Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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38.15247°N / 119.67197°W |
Route Type:
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Hiking, Scrambling |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall |
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Time Required:
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One to two days |
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Rock Difficulty:
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Class 3 |
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Overview
The Northeast Ridge of Sachse Monument is an enjoyable Class 2/3 scramble over mixed terrain consisting of granite slabs and dirt/gravel. There are several rock buttresses along the ridge but these obstacles can be easily navigated with only a couple of very short and easy class 3 sections.The route begins from the Huckleberry Trail on the northeast side of Sachse Monument.
Route Statistics
Elevation Gain: 700ft
Distance: 2 miles RT
Getting There
Sachse Monument is in a very remote area and there are several possible trailheads from which to start. Selecting a trailhead will depend on the season and your overall itinerary.1) From Kennedy Meadows Resort: Follow the Huckleberry Trail all the way to Maxwell Lake (14.5 miles). This is a great place to camp. Next, continue south on the Huckleberry trail for another .25 miles until you reach the apex of the saddle on the NE shoulder of Sachse Monument. The ascent begins here. (15 miles total)
2) From Leavitt Lake trailhead: Follow the Leavitt Pass trail south, up and over Big Sam, for 10 miles until you reach Emigrant Pass. Take the trail split to the south. Near Grizzly Meadow, take the trail split to the SW that leads through Horse Meadow. You'll reach the Huckleberry trail at the far end of Horse Meadow. Take the trail split north towards Maxwell Lake until you reach the apex of the saddle on the NE shoulder of Sachse Monument. The ascent begins here. (17 miles total)
3) From Cherry Lake trailhead: Follow the Kibbie Ridge trail north and eventually towards the east past Lord Meadow and Huckleberry Lake until you reach the apex of the saddle on the NE shoulder of Sachse Monument. The ascent begins here. (24 miles total)
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Route Description
Leave the Huckleberry Trail at the apex of the divide at an elevation of about 8,700' and follow the ridgeline towards the summit. There are several rock buttresses along the route but they can be easily navigated.Follow the path of least resistance on the lower part of the route. You'll soon come to a patch of forest. Be careful here as we saw 3 fresh bear scat while we were there (1 from mama bear and 2 from her cubs).
Once clear of the trees, continue up the right side of the ridgeline until it starts to get steep. This is really the only (slightly) tricky section along the route. Turn to the left and ascend the short class 3 section in this photo up towards the ridgeline. At the top of this section, traverse left on a flat bench until you can see Horse Meadow. From here, there's another short, easy class 3 section that ascends the left side of the ridgeline. You should see a small tarn.
The route is easy after that until you reach the false summit, which is a small granitoid domed buttress.
Climb up and over the false summit and descend slightly on its opposite side. From there it is an easy ridge-run to the true summit.