2.5 22 report
Valencia Peak 1347' 4.3 1300' 2 20 report
Little Pine Mountain BM 4449' 18.7 3980' 8.25 344 report
Monument Hill 2046' 5.7 774' 1.5 136 report
Santa Paula Peak 4957' 16.4 4681' 10.5 246 report

8 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Derek,

      Thanks! I am still getting used to the idea.

      Delete
  2. Wow, congrats teke. Now you'll have nothing to do and end up putzing around your garage mumbling to yourself. Lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Madison,

      Thanks! I still have plenty to do. I have 28 left on the San Diego list and a lot of them are very challenging. At least two more years to finish that, then I can retool for whatever is next.

      Delete
  3. I sure enjoy reading your blog, Teke. You've given me some good ideas lately, and have used your reports for my own trips. Thanks!

    Congrats on the list completion!

    Mike Martin, Riverside, CA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mike,

      Thanks! Providing useful beta is music to my ears. It's the main reason I post trip reports. Hike on!

      Delete
    2. How are you on your HPS peaks list? I'm only at 23 peaks, and am looking to add to the list in June when school gets out (I'm a teacher). If you are up to joining me for some peaks on the Desert Divide, or maybe up Icehouse Canyon to the Three T's, let me know. I'm on Peakbagger.

      Mike

      Delete
    3. Mike,

      My HPS count is currently at 72. I'll get back to you through Peakbagger.

      Delete