Piute Mountain, Mount Barcroft, White Mountain Peak in Inyo National Forest, CA

Hike Piute Mountain, Mount Barcroft, White Mountain Peak Inyo National Forest, CA

Class 2 23.4 miles 5700 gain 8-11 hrs Out + Back Oct 18, 2019
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Piute Mountain, Mount Barcroft, White Mountain Peak GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

I've procrastinated in hiking White Mountain Peak because it's a road walk to the summit, which isn't particularly appealing. With the weather reading snow everywhere else, I thought it would be a good time to head up to the area for my first time. Rather than start at the official trailhead, I decided to make the day a little more intersting by including a few more California high points along the southern ridge before making my way up to White Mountain Peak. My full day includes the unranked Limestone Peak, Sheep Mountain, Piute Mountain, Mt. Barcroft, and White Mountain Peak.

The rocky slope leading past Limestone Peak and to Sheep Mountain was windy and uneventful. As was the short traverse over to Piute Mountain. In fact, that was a bit of a theme for the day's excursion. From Piute Mountain, the slope continued down to the official trailhead, where I finally started the long ascent up to White Mountain Peak on the dirt road. The wind was brutal and I had to wrap my leggings around my face, but I was just happy to be out here. I took a short Class 2 excursion to Mt. Barcroft after passing the Barcroft Field Station, where the expanse leading to White Mountain Peak was a little disheartening. Back on the road/trail, I continued north through pretty alpine meadows and then started the switchbacks to the summit, still along a road. The view from White Mountain Peak was wonderful, but the slog back was a little annoying, and then I had to add a few more miles on the driveable road to get from the official trailhead to where I parked my car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Limestone Peak
12240 ft
40 rise
2
Sheep Mountain
12497 ft
497 rise
3
Piute Mountain
12560 ft
880 rise
4
Mount Barcroft
13040 ft
440 rise
5
White Mountain Peak
14246 ft
7196 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

View back down the rocky slope up to Limestone Peak. My car is visible far right.
View back down the rocky slope up to Limestone Peak. My car is visible far right.
Summit of Sheep Mountain, view back toward Limestone Peak (right).
Summit of Sheep Mountain, view back toward Limestone Peak (right).
Sheep Mountain, view toward Piute Mountain (left) and White Mountain Peak (right of center).
Sheep Mountain, view toward Piute Mountain (left) and White Mountain Peak (right of center).
View back toward Sheep Mountain on my way up to Piute Mountain.
View back toward Sheep Mountain on my way up to Piute Mountain.
Piute Mountain, view back.
Piute Mountain, view back.
Piute Mountain, view toward White Mountain Peak (top left). I headed north, toward the peak, where the official White Mountain Trailhead began.
Piute Mountain, view toward White Mountain Peak (top left). I headed north, toward the peak, where the official White Mountain Trailhead began.
Approaching the official trailhead after coming down from Piute Peak.
Approaching the official trailhead after coming down from Piute Peak.
And so the long walk along the dirt road begins.
And so the long walk along the dirt road begins.
View back toward Piute Peak (center) and Sheep Peak (left of center).
View back toward Piute Peak (center) and Sheep Peak (left of center).
Continuing along the dirt road as I make my way to White Mountain Peak.
Continuing along the dirt road as I make my way to White Mountain Peak.
Passing the Barcroft Field Station.
Passing the Barcroft Field Station.
A quick excursion to Mount Barcraft, just off the dirt road.
A quick excursion to Mount Barcraft, just off the dirt road.
View toward White Mountain Peak from Mount Barcroft.
View toward White Mountain Peak from Mount Barcroft.
Mount Barcroft, a bit rocky. View south. Piute Mountain seen top right.
Mount Barcroft, a bit rocky. View south. Piute Mountain seen top right.
Back on the road, headed to White Mountain Peak.
Back on the road, headed to White Mountain Peak.
Long walk along the road through a pretty meadowy section.
Long walk along the road through a pretty meadowy section.
View back toward Mount Barcroft.
View back toward Mount Barcroft.
Getting closer to White Mountain Peak.
Getting closer to White Mountain Peak.
Approaching the switchbacks to the summit.
Approaching the switchbacks to the summit.
View back - the road came from the hill on the left.
View back - the road came from the hill on the left.
Starting up the switch backs to White Mountain Peak.
Starting up the switch backs to White Mountain Peak.
View back along the road.
View back along the road.
White Mountain Peak, view south toward the way I came.
White Mountain Peak, view south toward the way I came.
White Mountain Peak, view north toward Mount Dubois.
White Mountain Peak, view north toward Mount Dubois.
White Mountain Peak, view west toward the Sierra.
White Mountain Peak, view west toward the Sierra.
On the way back, some nice lighting on the meadows and on White Mountain Peak.
On the way back, some nice lighting on the meadows and on White Mountain Peak.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!