"…and in a dark brown voice She said Lola, L-O-L-A, Lola"

Topics related to peak bagging, rock climbing and bouldering in the foothills and high country of the Sierra Nevada. Be sure to also check out the Information Booth forum category to learn from / see if you can contribute to a profile for High Sierra 13'ers, 14'ers and cross country passes.
Post Reply
User avatar
Vaca Russ
Topix Expert
Posts: 809
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:12 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: The Nut Tree

"…and in a dark brown voice She said Lola, L-O-L-A, Lola"

Post by Vaca Russ »

No, this isn’t a report on a peak named after a Kinks tune. But I did have the song stuck in my head all day long.

This peak was named after Lola Montez. She was quite a woman!

“Marie Dolores Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld[ (17 February 1821 – 17 January 1861), better known by the stage name Lola Montez, was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a "Spanish dancer", courtesan, mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who made her Countess of Landsfeld. She used her influence to institute liberal reforms. At the start of the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, she was forced to flee. She proceeded to the United States via Switzerland, France and London, returning to her work as an entertainer and lecturer.”

“From 1851 to 1853, she performed as a dancer and actress in the western United States, one of her offerings being a play called Lola Montez in Bavaria. In May 1853, she arrived at San Francisco. Her performances there created a sensation, but soon inspired a popular satire, Who's Got the Countess?. She married Patrick Hull, a local newspaperman, in July and moved to Grass Valley, California, in August. This marriage soon failed; a doctor named as correspondent in the divorce suit brought against her was shortly after murdered. Montez remained in Grass Valley at her little house for nearly two years. The restored Home of Lola Montez went on to become California Historical Landmark No. 292.”

Mount Lola is the highest peak in the Sierra north of I-80. It is the highest point in Nevada County.

Most of the reports I’ve read about climbing approach from the north. There is a much shorter hike to the summit if you start at White Rock Lake south of the summit. The hard part is being able to determine which road to take to get to White Rock. :D
1 White Rock.JPG
“I met her in a club down in old Soho
where you drink champagne
it tastes just like Cherry Cola, C-O-L-A cola”

The trail is pretty straight forward up a sparsely forested slope.
2 Slope.JPG
After a short climb you find yourself at the summit.
3 Summit Sign.JPG
“She walked up to me and she asked me to dance
I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice
She said Lola, L-O-L-A, Lola, L-L-Lola”
4 Benchmark.JPG
“Well, I'm not the world's most physical guy
But when she squeezed me tight she nearly broke my spine
Oh my Lola, L-L-Lola”
5 Sport on Summit.JPG
“Well, I'm not dumb but I can't understand
Why she walked like a woman but talked like a man
Oh my Lola, L-L-Lola, L-L-Lola”
6 Register.JPG
“Well, we drank champagne and danced all night
Under electric candlelight
She picked me up and sat me on her knee
And said, "Dear boy, won't you come home with me?"

This peak had the busiest register I have ever seen!!
7 Busy Registers.JPG
We then proceeded a short distance to the north to tag “Lola North”.
8 Lola North.JPG
There we found a plaque to Chad Burroughs…
9 Chadd Burroughs.JPG
…and a benchmark.
10 North Benchmark.JPG
“Girls will be boys and boys will be girls
It's a mixed up muddled up, shook up world
Except for Lola, L-L-Lola”

Thanks for reading our report! :D :nod: :D

-Russ
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
"...Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host and then a master?"

Kahil Gibran.
User avatar
brvoyles
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:20 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Brentwood, CA
Contact:

Re: "…and in a dark brown voice She said Lola, L-O-L-A, Lola"

Post by brvoyles »

Nice! I have been thinking car camping at white rock and bagging Lola would make a nice weekend, but have been putting it off since I couldn't find many details on the road. How long did it take you to get there from 80? Campsites at the lake?

Thanks,
Brian
User avatar
Vaca Russ
Topix Expert
Posts: 809
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:12 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: The Nut Tree

Re: "…and in a dark brown voice She said Lola, L-O-L-A, Lola"

Post by Vaca Russ »

brvoyles wrote:Nice! I have been thinking car camping at white rock and bagging Lola would make a nice weekend, but have been putting it off since I couldn't find many details on the road. How long did it take you to get there from 80? Campsites at the lake?

Thanks,
Brian
Hi Brian,

Yes, the hardest part about climbing Lola from the south is the drive to White Rock Lake. It takes about an hour to get there from I-80.

Take CA-89 north for about 14.5 miles. Turn left on Bear Valley road. This road quickly becomes Jackson Meadow Road. Drive west for about 8 miles. Turn left onto Meadow Lake Road at Coppins Meadow. This is a VERY well maintained gravel road. You can’t drive too fast because there are several deep dips in the road. Follow Meadow Lake Road south for about 5 miles. This is where you have a choice to turn right to continue on to Meadow Lake or turn left toward White Rock.

Turn left and immediately stay left (not right). Drive about 0.8 miles and turn right. Do not go left past the very large tractor tire!

After about another half mile turn left. Follow this road for about 3.5 more miles past the PCT to an intersection in a meadow just before the lake. The road up to this point is very manageable in any 2WD vehicle. If you ever find yourself on a road with vegetation growing between the tracks you are on the wrong road. [-X :thumbsdown: :(

I do not know what is to the right at this intersection. It might be a short decent drive to campsites near the dam. ???

We went left around the north side of the lake. If you don’t have 4 WD I would not travel far on the road north of the lake.

Campsites?? Yes, we saw some primitive campsites. No bathrooms, picnic tables or bear boxes just steel fire ring / grates.

I would plan on walking into the campsites unless the road to the right yield better results. I did see one guy down at the lake with a very modified Toyota Tacoma.

Another plan would be to camp at Meadow Lake. There are several very nice campsites right on the lake. Or you could find a place and disperse camp.

Good luck!! Let us know if you learn more about good campsites at White Rock!

Thanks,

-Russ
"...Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host and then a master?"

Kahil Gibran.
User avatar
brvoyles
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:20 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Brentwood, CA
Contact:

Re: "…and in a dark brown voice She said Lola, L-O-L-A, Lola"

Post by brvoyles »

Thanks for the detailed info Russ!

Brian
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 24 guests