View from the trailhead at 8500 feet, looking straight up
towards Lassen Peak.
The 2.5 mile trail actually cuts back through the trees on
the right, and then works up along the
ridge line in a relentless series
of switchbacks, raising almost 2000 feet to the summit.
For climbers who usually bag peaks like Shasta or Whitney, this
is a quick "fun run" compared to what they're used to. (At
least that's what they told us at the summit.) For folks who've
spent the last year doing "baby-ups" near sea level, it's still
doable, but it's a much more significant workout.