Sunday, June 1, 2025

Iron Mountain El Dorado County

Hiked: 5/27/2025
Distance: 1.3 miles round trip on dirt road
Summit Elevation: 6241'
Elevation Gain: 315'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.2
Round trip time: 45 minutes
Recommended water: 0 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Mormon Emmigrent Road
Difficulty: Easy

We had a week long family reunion at Lake Tahoe. I took off one morning to pick up the Iron Mountain in El Dorado County, about a 2 hour drive southeast. There wasn't much info on it, but it was close to a drive up. From highway 88, I took Mormon Emigrent Road and parked at the start of a dirt road that headed up the mountain. Mormon Emigrent Road was paved, at least as far as I went. It was a short hike and I could have done it without my pack, but since I dragged it up here, I took it. I followed the road about half way, then left it for open country. This Iron appeared to be part of a lumber operation and most of the trees had been cut and removed. The summit had a small rock in the middle of the wasteland. Views were so-so. After the summit, I wandered over to the abandoned fire lookout where only the foundation remained. It looked like there used to be a benchmark at the lookout, but it was missing. I took a more direct route back to the truck.

Twilight on Emerald Bay

Snow on Mormon Emigrent Road


Starting toward Iron, the fire lookout is the bump on the left

Barren summit

Fire lookout remains

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