Peep Sight Peak
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From Folger Peak: The Milk Ranch Trail comes in from Tryon Camp on the right, then wanders through the maze of granite beneath the summit following the swath of trees before crossing a subtle ridge at a rather important saddle. (In the background, left to right: Bull Run Peak, 9413', Henry Peak.) | |
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From Henry Peak: The 'X' marks the important saddle on the subtle ridge. The innocuous little nubbin is shown on the map as 8911'. | |
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From the head (west end) of Willow Flat. | |
Trailhead is Pacific Valley (See: Bull Run Peak). At the end of the 4x road leading out of the Pacific Valley Campground (and, by this I mean the very end of the road, where the actual trail starts), on the other side of the barbed wire fence, take an immediate left up Marshall Canyon (instead of going straight up Pacific Valley). About 4 miles gets you to the saddle between Henry Peak and Peep Sight Peak. Take a left on Milk Ranch Trail. After less than 2 miles you hit the subtle ridge saddle at nubbin 8911'. Scramble up the presumptuously loose ridge until it intersects the west ridge just beneath the actual Peep Sight. Follow said west ridge to the summit. As noted above (1st picture), you can follw Milk Ranch Trail all the way from Tryon Camp to hit this same saddle.
Alternately, with luck you can find and thus follow the old road/cow trails up Marshall Canyon to the end—you pop out at the head of the magnificent Willow Flats. From here, wander up the loafs of volcanic stuff toward the summit; but, attack the summit from the N.E. or S.W. ridges only.
If you think you might want to toodle up the creeky area on the north side of the west ridge past that little pond... think again: at some point you'll have to flail grandly up some loose volcanic ramparts. You will utter curse word-laced oaths to God, demi-gods, inanimate objects....
