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Started from the Lily Lake TH. It rained the night before and I got pretty wet making it through the willows but the trail up to Lily Lake was as good of a trail as I'd see all day. Up 13577 was class 2 TL (tedious and loose). Easily the worst rock quality of the day. I angled NW from Lily Lake and around 12,700ft started heading directly north.
As I angled north, I headed for this enclosed gully.
Looking back down on Lily Lake
Looking back down the gully
Above the gully, I tried to stick near the walls for solid footing
UN 13,577 summit looking towards UN 13,654
At a certain point I noticed a gully flanked by 2 solid rock walls and I headed towards that hoping to take advantage of easier terrain. It helped, for a little bit anyway. I hit the ridge less than 100ft below the summit of UN 13,577.
Great rock quality along the ridge to UN 13,654
Making it down to the saddle wasn't as bad as the ascent. The rest of the ridge up to 13654 was a run ridge walk that stayed at class 2 FS (fun and solid). The ridge to 13656 was even better with fun ridge options and I'd say class 3 in spots. From here it was back over 13654 and then I skirted below 13577 to reach the saddle between that and California. From here to the summit is your more traditional class 2 where the rocks aren't trying to actively break your ankles.
En route to UN 13,656 - I went directly across this on the way over and then ridge direct on the way back.
UN 13,656 dead center, the last portion of the ridge eases up. Lindsey (left) and Blanca (Right).
Blanca group.
More terrain between 13654 and 13656
California Peak summit, with the other 13ers for the day in view.
The descent of California is probably my least favorite descent yet. It's about 2mi to reach the trail and it's painfully slow. The first mile took me an hour, it's steep and loose. As I made my way down, I angled towards a gully on the left side of a dark cliff band. It did require climbing down a short section, but nothing too difficult, i.e. class 2 butt scooting. Eventually you transition from small rock and dirt to larger talus and eventually boulders. I heard from a friend that the bushwacking through the forest was horrendous. So my goal was to skirt the forest as long as I could. And from looking at satellite imagery, it appears there is a continuous path all the way back to the Lily Lake trail. I managed to avoid any bushwacking by leaving the drainage at a certain point, you'll notice my GPX track angle south here. I'm not sure which is worse though, the bushwacking or talus/boulder hopping over loose rocks.
Heading down the eastern slope after Leaving California Peak. I angled towards the left of this dark rock formation.
Looking back on the rock wall I had to come down.
I stuck to the grass for as long as I could.A cairn along the way.This short section on the left side is the only portion I bushwacked through.
On the other side of the short bushwack, back on rock.
This is looking at the exit from the Lily Lake trail.
It's a day full of talus basically. I'm glad I did it for the sake of efficiency, but it's a terrible ascent up the first peak and descent down California.
Trail Stats: 10.7mi, 4500ft.
My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):
How much Lackawanna morphed since I was there last month!
But awesome TR nonetheless, thank you!
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Download GPX file used in this map
