Guatay Mountain Trip Report

4,885 ft

Guatay Mountain is plainly visible from I-8 just to the north and is approached most easily by taking the same exit as if contemplating the Sunrise Highway to Mount Laguna.

Edward Earl and myself opted for an approach from the northeast - eventually gaining a prominent ridge as the backbone of the mountain. We used the ridge to walk west on a fire road towards the true summit - albeit after two or three false summits that invariably disappoint.

Toilet paper and garbage at the very top. We cleaned up the TP and enjoyed some 30 minutes of San Diego County in mid-winter splendor. A nice-looking peak was located to the east roughly 5 miles distant and we set out to learn its identity for a future ascent. Later we would learn it is Long Valley Peak and would be the focus of my efforts the following month.

As the final ascent of calendar 2001 I was somewhat melancholy as we left the summit. 2001 had been a wonderfully successful year for my climbing efforts since I had accomplished all of the goals I had set out to perform -

  1. Climb Nevado Illimani in Bolivia (21,201 ft).
    This was achieved on May 7 with with Prof. Robert Packard and two guides.

  2. Make a 400 statute mile home glob radius in my county highpointing efforts.
    At the end of 2001 my radius stands at 401 miles as limited by Beaver County, Utah.

  3. Complete the state of Arizona in my county highpointing efforts.
    This was achieved on Black Mesa of Navajo County in early November
    with Prof. Robert Packard present.

  4. Accumulate a total number of successful ascents (all types) of at least 200.
    Since I had started the year with 122 ascents and since was number 213, I had
    a total of 91 ascents in calendar 2001.