This week we planned for an adventure. Our friend, SV, was going to be in town and was up for heading to the mountains on Sunday so we had to find a destination that could be hiked or snowshoed and would provide good representation and beauty of the California Sierras. We decided on Stanislaus Peak in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness near Sonora Pass. Route 108 was open this week, and all of our beta and experience told us south facing aspects wouldn’t be heavily snowed. We love that area of the Sierras and knew that SV would appreciate the hike.
Stanislaus Peak summits at 11,233 feet. You park the car at St. Mary’s Pass Trailhead which is around 9,400 feet. According to the map, it’d be about 3.5 miles of hiking to get to the top. The forecast called for temperatures in the low to mid 50’s, and breezy. It was going to be a long drive, but we were confident it’d be worth the trip to give SV a taste of what we enjoyed about the Sierras.
We headed out Sunday morning at 6am and managed to find the trailhead parking right around 10am. There is no sign for the trailhead parking, but due to some wooden stakes that appeared to be for a sign, we were able to spot the area and see the trailhead sign a 100 feet back from the road. We parked on the south side of the road, got ourselves ready and crossed the street to start our adventure.
There was plenty of snow at the base of the trail and it was hard to tell how much of the trail would be on snow versus dirt higher up; the peaks were definitely spotty with snow. We had our snow shoes but the snow was compact enough that we were able to hike without sinking in too deep. It wasn’t long before we had hiked the 1.5 miles to St. Mary’s Pass, which is at 10,400 feet.
Entering Carson-Iceberg Wilderness at St. Mary’s Pass:
Stanislaus Peak from St. Mary’s Pass: 
Great views from St. Mary’s Pass:
Looking south from St. Mary’s Pass towards Route 108 & Leavitt Peak:
The temperature was pleasant and it was breezy so a light jacket helped. SV was down to her shirt sleeves and enjoying the warm sun. At the pass you cross into the wilderness area which allowed us to leave snow mobile tracks behind and start to traverse around the bowl leading to Stanislaus Peak. It was at this time that “breezy” became “blustery”. Shortly after entering the bowl we found a somewhat sheltered area for a quick snack. We had to put on additional layers to continue the march around the bowl as the wind was incessant. We continued easily on the snow without the need for snow shoes and reached the base of Stanislaus Peak a little after noon.
SV leading the way to the base of Stanislaus Peak:
SV, Brian, Gabby and Cricket way out ahead approaching the final ascent up Stanislaus Peak:
It looks so far and high: 
From there things slowed down. The snow was patchier and the trail got steeper, so we were switching from snow hiking to wet dirt to loose scree. SV took the lead and had no problems moving up and the dogs followed along. Brian was slower, feeling the elevation combined with general life fatigue. And I, of course, brought up the rear. I’m always slower, and the elevation didn’t make me any faster. But we marched on.
After a while the trail turned to straight scrambling. SV and the dogs were easily maneuvering and Brian just continued up. I on the other hand was struggling to stay upright. The wind had continued to get stronger and more consistent as we marched higher and I found myself being pushed over a number of times. I don’t mind scrambling and I don’t mind wind, but the combination felt very precarious to me as I didn’t want to get pushed over and down the side of the mountain. So I called up to Brian and SV to wait, reached them and declared my summit. I was only 100 feet from the true summit, but I knew that trying to go any higher and deal with the wind was only going to make me more anxious and I still had to go down and back to the car in what appeared to be a never ending wind.
So I found a secure and somewhat protected area, enjoyed my lunch, relaxed, and took in the scenery. Brian chose to stay with me and regain energy for the trip back, while SV continued on to conquer a California summit. While SV was hiking, Brian and I used the views to scout out some potential areas for skiing next weekend.
Cricket trying to shelter from the wind, while Gabby watches for SV:
To the northeast, the snow looks sparse:
Looking south was beautiful: 
Looking down the route we came up and I was going to have go down without getting blown over:
Once SV was back, Brian and I were ready to start the trip down. We were over the wind and weren’t looking forward to another couple of miles dealing with it blowing incessantly. We left our perch around 2:40pm and started down the slope. We reached the bowl traverse in fast time as we found a heavily snowed route to take and going down on snow is always faster.
Brian, SV, Gabby and Cricket take the early lead heading down Stanislaus Peak:
Then the long bowl traverse started. Brian and I were already tired, my feet were soaking wet (I need to re-waterproof my boots apparently) and the wind was getting old. St. Mary’s Pass looked like a gazillion miles away. But of course, you have no choice but to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving. SV and Gabby were way out ahead and Cricket and I brought up the rear. We stopped for some energy burst snacks along the way and kept moving.
Once we reached St. Mary’s Pass our moods started to lift. The wind was a lot less after descending from there and we were able to get a few glissades in, which always makes me giddy. Cricket was moving pretty slowly, but was picking her way to pieces of dirt on which she’d trot, and then slow down again on the snow. We thought she was dead tired until we were just about to the car and she bolted to chase a bird. Apparently the pokey puppy routine is just an act.
Gabby patiently waits for Cricket and I to catch up while Brian points out landmarks to SV:
We got back to the car right at 5pm. We enjoyed a beer while we changed and packed our gear up and then started the long drive back. It was only an hour to Mia’s for pizza and beer which really hit the spot. Then we continued back across the Central Valley to the Bay and called it a night. As I was driving, I declared I needed a milkshake at Hula’s and used that awesome treat to power me on the drive.
It was a long day, and an exhausting day and I wish I had been able to get to the summit. But you have to know your limits and think through the return trip before finishing the ascent. I made the right choice on Sunday. It was a lot of fun. The views were spectacular. And SV got a real California mountain experience.
westcoasthikeswithdogs 