Highland Peak, Silver Peak

3-Sep-93 (Carson-Iceberg Wilderness)

By: Gordon MacLeod

Six participants met at the 6500' Wolf Creek Trailhead, south of Hwy.4, on a warm, humid and ufortunately) partly cloudy morning. After filling out the SELF-SERVICE Wilderness Permit, we backpacked 2 miles up Wolf Creek, then followed a steep, unmaintained trail, roughly paralleling the west side of Dixon Creek, to a pristine campsite at 8100', 2OO yards north of where the trail crosses the creek. As the trail Is not shown on the 15' topo maps and its start is difficult to locate, Dixon Creek canyon is lightly used. In addition, there are no cows, whose presence is all too common in many areas of the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.

The next day, on the way to Highland Peak, we encountered a magnificent grove of Western Juniper trees I also called "Sierra" Juniper" and "Red Cedar"), some members of which were over 10 feet in diameter. (As it turns out, a little research indicates that these trees typically have diameters up to one foot, but "giants reach a diameter of 16 feet"!) We Followed the east side of Dixon Creek to 9100', then crossed the creek and climbed south to the peak's sandy east slope. All six participants reached the summit. The three of us who had climbed the peak along the ridges from Ebbetts Pass some 20 or so years ago marveled at the distance involved.

Sunday, Five of us ascended Dixon Creek to its headwaters and climbed Silver Peak (lO,774') via the west ridge. The higher unnumbered peak to the north was climbed after lunch. Incidentally, it is these two summits of Silver Peak that stand out in such a spectacular fashion against the backdrop of the Sierras when viewed from the north in the vicinity of Minden, Nevada. From the saddle between the two peaks, we descended 1600' down a steep gully to Dixon Creek, with some good scree running en route. Although Saturday was a beautiful Sierra day, thunder rumbled most of Sunday afternoon, but only a brief shower Tell at camp.

The backpack to the cars was accomplished before noon on Monday. One newcomer, Aimee Goglia, proved very well qualified for SPS trips even though Highland was her first off-trail Sierra peak. Other participants were Barbara Lilley, Kay Binneil, Ron Rosen and leaders Garden Macleod and Roy Magneson. As always, Roy gets a special thanks for handling the paperwork and the often tedious job of bringing up the rear on an Introductory Trip.