Sirretta Peak, Smith Mountain

19-Sep-92

By: Jerry and Nancy Keating

Mild, cloudless weather favored this SPS Southern Sierra outing. Nine persons signed up, but three withdrew and one other person was a no-show.

Smith Mtn. (9,515') was climbed Saturday morning from the north via a forested route that required about one hour of cross-country hiking for the five participants, including Keats Hayden Gray. Then the group motored over Sherman Pass to Big Meadow where we took the Twisselmann Trail to 9,500 feet, then followed a well-ducked route West-Southwest to Sirretta Peak (9,977'). Four participants reached the peak in two hours, while the fifth relaxed at the trail's high point. Noted the register contents was the book placed in 1963 by an SPS party led by John Robinson.

We car camped and had a pleasant fire Saturday night along Salmon Creek about 150 yards below the trailhead and Sunday morning declared the trip officially ended so the drivers could proceed home via Kernville at a leisurely pace. Doug Hatfield and Betty Jones, however, opted first to complete a quick climb of nearby Taylor Dome.