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Ascent of McConnell Peak on 2001-08-31

Climber: Frederick Johnson

Others in Party:	Dave Jenkins
Date:	Friday, August 31, 2001
Ascent Type:	Successful Summit Attained
Motorized Transport to Trailhead:	4x4 Vehicle
Peak:	McConnell Peak
Location:	USA-California
Elevation:	9099 ft / 2773 m
Ascent Trip Report After failing to climb McConnell Peak from Forni Lake because of my bad knee and slow pace, I decided to try it as a backpack via Lake #3. Departure once again from the Van Vleck TH, which is approached by a paved spur road on the right of Ice House Rd, 21.7 miles from U.S. 50. From the gated TH, go right at the junction after 0.6 mile and proceed about a mile to the start of the Red Peak Tr, branching off on the use trail about 0.4 mile from Lake #3. There are good campsites here. On August 31 we hiked up to the Silver Peak-Red Peak saddle, then made our way through a couple of rocky basins on the north side of the Silver-McConnell ridge before climbing a rock-free, treed slope to hit the McConnell ridge at a broad, open saddle. It was then a short stroll to the rocky "summit" area with register book from 1986 in a large ammo box provided by Howard Steidtman and inscribed with the familiar names of Yamagata, Smith, Palmer, Rountree, Sumner, Nahlovsky, and Brush. I also checked out the possibly higher rock bump a short distance north of the register. McConnell Peak was my 63rd and final peak on the Tahoe Ogul List. We returned to Lake #3 without incident, enjoyed another night camping there, and hiked to the TH the next morning. Est. distane: 5 miles to Lake #3, 2 miles from Lake #3 to McConnell Peak