Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Aeolian Buttes

Hiked: 8/8/2021
Distance: 2.3 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 7440'
Elevation Gain: 370'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.3
Round trip time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Recommended water: 24 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at Forest Road 1S36
Difficulty: Easy

Aeolian Buttes is a cluster of rock formations just east of highway 395 before you reach the turnoff for Yosemite. After climbing Glass Mountain, I wanted to check out the buttes. I arrived mid-afternoon with temps hovering just below 90F. I parked on a dirt toad where 1S36 heads up toward the buttes. There might be a closer to place to park, maybe even on the ridge next to the buttes, but I didn't mind walking a little extra. I hiked up the road to reach the ridge, then followed a road that went below the Aeoloan High Point, eventually circling back. On my way in, I took a short cut to get to the high point faster. The high point and the other two buttes I climbed were all class 2. It was a short scramble to the high point, where I found neither marks nor register. When I climbed down, I followed the road back, climbing a small boulder jumble at the end of the road. There was nothing remarkable about it, so I followed the road further to a red lava rock cluster. I climbed that and found the lava rock brittle. There were a few bouldering possiblities on the way back, but none interesting enough for me to make a side trip.


High point


Looking down from the high point




Open alien egg


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