As a warm up for Cloudripper, Dima and I stopped at Lone Pine and drove up to Horseshoe Meadow to climb Trail Peak (11,622'). We started before the main parking area and followed the trail down into the meadow, heading toward Trail Pass. We skimmed the tree line, lost the trail for a while, and headed up a drainage in the general direction of the pass. Soon enough, we crossed the trail again and followed it. We rested briefly at the pass before leaving the trail and heading up the ridge. It was very pleasant going for cross country travel. Our otherwise fine views were diminished by smoke from an active fire burning in the Golden Trout Wilderness. We were still able to make out Cirque Peak and Mt. Langley through the haze.
Dima and Trail Peak in the distance
Intersection at Trail Pass
Off trail heading toward Trail Peak
Approaching Trail Peak
Trail Peak benchmark
On the summit
Horseshoe Meadow and Mt. Langley in the distance through the smoke
