| The viewpoint was day-hiked
starting out on the Tanglefoot trail which goes eastward into the western part
of the Mokelumne Wilderness Area. The trailhead is at Map Location 467673
(measured on south and east neatlines) on the Bear River Reservoir Quad (CA.
7.5-Min, 1979). The Tanglefoot Trail and trailhead access are described in High
Sierra Guide #17 (Silver Lake) by J. and S. Grodin, 3rd Ed.. 1983, Wilderness
Press, Berkeley. Also, the trailhead access is shown on the US Forest Service
Recreation Visitor Map, Eldorado National Forest, 1982. The trail (sometimes
indistinct, duff or ducked) was followed to the northwest spur of Mokelumne
Peak at Map Location 514703 (measured on south and west neatlines) on the
Mokelumne Peak Quad. The northwest spur was then climbed to the saddle at lisp
Location 520693 (measured on south and west neatlines), and the 8440-ft contour
was then followed with altimeter to the desired viewpoint at Map Location
529678 (measured on south and west neatlines). The round trip distance and
elevation gain were 17 miles and 3300-ft. 10. Nellies Nipple and The Nipple. The intention is to offer descriptions of these climbs as an atonement for chickening-out at the Mokelumne Tetons wafer. 10.1. Nellies Nipple (4648-ft). Climbed 14 Apr 85. This is named as such on the following maps:
Surprise! I met some of the nicest ranch owners yet. They let me park and cross their land to climb Nellies Nipple; warned me not to take an obvious access road because the "crazy woman" whose land it crossed would run me off; and chased after me after I had gone for 5 minutes just to remind me to take plenty of water "because it will be hot and dry back there". Drive east of Bakersfield to Loraine, CA as shown on the AAA Kern County Map. Then take the southeast (right) fork for 1.2 miles to the ranch at Map Location 708061 on the Loraine 7.5-Min Quad and park. With permission, hike under the pole-line wires to their road crossing at Map Location 711046; then follow the obvious map roads on the east side of the pole-line wires to a broad slope (spur) of Nellies Nipple at Map Location 731019 (the spot is about 0.4 mile short of the saddle to which the road is ascending); and climb to the summit. The 40-ft high Nellies Nipple nubble at the summit can be climbed at a benign Class 3 route on the east side. The round trip distance and elevation gain are about 7 miles and 1850-ft. The green forested countryside was covered with spring flowers. Fine views were had of Peak 5565-ft to the east (Emerald Mtn Quad, CA, 7.5-Min, 1972) and Stevenson Peak to the north. 10.2. The Nipple (9342-ft). Climbed 17 Aug 85. This nub is located and named on the:
What a pleasant surprise to find a Sierra Club register (Mother Lode Chapter) on The Nipple nubbin with nice comments on the views. Views of the glaciated country included the rugged Raymond/Reynolds Pk area, Jeff Davis Peak, Round Top, Fred Pk, Jobs Sister, Markleeville Peak, Lost Lakes, and a beautiful cliffy area joining The Nipple knob's west side. |
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