Sierra Crest Forms A Wonderland For Fall Hiking

Etched from molten granite into natural ridges and amphitheaters 200 million years ago when a Paleozoic sea covered the area, the landscapes of the Sierra Nevada are some of the most beautiful in the world. And their summertime magic is not benign. Though the summer is drawing to a close, some of the hiking and trans-Sierra tours are waiting to be enjoyed before the first true clouds of winter invade Tahoe.

One such hike is the high country route along the Sierra Crest Trail between the Sugar Bowl Resort atop Donner Summit to Squaw Valley. Over 14 miles, this alpine trek has recorded its share of Native Americans, trappers, prospectors, surveyors, and sheperds. It was even the dream of John M. Riley, founder of Alpine Meadows in 1961, to install a surface lift along this route in order to connect his ski resort to the skiers at Sugar Bowl.

Its real wealth today remains with backcountry enthusiasts and hikers who admire its dazzling variety and abundance of mountain wilderness. Hikers budget the day for the trek, though runners can finish it in under four hours.

To get there, take the summer access road to Sugar Bowl off old Highway 40 and within a quarter-mile the trailhead can be located next to Lake Mary. Amid the conifers and forests of Ponderosa Pine, the outdoorsman travels under the morning shadows of Mount Judah (elevation: 8,243 feet). The route then scales the well-marked trail for over two miles before reaching Emmigrant Gap. Towards the west, Mount Lincoln (elevation: 8383 feet) and its lower weathered buttresses come into view, To the east lies the heavily forested and hidden meadows of Coldstream Canyon.Emerging from the forest, the hiker continues to clamber onto the ridge to Squaw Valley on an 8,400-foot trail. Sage and mule ears, a tobacco-like plant, dot the surrounding slopes. It's not until four miles later that the classic Sierra formation of 8,683 Anderson Peak is encountered. Arriving at the Benson Hut underneath Anderson Peak, it's time for a rest, some lunch, and look-see at the popular public and emergency use shelter maintained by volunteer labor of Sierra Club members. The appealing structure of granite blocks and pine beams was erected in the late 1930s to honor John Benson, a well-known explorer and mountaineer.

Already, you have penetrated more than six and one-half miles of wilderness - not quite halfway, but it seems like the hardest part is behind. You keep on keeping on, past flat-top spurs of granite talus, late-blooming painted meadows of larkspurs, columbines and thistle. A big blue expanse to the east lazily appears: a hazy, oceanic affair that looks suspiciously like Lake Tahoe, while to the west and south is deep silence and the craggy, swarming peaks of the Sierra extending from the false ridge west of Squaw Valley to Needle Peak (elevation : 8971), and beyond.

Within two miles, the trail crosses between the pyramid of Tinker's Knob (8,949 feet) and the steep bluff of Billy's Peak (8,638).

Billy's Peak is made up of boldly sculpted, six-sided columns of basalt. Its northeast side has 300 feet of dramatic rock wall angles that appear to stand guard to the headwall cirque of Squaw's deep creek and valley. The tower, with fringed granite braiding its base, is fondly named after the late Billy Dutton, a popular and long-time resident of Squaw Valley.

From down, then back up, and out of the valley to Mountain Meadow Lake you say good-bye to the Sierra Crest Trail. Granite Chief and Squaw Valley come into view. Within 45 minutes down a well-marked trail, you reach the valley floor and the end of a long day.

FROM SUGAR BOWL TO SQUAW IN A DAY Though the ridge hike from Sugar Bowl to Squaw Valley is a moderate hike, remember it's still an all-day affair. By late September, most stream beds and creek beds are dried up. There is no water to be found until reaching Mountain Meadow Lake near day's end. Besides lunch, hikers should also include several lightweight articles.

Large plastic trash bags make for good ground cover, shelter, or even an emergency poncho. Follow up with water-proof matches and a candle stub firestarter. Duct tape can be used for repairs, while bailing wire and some fishing line can be used for hanging things up. If there's extra room, stuff in a rolled-up wool cap, a whistle, a compass, a tiny lithium flashlight.