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Pilot Knob 7 Aug 2005 Sierra Challenge 2005 Map Thumbnails
I cleared out of the Elms motel by 5 am, and was far from the only one stirring. I guess both insane hikers and your average fishermen are stirring at this hour. I arrived at the North Lake Day Use Area, but Rick found me and told me to move up farther to the North Lake Pack Station Parking Lot. That would save me about ¾ mile, phew! Our group was getting smaller, but still we had Bob, Mark, Glenn, Mike, Michael G., Rick, Evan, Jeff, David, and me. We stopped at the bathroom before the trail started, and that’s where Bob and Evan gave us the slip. They snuck out the outhouse door and sped up the trail while we unwittingly waited for them. Ten minutes later we started up the trail and it dawned on us what must have happened. Sure enough, there was Bob and Evan and the start of the Emerson approach when we got there. Bob, Mark, and Glen were planning on soloing the 5.4 approach on the east side of Emerson and then following us over to Pilot Knob. Jeff, Michael G., Rick, Evan, and I motored up to Piute Pass, getting there in under 2 hours. As we grabbed a snack and contemplated the approach to Pilot Knob, Mike caught up with us, amazed we had even stopped.
As we headed out on the trails toward Lower Desolation Lake, Mike and I noticed that our GPS wasn’t agreeing with the trail we were on. We were hiking considerably higher and farther away from the other lakes than we expected. Evan noted that the trail had been relocated to relieve the scarring that was taking place in the valley. It worked out better for us as the relocation kept us from losing elevation. Soon enough we were looking over Lower Desolation Lake and our cross-country of Humphries Basin was about to begin.
As we crossed the basin, we spotted two hikers that were ahead of us today, but taking part in today’s Challenge. Carin and Justin stayed ahead of us until Square Lake. I laughed as I watched our group swarming over the hills toward them, each of us taking a slightly different path over small rises, but flying relentlessly toward the other hikers and Pilot Knob. I wondered if they looked back and had the same vision I did. We chatted with them for a short while, and found out that Justin’s brother, Scott, was ahead of us on his way to Pilot Knob. We parted ways and began the last drop/traverse/climb combination to get us to the saddle before Pilot Knob. At the saddle Rick and I stopped for a quick snack (he brings Coca-Cola on these hikes!) and then worked our way up the ridge to Pilot Knob. I enjoyed this last scramble more than anything I’d done on the other mountains this week. The boulders were large and had plenty of features like rails, horns, and knobs. Third class moves were plentiful, although completely unnecessary given the complete lack of exposure. Up at the top the ridge rounds over and there is a short traverse on a narrow ridge. At the end is a spectacular view from a sentinel’s dream post. Pilot Knob sits at the confluence of three valleys, giving amazing views all around despite the low elevations of the peak (12,252 ft). Merriam was directly across the valley to the north, along with Julius Caesar and Bear Creek Spire. Hilgard was visible, too, although Gabb was hiding. To the south, Glacier Divide stretched across our view, but a storm was developing behind it. Hmmmm. The register box was set in mortar, placed by the Contra Costa Hills Club in 1932. The box wouldn’t be stolen, but the register was gone. Rick donated his map (printed from Topo!), and we all signed the back.
It was time to retreat, and we met David W. back near the saddle. Scott H. was about to head up, too. Jeff, Rick, and Evan were out far ahead of us, so Mike L. and I took it a little slower across the Basin, chatting about county high pointing in California and whatever else. Seems he’s hiked about as much as I have around here. Storms appeared to close in on Pilot Knob behind us, although David later reported he barely got wet. About a half mile before recrossing Piute Pass, Mike and I were forced into raingear as the storm jumped over the Glacier Divide and surprised us. Lightning, thunder, the whole thing. We hauled some serious butt up toward the pass. I stopped about a hundred feet below, and looked back at Mike with one of those “you sure we want to do this?” looks. He told me to just keep moving, so as the Mississippi counts were down to three, I just about ran up, over, and down the other side. I paused at the next two lakes to keep in visual contact with Mike, but the Mississippi counts went down to two, then one. I just started to run at that point. The trail had become a stream, but since my feet were wet already, I just went straight through the water. Near the lower Loch Leven Lake, I nearly ran right up the back of Rick as I caught up with the other group. We continued down the trail until we were caught by a flash flooded stream bed, well, now a full-on rager. We took some photos and movies before finding a way across and down to the trailhead. It took me about 20 minutes to change into dry clothes, with the car heat running the entire time. I still couldn’t find the dexterity in my hands to fasten the top of my pants! I kept the heat on all the way down, laughing when I drove by an elderly lady on a bike wearing a sleeveless shirt. I was in a long-sleeved shirt with a sweatshirt over it! It took a little time in the desert heat, but I was in shorts and a t-shirt within an hour. I bunked in with Jeff at the Starlite, and we packed up for the next hike!
--matt
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