2009 Adventure Run Ideas – CA

A selection of adventure run possibilities for 2009 and beyond in California’s Sierra Mountains. New for this year is a section for the Northern California Coastal Ranges, which features an appealing mixture of old growth redwoods, rugged coastline, and snowcapped mountains.

Sierras:

• Middle Palisade: This peak lends itself to the fastest time of the Palisade group with a shorter approach and sustained scramble.
  
• Mount Sill: Known as the best viewpoint in the Palisades and an interesting route.
  
• North Palisade: The highest point in the Palisades subrange has a more technical finish.
  
• Clyde Minaret: The Minarets are gorgeous and this is a cool scramble.
• Mount Stanford: Named after my alma mater – a sweet mountain in the midst of a very rugged section of the Sierra.
• Arrow Peak via Bench Lake: Famous view of this symmetrical peak from Bench Lake.
• Mineral King Area: Tons of great scrambles here.
  
• South Guard/North Guard/Mount Brewer: Wild and remote; access from Kings Canyon on the westside.
• Mount Whitney: The Mountaineers Route is a classic.
  
• Mount Russell: Sweet scrambling routes on this mountain next to Whitney.
• Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne: A point-to-point 33 mile trail run through a spectacular canyon.
  
• University Peak: A cool looking mountain out of Onion Valley.

See Coastal Ranges after the jump.

Coastal Ranges:

• The Trinity Alps: Lots of sweet climbs here in the Klamath Mountain Range.
• Mount Shasta: Cool looking mountain and equally cool routes.
• The Lost Coast: Encompassing King Range National Conservation Area and the Sinkyone Wilderness, the Lost Coast is the most remote and wild stretch of coastline on the US West Coast.
• Miner’s Ridge and James Irvine Loop: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, known as one of the best redwood hikes in the world
• Look Prairie-Peavine-Thornton Loop: The biggest redwoods in the world at Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
• Grasshopper Peak: A high point in Humboldt Redwoods State Park with great views.