Lightner Peak, Bald Eagle Peak, Piute Lookout, Sorrell Peak, Skinner Peak

2 June 1990

By: Charlie Knapke

Leaders: Charlie Knapke, Frank Goodykoontz

At 7:00am Saturday morning, 22 hikers met at the beginning of the dirt road which goes north from the Breckenridge Mountain Road towards Lightner Peak. Everyone seemed eager and ready to go despite the early hour. (I shouldn't have used the word "party" in the trip sheets I had sent out). We drove a very short distance down the road to a parking area on the left. This is just before the point where the road gets rough.

I had remembered from my previous visit to this peak that the route was one of the prettiest on the list. I never realized that it would look even better early in the morning when you are fresh and eager. Because of this, the hike seemed to go too quickly.

We then drove over to the starting point for Bald Eagle. The difference in the vegetation between these peaks drew several comments from the group. The route went well and everyone made it through the brush and up the rocks to the summit. There, I related a story of how Janet Coles' lunch hand fallen into a crack on my last trip to this peak. I warned everyone to keep their food away from this hungry crack.

Next, we continued on to Piute Lookout (not to be confused with Piute Peak). Here, we ran into a cloud of lady bugs. They normally do not bite people but they landed all over us and seemed to get into and under one's clothing. We did not find the register can on this peak so we promptly started a new one. It probably will not last long as this is a drive-up peak.

We then travelled to the base of Sorell which was to be our last ascent of the day. At this peak we had our first celebration of the weekend as Leslie Metcalfe got her 100th ascent on this peak. Congratulations Leslie! When we arrived back at the cars the group split up for the evening. Some called it a weekend and headed back for the city. Some headed into town for dinner; two headed off to do another peak, and the rest of us made camp for the evening at a wide spot in the road.

Sunday was the big day for Eleanor Carter. Skinner Peak was to be her list finish. Minor White and Asher Waxman had agreed to lead Eleanor, her family and friends up to Skinner ahead of our group. Some of the people in her group were not hikers and needed the head start.

Our group reassembled at Bird Spring Pass at about 9:30am. It was already warm and would soon get warmer. We headed north up the PCT and arrived at the summit just after Eleanor's group. A large and noisy party immediately erupted. Everyone was asked to sign Eleanor's double barreled trail marker (see Minor White for more details).

After all the celebrating and the customary pictures, we headed on back down the trail. Minor and Asher took part of the group down a scree slope to the parking area while Frank and I led the remainder down via the trail. After some more merrymaking at the cars, we all headed our own ways.

I would like to thank Frank Goodykoontz for his assistance which was impeccable as usual. I would also like to thank Minor and Asher for their assistance.

The family and friends of Eleanor who attended this occasion were: Brad Carter (son), Susan Moore (daughter), Terry Moore (son-in-law), Carol Leutzinger (sister), and Ted Leutzinger (brother-in-law).