Ogul #44 - Mt Lola

August 20th, 2023

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We arrived at the trailhead around 8 AM. The weather was pretty cool and gloomy for August, but as someone who doesn’t enjoy heat, it was a welcome change for me. The drive out was a bit long, but pleasant. I really like the section of Highway 89 that’s north of Truckee. We saw one other group getting ready at the trailhead, but set off before they did. My Dad, as well as my Dog George were joining me for this hike.

George leading the charge George leading the charge George leading the charge

The trail has some fairly significant elevation gain in the first few miles, and I quickly found myself wondering why the hell I chose this hobby. No matter how much I train, and how many peaks I climb, walking uphill out of the gate always catches me off guard. In spite of my uphill suffering, George was having a great time in this new place, and the charm of the volcanic forest started to grow on me as well. The trail meandered along Cold Stream for a bit, before swinging to the east a bit and joining a forest service road for a short distance.

Cold Stream Cold Stream Cold Stream

A gloomy morning for August A gloomy morning for August A gloomy morning for August

A mile or 2 later, the trail took us through Cold Stream Meadow, which had some nice views of the Lola Ridge, as well as abundant plant life. I tried explaining that meadows are sensitive habitats in the Sierra, but he decided to roll on his back in the grass despite my explanation. After the meadow, the trail went through a bit more forested land before starting to make its way up the ridge proper. The trail was pretty well graded, and quite well used and easy to follow, despite the thick fog as we got closer to the top. Some impressive snow drifts still clung on, which seemed rare for the elevation and time of year.

Cold stream meadow Cold stream meadow Cold stream meadow

Heading up Heading up Heading up

Eventually the trail topped out on the ridge, but still a bit shy of Mt Lola’s summit. George again took some time out to roll in the snow, he didn’t seem to mind the wind and somewhat cold temperatures. The guy likes to roll in snow regardless of the conditions. The trail continued west and slightly south, and the fog grew thicker and the wind faster. We plodded along, and before too long were at the fairly unimpressive (at least when shrouded in fog) summit of Mt Lola. There were some interesting brick wall sections, and a pretty weathered and old looking sign to mark the spot.

Snow drift on the ridge Snow drift on the ridge Snow drift on the ridge

Nearing the summit Nearing the summit Nearing the summit

We hung out in the rock shelter on the summit and ate our lunch, signed the register, and did all of the other standard summit things one does. I was a bit disappointed with the fog obscuring what I’m sure is a great view, but thats just a good excuse to come back on a clear day again. After a sufficient rest, we started making our way back to the car.

Summit sign Summit sign Summit sign

We stopped again in the meadow to inspect some of the plants a bit closer. Upon returning and doing some searches, it appears that Corn Lily, which is quite deadly, dominates a good part of the meadow. George had been eating some grass right by these plants, but he’s managed to survive, so thankfully probably didn’t eat any of it. We stopped and talked to a few hikers heading out towards Lola at the end of the meadow, and continued on our way back. The rest of the return trip was pretty uneventful, but good training for our upcoming JMT section we had planned the following week.

Wildflowers in Cold Stream Meadow Wildflowers in Cold Stream Meadow Wildflowers in Cold Stream Meadow

Route

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