Alpine County Highpoint Trip Report
Sonora Peak
Date: September 3, 2008
Author: Ron Tagliapietra
I thought I would shave off some gain and time by starting at Sonora Pass.
However, after 5 minutes of hiking, I saw cliffs everywhere and turned back.
I drove to the ORV road suggested by Suttle. I hiked to Saint Mary’s Pass in
about 35 minutes. It is a pass but the western rise is too low to show a closed
contour. At the pass, a trail goes right and up the hill (where it ends) to a
view of the peak. Notice the three summit crags. The one to the right is the
farthest away and is the highest.
The trail picks up again across the flat scree slope in the foreground. You can
see a large rock outcrop in the middle of the flat area. The trail picks up
again at that rock. To the right of the rock is the first cairn but cairns go
behind the rock and farther left to where an obvious trail ascends the ridgeline
left of the peak.
I saw the first cairn but decided to follow the direct route. It was steep, rocky,
and loose. I came down on the very good trail, which I recommend using
on the way up too. Either way, you can expect two false summits.
I climbed from the pass to the summit in 25 minutes.
A BM was near the top but the arrow pointed in the opposite direction!
It said "BM Sonora Pk RM 2".