My quest continues on the SPS list. This weekend I bagged Taylor Dome (and also Sirretta Peak, which I'll write about in a separate TR). I found Taylor Dome to be relatively short and fun. The summit block had a spicy Class 3s4 section. I also had a shocking encounter with a rattlesnake, which I describe below. . .
Beta: To prepare for this peak, I used two previous trip reports:
- eric1234's Trip Report (2013) -- great photos of the route, especially the scramble on the summit block
- Bob Burd's Trip Report (2005) -- I used Bob's descent route as my ascent route.
Driving & Parking: Cherry Hill Road (USFS 22S12) and the Big Meadow Loop Road (USFS 23S07) are both open and accessible to passenger vehicles, as of this writing. I parked at the trailhead for USFS trail 34E37, which is also known as the Manter Meadow trail. There's space for half a dozen cars here, plus extra spots along the road. There were 4 other cars here on a Sunday. Rather than use the main trail 34E37, I used trail 34E15, described below. . .
My Route: I followed an ascent of Bob Burd's descent route. I followed USFS trail 34E15 to a saddle west of Taylor, then traversed cross-country along the ridge towards the peak. Although trail 34E15 has not been maintained, I found it to be in relatively good condition and I easily followed it to the saddle. It was quite steep in places. From the saddle, I side-hilled---not my favorite activity---to reach the western flanks of Taylor. I loved the final half mile ascending the ridge, passing lots of interesting rock gardens and big vistas. Overall, my time from car-to-summit was just under 2 hours.
Summit Scramble: The summit block has a brief exposed section, which I was prepared for. The scariest section is stepping along the shelf and then around an outsloped corner. After that, the chute felt protected, and it was a straightforward boulder problem. This summit block is canonically rated as Class 3, but I've read online discussion claiming it needs a higher rating like "3s4" due to the brief exposure.
After down-climbing the chute and returning to the saddle, I descended north through the forest to rejoin USFS trail 34E37, making a loop back to my car. The northern slope of Taylor Dome has lots of use trails, and they all seemed equally good.
Gear: I carried my sticky shoes (La Sportiva TX4s), and hiked in my normal trail runners (Salomon Ultra 4s). At the saddle below the summit, I switched shoes. Maybe it was overkill for this route, but I had read about exposure on the summit scramble and I wanted to feel comfortable and safe.
Rattlesnake Encounter: Back on the trail, I took a brief nap in the forest. After dozing off, I awoke with a strange sense that something wasn't quite right. As I sat up to investigate, I immediately heard a rattle erupt just inches from me. Without thinking, my body jumped away. Once my brain reconnected, I realized that a rattlesnake had slithered directly beside my nap spot. I don't know if the snake was attracted to my smell, or if it was just a coincidence. Anyway, I found myself in a tricky situation because I had removed my shoes and eyeglasses for my nap... so I was barefoot and blind in the forest, while a rattlesnake curled in strike position on my gear. I found a very long stick and managed to retrieve my shoes and backpack from a safe distance. Eventually, the snake uncoiled and slithered away.
Now I was curious, so I followed the snake for a few minutes as it slithered through the forest. Although I've encountered rattlesnakes in the past, I've never watched one in transit. It was cool to watch it slowly slither through the pine duff, frequently sniffing the air and changing course. The thought occurred to me that rattlesnakes have evolved to really excel in this type of environment. I also had the thought that being a rattlesnake in the Sierra could be a pretty chill lifestyle, in my next life.
