North Yolla Bolly as it starts to get engulfed in clouds once more. But it did come out for a view! And there's a view of the thick on the north, gone on the south snow conditions for 6000+ feet.

North Yolla Bolly is the p2k that got passed over in favor of checking out the decaying fire lookout on Black Rock Mountain more closely. I'll have to be back for it one day.

After the hard work getting there, the last 2 of 8 miles fighting the fading trail and thick fingers of snow reaching from the north side, we decided against climbing the lookout stairs for the big reward of a superior view.

For #ThrowbackThursday: #OnThisDay in 2017, I made a start in the faint dawn light at the end of Templin Highway to bag the Lower Peaks Committee (#SierraClub) listed Redrock Mountain. They list the benchmark, anyway. The actual peak was my goal and is a little further along the ridge. I skipped looking for any cursed gold mines the area is known for and went for the more reliable reward of beauty. The narrows of Fish Canyon, a diversion into the canyons past Pianobox when I missed a turn, then high into a clearing sky where the last wild California condor soared before all were captured. Once headed down again, I took a different route, a repeat of a stunning canyon I had hiked before, but this time with enough light to see it.

It was a wonderful day and the whole story is here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2017/03/redrock-mountain.html

Despite the focus of my blog’s name, climbing mountains isn’t just about the summit—it’s about the journey and what you experience along the trail.

What keeps you coming back to the trails?

Dome Peak in the North Cascades catching sunset light in this aerial view.

Prints at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/sunset-light-on-dome-peak-north-cascades-mike-reid.html

On Friday, February 7, I climbed Black Diamond Peak and Henry Peak (Peak 7155) in the southern Dragoon Mountains of Southern Arizona.

https://www.glassmountains.us/wp/black-diamond-henry-peaks-arizona-feb-2025/

#ThrowbackThrusday things to do in February: backpack spots around the Smith River. In 2017, I hiked Elk Camp Ridge, bagged an old fire lookout, and chickened out about a creek crossing that actually didn't look that bad compared to what I got up to later in that year.

More info in the alt but the whole story starts with this post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2017/02/smith-river-cold-spring-mountain.html

When the rain stops, I might try some more of this.

On Tuesday, January 28, June Meyer and Bill Hiscox joined me on a climb of “Mescal Peak” in the far southern end of the Whetstone Mountains of Southern Arizona.

https://www.glassmountains.us/wp/mescal-peak-arizona-jan-2025/

On Friday, January 24, I joined a large Southern Arizona Hiking Club outing to climb Elephant Head, a rock buttress on the west end of the Santa Rita Mountains of Southern Arizona.
https://www.glassmountains.us/wp/elephant-head-arizona-jan-2025/

Things to do in February: bag desert peaks! For this #ThrowbackThursday I have a Feb 2022 hike up Corkscrew Peak in Death Valley, listed by the Desert Peaks Section. Unlike the last one, this was on my own like most my hikes. Some quick weather was expected to blow by in the morning, but it held off a couple hours. Without the weather, it would have just been boring blue sky all across the whole day.

The story's here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2022/02/corkscrew-peak.html

#ThrowbackThursday In 2018, I spent a January day with the Hundred Peaks Section bagging my 100th listed peak. I should probably join up some time to get credit! They're a great bunch and allow all to come along even if you haven't joined. It doesn't even matter how many times.

For the whole story, the blog post is here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2018/01/butterfly-peak-and-rock-point.html and if you want to keep exploring, click the HPS tag for more HPS peaks and the Sierra Club tag for more club outings.

There's not been some real content here for a while, so I asked my everything map for just the January ones and picked this for a #throwbackThursday post. Seems I've generally been on the coast or Arizona for the first month.

Table Top may have been the most mundane of my Mojave National Preserve hikes, but also the most approachable of the off trail adventures there. Just a bit of across and a bit of up, a wander around the edge of the tall mesa for the view, then back the same way.

Get the whole story here (and a chance to click the tag for the others): https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2019/01/table-top.html

On New Years Eve I climbed “OK Notch Peak” in the Southern Dragoon Mountains of Arizona east of the city of Tombstone, Arizona.

https://www.glassmountains.us/wp/ok-notch-peak-arizona-dec-2024/

Although a little busy on a weekend day and a little bit on road, this was a surprisingly nice hike to a peak and old lookout site where the view really opened out.
Details all here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2024/10/monument-peak-and-eagle-rock-lookout.html
#California #TrinityCounty #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #MonumentPeak

Here's the easy way to get up Hayfork Bally, if you don't want the 8.5 mile lesser maintained trail and Jeep road route:
https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2024/10/hayfork-bally-lookout-and-high-point.html
#California #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #TrinityCounty #HayforkBally

I decided it was time for a little peak bagging, complete with lookout. Oh, and a waterfall to check out and still on the Bigfoot Trail route.
Details are here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2024/09/philpot-waterfall-and-plummer-peak.html
#California #TrinityCounty #ShastaTrinityNationalForest

First rattlesnake of the season! It's only about a foot long and had no rattle yet and the camera wouldn't focus when it poked out its oversized viper head. Such a cute little deadly thing! Now it's pretending to be the benchmark I can't find.

Today is Limedyke lookout (razed), but I did get to go up the lookout yesterday.

Three more and I'll have visited 10% of California's fire lookouts. That's what PeakBagger says.