Airola & Iceberg Peaks
Trailhead is end of the road at Highland Lakes (see: Folger Peak. Just before you get to the end of the road, you'll see a trail winding up a large scree hill and say to yourself, "Gosh. I hope that's not the trail!" That would be the trail. Take heart, it ain't all that. The summit of this precocious little nob is quickly attained; and, from here, the trail traverses almost dead-level into the forested saddle between Hiram's massive S.W. shoulder and Airola to the south. This trail gradually shoots out the other side of the saddle, and dives many hundreds of feet down into a northwest arm of Arnot Creek with brush so high you will most certainly be awestruck. Do not do this!! The problem at the saddle is this: It seems there would be a rather obvious trail heading off toward Airola, but there isn't. Some would call this a "red flag". Others mistakenly regard this—the lack of a trail—as a mere oversight.
As the trail starts to leave the saddle, you begin to see various sandy slots leading down and away in the direction you'd swear the trail should be going. Take any of these... soon. You'll slide through a secondary saddle, and start heading up the big beige blob of peak 8886'. The summit of 8886' is nice; but, break off right (south) before the summit to attain a third forested saddle. The ridge up Airola finally begins in earnest here with a modest—yet fell—swoop out of the saddle and up onto the ridge. The gut check is prompt; the realization that you're screwed, immediate. If by chance you see a deer trail heading out right, take it: you'll actually get on top of the ridge sooner, and you won't flail nearly as much. In no time, the ridge will steepen, the volcanic scree become looser, and your attitude will become hugely jaundiced.
The defining moment of a saint's life is when they doubt the existence of God. You will reach this point when progress up the ridge is blocked with apparent finality by a series of rude volcanic blobs. Skirt around to the left and back up a chute onto the ridge as soon as possible (the second chute, if not the first—or the arete that divides them). Once back on the spine of the ridge, continue upward, on the right side this time. And, for Christ's sake, don't take a winger here!! Just scramble up about fifty feet to the end of the traumatic portion of the show. Do yourself a favor by taking a picture back down this section, because you won't remember it on the way back: You'll stand there lookin' down thinkin', "How the Hell...?" The nubbin 9545' is quickly reached; and, you'll find the final ridge to the summit is refreshingly easy.
Iceberg Peak: If you do the one, you gotta do the other. It only took me twenty minutes to get from the summit of Airola Peak to the summit of Iceberg Peak. There's a bit of loose skittering on the south side of the ridge on the Iceberg side. Once you reach the summit, you'll look back at Airola Peak and hate yourself.
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Airola Peak from Hiram showing the beige blob of peak 8886' in foreground. | |
