[whitebark]

After summiting South Yolla Bolly (see previous trip report), I headed south to the Snow Mountain Wilderness for another peak bagging ramble. Snow Mountain is the first high peak (a tad over 7000') in the Coast Range you meet heading north from San Francisco. Like SYB, the summit of Snow Mountain was glaciated in the ice age. Snow Mountain is somewhat closer to population centers and gets quite a bit more use than South YB, though by no means is the area crowded. Leaving I-5 at Maxwell, I drove west to Stonyford, then continued on forest service roads to the Summit Springs trailhead. The FS roads were decent, except for the final rutted road to the trailhead, which gained 800 feet in two miles--a sporty proposition for a low-slung car. Summit Springs was at 5000' and above most (but not all) of the stifling California heat. The trail started out shaded in pine forest but soon broke out into shadeless chaparral. From here, Snow Mountain presented a forbidding face, its south side burned by forest fires, hot-looking and treeless. But for the chaparral it was still spring, and I enjoyed quite a flower show. Some type of shrub was blooming with masses of blue bottle-brush flowers that attracted numerous bees and butterflies. The afternoon sun beat down on me as I ascended the trail, which followed the crest of a brush-covered ridge.. When the ridge steeped, the trail started traversing a south facing slope, where the temperature jumped another 10 degrees. But just when I was feeling cooked somewhere between medium rare and well done, the trail unexpectedly rounded a corner and headed into the cool shade of a white fir forest. I rested for a bit by a trickling creek, then continued on up the trail, which switchbacked up through the forest, then along a ridgetop adorned with storm-bent pines. At 6000' the trail arrived onto the summit plateau of Snow Mountain and headed into the forest of magnificent red firs. A few patches of snow still lingered in the shady forest, remnants of this year's huge winter snowpack. I arrived at Cedar Camp, located by a meadow with a large spring. It was a nice spot, but feeling energetic I decided to hike on a bit more. The trail to Snow Mountain climbed steadily thru forest (some of it burned in a bad forest fire some years ago) before leveling out in the gently contoured, meadowy glacial basins between West Snow and East Snow Mountain. Here I found a charming campsite (elev 6700') near a snow-melt stream which tumbled down rock ledges. The next day, I made the short, easy walk to East Snow Mountain, the highest point in the area. The barren, storm blasted summit offered fine views in all directions. A summit register installed by the California Alpine Club showed that there were quite a few visitors here on Fourth of July weekend, but on the following Wednesday when I arrived here all was quiet and lonely (I did meet one day hiker the day before). Not wanting to return too quickly to the car, I took a roundabout route via Milk Ranch Meadow and another trail which led back to Cedar Camp. This trail passed by some fine meadows, streams, and an impressive patch of silver snags left over from the great forest fire. South Yolla Bolly and Snow Mountain are certainly not scenic enough to be "destination" hiking spots for those living in the northwest, but these areas are worth a visit if you are stuck driving down I-5 in California for one reason or other. Next on my list of summits to bag in this area is North Yolla Bolly, which sports two fair sized lakes in glacially-carved basins.

Snow Mountain West

Snow Mountain East and Mules-Ear Meadow

[Dean]

Thanks Whitebark for your reports. I am very interested in doing Snow Mountain (east and west) as they are the Colusa and Lake county highpoints. I've done several in the area but didn't have enough time to get in Snow Mtn. Nice to read about that area through your eyes and pics.