Hiked: 7/24/2025
Distance: Drive up
Summit Elevation: 1058'
Elevation Gain: 0'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0
Round trip time: 10 minutes
Recommended water: 0 oz.
Parking/Fees: €3 parking fee
Difficulty: Easy
Vaalserberg is the continental high point of the Netherlands. We were sight seeing in Maastricht and decided to drive up. The road was paved all the way and there was plenty of parking. In addition to being the high point, the summit is a tri-country intersection where the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium meet. On top was a hedge maze, some restaurants and shops, and on the Belgian side, a viewing tower that we didn't climb to save time. Views were blocked by tall trees (unless you climb the tower). We found the high point marker and also the tri-country monument. It was about a 10 minute effort with no gain. After, we bought soft serve ice cream for our hard work. To leave the parking lot, we needed to buy a token from a vending machine for 3 euros. One car did not read the sign and after 5 minutes of blocking the exit gate, realized they needed a token. A passenger ran to the machine and back, then unclogged the exit. The land, trees, and foliage of the Netherlands looked just like Michigan. Flat and green. Vaalserberg was a fun detour tacked on to a busy day around historic Maastrict.
Nick and Shelby
High point
Leisa and I at the tri-country point, standing in Germany.
Hiked: 7/15/2025
Distance: 13.7 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 12953'
Elevation Gain: 6000'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 5.2
Round trip time: 11 hours 40 minutes
Recommended water: 182 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Whitney Portal Road
Difficulty: Very Strenuous
At 5:30 AM, I drove up Whitney Portal Road to Whitney Campground on a quest for Lone Pine Peak (SPS #108). I parked just outside the campground on the side of the road where vehicle parking was marked. I walked through the campground to the Meysan Lake trail. The trail was not in the Whitney Zone so didn't require a permit for hiking. The start of the trail was broken up by roads to vacation homes nestled in the trees. No one else was on the trail and I didn't see another soul all day. The trail made sensible and frequent switchbacks as it worked up to Grass Lake, Camp Lake, and Meysan Lake. Gurgling sounds of Meysan Creek could be heard when the trail wandered near. It was a pleasant 3000' ascent to Grass Lake, where I left the trail. I stayed east of Grass Lake and crossed three streams. I spent too much time on one crossing in an effort to keep my feet dry, forcing a minor bushwhack on the opposite side. Some of the chutes ahead still had snow. If the chute to Lone Pine had snow, it would have been trouble. Fortunately, it was dry.
Alpenglow on Lone Pine Peak
Reflection in Grass Lake
The notorious sandy scree chute was not completely visible from the start. It just looked like a head wall, but it cut back sharply through an opening in the cliffs. Before I tackled it, I dropped a small water cache under a boulder for the return trip. The chute was wide, but there was no obvious best way. Attempting to go up on the high angle dirt was self-defeating. I tried to stay on boulders and larger talus for traction. In the lower half of the chute, I tended toward the right side, then more left in the upper half. It was a slow grind. I paused every 50-100' to see if I could improve my route. I eventually reached the top of the chute where multiple large cairns had been built. The chute gained about 1500' in a half mile, but somehow went class 2. From the top of the chute, I was still 600' below the peak. I found a use trail and followed it toward the first of two false summits. More scrambling on large, solid granite got me over the false summits. I could have saved some energy if I had stayed lower and gone around false summits. Finally, I reached the the summit: a large boulder on the precipice of a 2000' drop to the lakes below. I was psyched and relieved.
Hard to see, but the SW chute cuts back sharply left
Half way up the chute
Summit in view
Summit boulder
The views were incredible. Lone Pine Peak lives between Mount Langley and Mount Whitney. Other visible 14ers included Russell and Williamson. Next door was Mallory and Irvine. To the east, Owens Valley stretched out 10000' below and the Inyo and White Mountains were visible through some haze. There were multiple registers in the ammo box under the summit boulder. The newest was placed in 2023. Several entries said things like "Never again" or "One and done". The chute was discouraging, but I can't say never. I rested a while on top in perfect weather and slathered on another layer of sunscreen. On the way back, the large cairns were helpful in deciding where to drop into the chute. It was easier than expected going down. A combination of scree skiing, plunge stepping, and using the available boulders. It still took a long time, but gravity was my friend. I picked up my water cache, then made no attempt to find dry passage back over the streams. I plodded clumsily through a wide, shallow part. Wet feet and shins were a welcome way to cool off. Descending the trail was pleasant, but the endless switchbacks seemed to eat up the rest of the afternoon. Satisfied with the days events, I loaded up the truck for the drive back to the OC.
Mount Langley
Mount Whitney, Russell (distant center), Williamson (right)
Hiked: 7/10/2025
Distance: 14.2 miles round trip on dirt road, use trail, and cross country
Summit Elevation: 5798' (Allen), 7832' (Birch)
Elevation Gain: 4130'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 3.3
Round trip time: 8 hours
Recommended water: 148 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at Bear Paw Reserve (with permission)
Difficulty: Strenuous
I wanted to chip away at the Yucaipa Ridge peaks, this time working from the bottom. The best way to reach Allen Peak (HPS #203) was from the Bear Paw Reserve. It's private property and permission is needed to access road 1S08 that leads to the Yucaipa Ridge trail. I filled out the web form and got approved a day later with an email containing the gate code. The process went smoothly. The Reserve provides free hiker parking at the end of the paved road. There was a nice restroom at the parking lot. I was the only fool out hiking in the heat. My plan was to get Allen, then Birch (HPS #79), then make a game time call on Cedar Mountain (HPS #57). Starting from the parking lot, I went up left of the house and found a short single track that intersected the dirt road. The road before the Yucaipa Trail junction was slightly overgrown with grass and soft plants. At the junction, I turned right and continued past a gate to the use trail for Allen Peak. There was some encroaching whitethorn and unavoidable poodle dog born in 2020 El Dorado fire. Parts of the use trail were blocked by charred deadfall, but easily bypassed. I found the register outside a battered can and many pages scattered around. All the loose pages were empty, so I packed them out. After signing, I put the register back in the can and tried to secure it better. The most recent prior ascent was back in January. There were good views into Oak Glen, the IE, and San Gabriels.
Connector trail
Allen Peak
Yucaipa Ridge (left), San Jacinto (right) from Allen
I descended Allen, then continued on Yucaipa Ridge trail. The angle of ascent was mellow for the next couple of miles. There was little tree cover, but the ridge provided shade in the morning. When I reached the Oak Glen divide, the abandoned road became a mess. A hot summer salad mix of deadfall, fox tails, and whitethorn with poodle dog dressing. Though overgrown, it was possible to pick through it without great difficulty. Route finding became harder below Birch Mountain when the road vanished. I worked to the top of the ridge finding an occasional cairn. The final approach to Birch was up steep dirt and charcoal slopes around clusters of brush. When I finally reached the summit of Birch, I was pretty fatigued. The heat had taken a toll, and it took me an hour longer than planned. I checked my water supply and decided to abort the attempt on Cedar Mountain. My choice was validated since I almost ran out of water on the way down. I was sort of surprised that I didn't find evidence of bear activity. No prints or scat. The truck said it was 100 degrees out, but it only felt like 99 in the shade. In the future, I want to hit the middle of Yucaipa Ridge for the other two HPS peaks from the Oak Glen side.
Very overgrown from Oak Glen divide
Looking down on Allen Peak and beyond to the San Gabriel mountains
Hiked: 7/5/2025
Distance: 9 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 10945' (Gem Lakes)
Elevation Gain: 1355'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.0
Round trip time: 4 hours
Recommended water: 48 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at Mosquito Flat trailhead (Little Lakes Valley)
Difficulty: Moderate
We drove south from Mammoth to Little Lakes Valley trailhead. We arrived around 9:00 AM and the regular parking lot was full. There was some overflow parking a little way back, also full. We had to park at a lot 0.7 miles from the trailhead. Most of the two lane road in between was signed as No Roadside Parking. Some visitors were ignoring the signs, so bold as to park right under the signs. We hoofed the extra bit and started on the very nice trail. We never went more 500' without passing other parties either coming or going. A popular hike on a holiday weekend led to much crowding. Dogs and horses were also welcome on the trial, but fewer people had their dogs compared to the Duck Lake trail, and we saw no horse droppings but no horses. The valley was dotted with numerous small lakes. The first one was Mack Lake, where another trail split toward Mono Pass. Then we walked the banks of Heart Lake and Box Lake. All were picturesque with Mount Starr forming the western valley wall. Soon, we reached Long Lake and took a short break there. Past Long Lake, we took the side trail to Chicken Foot Lake, which is larger than it looks because of its unusual shape. Finally, we reached Gem Lakes under the towering peaks of Bear Creek Spire, Mount Dade, and Mount Abbot. Small fish were swimming in the shallows. The trail continued up to Morgan Pass and Morgan Lakes, but we turned around and headed back. This beautiful area can be reached without much vertical which probably contributes to its popularity.
