California Peak

Route: East Face
Posted On: 5/18/2025, By: Posthole Pete
Info: Snow was getting warm and the summit was bare so no summit decent. Great turns off the ridge though. Wore trunners until about 12 and then switched to crampons. Freeze could have been a little better. Snow is holding on in the area, still some goods left. 

Route: West ridge
Posted On: 5/12/2025, By: Lubellski
Info: Still quite a lot of snow remaining from the last storm cycle. Snow was firm enough to hold my weight for the most part in the morning and the predictable softening with the afternoon temps. I tried to make a big ass loop over California, then UNs 13,577, 13,654, and 13,656, and then Ellingwood and down over Crossfire Ridge and Twin Peaks. However, the headwall between 13,656 and EP stumped me and I had to backtrack. Very aesthetic line regardless, highly recommend. Tons of class 2 with some pretty sketchy and exposed section of class 3. Would definitely be quicker and less sketchy without snow. Basically no snow until 11,500 and even after that there was plenty of rock to be had. Party on. 

Route: Lower Huerfano
Posted On: 6/14/2024, By: TheseThousandHills
Info: Still 2 snowdrifts to navigate, but can walk around them. No spikes needed. 

Route: North Ridge up, E face down
Posted On: 6/2/2024, By: slawrence2011
Info: Made it to just below 10K in my civic below the lower Huerfano TH. Started at 4:45, class 1 trail, other than many challenging firm and steep snow drift crossings. Ridge is cruiser, mostly dry til close to the summit. A couple hundred feet beyond the summit to the S, there is a very easy entry to the ski, at 11, the snow was quite soft, fortunately it is a very mature snowpack in the sangres now. Was able to link snowfields and ski til around 11,5, then had about 500' of steep dirt downclimbing, and walked out the Lindsey TH back to my car. 

Route: West Ridge/ Zapata Falls
Posted On: 4/14/2024, By: colin j
Info: Zapata creek trail has annoying snow down low but is dry shortly after the creek crossing. Flotation is necessary beyond trail split; below treeline there are large drifts intermixed with dry patches that are slow going. The route is wind scoured above treeline with mix of hard pack and talus 

Route: West Ridge from Zapata Falls TH
Posted On: 3/1/2024, By: notidealbutfine
Info: Summited California Peak on 3/1/24 via the West Ridge route from Zapata Falls. I was planning on skiing the west face of California Peak, but the approach and west face were not good skiing conditions for the most part, so I stashed my skis and skins about 2.5 miles in. About a mile of deep powder in the trees, then spotty snowy terrain while ascending the ridge to treeline. This wasn't too bad on the ascent, but melty and soft on the descent. Treeline to summit was rock hopping on wind scoured talus. Clear views but huge winds on summit, maybe ~50mph. Didn't use any flotation or traction all day. 6 hours to summit, 4 hours for descent. 11.06 miles, 5387' of gain. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 11/1/2023, By: ktfoote628
Info: The road was pretty dry until the Singing River Ranch, with a 2-4" of snow in the shady areas but very manageable with a 4Runner. People had already been to the top of the road after the snowfall which surprised us and it seemed like there were some hunters around, camping and in the woods. The Zapata trailhead is a bit subtle, basically where there's a narrow brown sign on both sides of the road. While there's not camping immediately there, there were spots before and after. California Peak has really nice conditions as far as snow, only 2-3" pretty much the whole way, with limited bare spots and some wind loaded spots with more like 6". Had no issues route finding through the meadow. Once leaving the Zapata trail up the ridge, there were strong 25-30 mph winds that made navigating the multiple false summits to the peak pretty brutal. We did the Lost Lake descent which was better from the wind perspective but quite steep and rocky and bushwacking ended up taking a lot longer than retracing our steps. Besides the wind, it was a beautiful day. All the surrounding peaks look pretty covered at this point in time. 

Route: West Ridge - Zapata Falls
Posted On: 10/29/2023, By: sarahmariekirk
Info: Climbed California via the West Ridge (Zapata Falls) today in the snow storm. Snow started around 9am and was continuous all day. Above treeline, we had extremely low visibility with blowing snow. Completely socked in summit, but really epic day nonetheless. Snow tapered off on the descent but started back up again, and was dumping by the time we reached the trailhead. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 10/21/2023, By: PikaSteve
Info: Summer conditions still. Theres some snow on the last two false summits, but its easily avoided staying on the eastern edge of the ridge. Some smoke and ash blew in mid afternoon, but not too bad. A few golden leaves are still hanging on in the Huerfano river valley. 

Route: South Ridge
Posted On: 10/18/2023, By: jeffh7
Info: Hiked on 10/17 and was completely dry. I did the loop that this route describes and there was no snow on the north ridge descent either. I'd highly recommend hiking poles for this peak. Lots of ascent/descent on steep loose dirt/gravel/talus. The chossy ascent from Lily Lake to unnamed 13,577 was borderline sufferfest territory. 

Route: West Ridge via Zapata Falls
Posted On: 9/22/2023, By: NotTimid
Info: Route is still in summer conditions - no snow or ice as of 9/21. 

Route: North Ridge from Huerfrano TH
Posted On: 6/16/2023, By: two lunches
Info: almost totally summer conditions. beautiful approach up zapata trail, however there are a few blowdown sections to navigate. the snowfield under the summit is avoidable by skipping the last false peak and staying far climbers right. there are a few tracks through the snow, but snow quality was totally trashed by the time i summited this morning (late start) 

Route: North Ridge Ascent Std Descent
Posted On: 6/4/2023, By: kyrawhitworth
Info: Parked just past the puddle on Lily lake road and headed up the North Ridge via 853 trail. Snowshoes not needed, spikes helpful due to loose rock on descent. Gentle terrain going up, very pleasant. Decided to grab 13577 after California and descend the standard route due to some incoming clouds. Believe Will when he says 1100 FOS. Descent to Lily Lake was loose and gross. Honestly going back down the North Ridge would have been longer but more pleasant. Lily Lake trail had some snow spots but nothing impassable. Road is clear to 4WD TH. 

Route: West Ridge from Zapata Falls TH
Posted On: 1/12/2023, By: Istoodupthere
Info: 2.4 miles to the North Fork South Zapata Creek trail. Up to this point the trail is mostly nicely packed snow. The next .7 miles to where you ascend talus field below treeline had some faint boot prints. The next 2 miles to the summit is a slog. Some postholing above the talus field but not enough to bring snowshoes imo. There is one small flat area above treeline but everything else is steep loose talus. Not fun going up or down. Neck is sore from staring at the ground because every step requires careful placement with the loose rock and 8 or so inches of snow. Basically no trail above treeline. Pick a line and go. No wind until about 13k where it was about 25mph sustained as forecasted. Wind chill was pretty bad on summit. Other than that a great day to be out in mid-January. 10.1 miles overall and 4876 ascent. Wasn't easy…Also the couple minute detour to see Zapata Falls in the winter was well worth it. 

Route: From Zapata Falls
Posted On: 12/31/2022, By: Will_E
Info: Did California and 13,577' from Zapata Falls today, snow is pretty light the entire route, no flotation or traction needed today. The bushwhack from the Zapata Falls trail to treeline isn't bad, just a little tedious.