Round Top and Elephants Back in Stanislaus National Forest, CA

Hike Round Top and Elephants Back Stanislaus National Forest, CA

Class 3 8.8 miles 2800 gain 3-5 hrs Out + Back Aug 9, 2024
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Round Top is the highest point within the beautiful Mokelumne Wilderness, a high-prominence peak with a short scramble required to reach its summit. Often, this peak is reached from Woody Lake to the north, but I decided to start at Kit Carson Pass to extend the hike and also more easily include a detour to Elephant's Back on my return.

I left the busy parking lot and followed the PCT south through the forest for a while, a very popular stretch of trail. Emerging from the forest, I was thrilled to see sweeping meadows covered with wildflowers stretching all the way to the base of Round Top. I reached a junction, keeping right along the Carson Pass/Lake Winnemucca Connector Trail. The trail was mostly flat until I approached Winnemucca Lake, nestled at the base of Round Top.

I continued along the Camp Irene Trail, which ascended a gradual slope and then descended a bit down to Round Top Lake. The lake was serene, and a series of sub-peaks called The Sisters poked up above it. The Round Top Summit Trail headed south and was surprisingly well-defined, making the initial ascent smooth, if pretty steep. It eventually reached a slope used to gain the west ridge of Round Top, where the route  abruptly changed to scree and then progressively into a Class 2 scramble. The rock became more solid along the ridge itself, and soon I was on the summit crest.

I was stopped before the summit by a notch, which separated me from the dome-like summit for which the peak gets its name. I had to drop to the right on steep, loose terrain to get down below the notch into a gully, then scrambled up on its opposite side to start the Class 2/3 scramble to the summit block. The rock was quite solid and fun, though short-lived. On my ascent, I accidentally kept too far to the right and ended up in Class 4 territory, but there's a straightforward Class 3 weakness just after starting up out from the gully. With only one Class 3 section and a gorgeous summit, it became clear why this peak gets a lot of visitation. I could see Deadwood Peak to the south, Red Lake Peak to the north, and many other nearby summits from this gorgeous high point.

On the descent, I took a detour just past Lake Winnemucca, heading off-trail toward Elephant's Back, which is just a quick volcanic add-on peak. The terrain was a little more brushy than I'd expected, but I was able to avoid the majority of it. The ground was littered with large boulders, so sometimes I found myself avoiding brush and instead scrambling briefly on these boulders. As I neared the peak, the slope became steeper but leveled off once I reached the ridge. Round Top was a pretty sight from here, as were the various surrounding lakes. After a brief pause at the summit, I dropped north using an eroded social trail through the scree. I somehow lost it toward the bottom and instead headed north to rejoin the PCT.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Round Top
10384 ft
2544 rise
2
Elephants Back
9585 ft
457 rise

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View back along the PCT.
View back along the PCT.
Round Top seen ahead.
Round Top seen ahead.
PCT heads left at this junction, but keep right for Round Top. Elephants Back seen left, Round Top right.
PCT heads left at this junction, but keep right for Round Top. Elephants Back seen left, Round Top right.
An easy walk toward the base of Round Top along the Carson Pass/Lake Winnemucca Connector Trail.
An easy walk toward the base of Round Top along the Carson Pass/Lake Winnemucca Connector Trail.
View back, Red Lake Peak seen center.
View back, Red Lake Peak seen center.
Image 5 from gallery
Lake Winnemucca at the base of Round Top.
Lake Winnemucca at the base of Round Top.
View back toward Lake Winnemucca. Elephants Back seen center, Red Lake Peak left.
View back toward Lake Winnemucca. Elephants Back seen center, Red Lake Peak left.
Along the Camp Irene Trail, which ascends and then drops down to Round Top Lake.
Along the Camp Irene Trail, which ascends and then drops down to Round Top Lake.
Approaching Round Top Lake at the base of The Sisters.
Approaching Round Top Lake at the base of The Sisters.
Round Top Lake.
Round Top Lake.
Round Top Summit Trail, Round Top seen center.
Round Top Summit Trail, Round Top seen center.
View back toward Round Top Lake.
View back toward Round Top Lake.
Very well-defined trail up to the Round Top scramble.
Very well-defined trail up to the Round Top scramble.
View back, Caples Lake seen below.
View back, Caples Lake seen below.
Class 2 to gain Round Top's west ridge. A trail leads most of the way.
Class 2 to gain Round Top's west ridge. A trail leads most of the way.
Class 2 on more solid rock.
Class 2 on more solid rock.
View back down the Class 2 as I ascend Round Top's west ridge. Round Top Lake seen right of center.
View back down the Class 2 as I ascend Round Top's west ridge. Round Top Lake seen right of center.
More Class 2 along the way.
More Class 2 along the way.
Round Top seen right, Lake Winnemucca and Elephants Back below on the left.
Round Top seen right, Lake Winnemucca and Elephants Back below on the left.
A notch. Drop right.
A notch. Drop right.
Class 2 on loose terrain for a short time, then keep left.
Class 2 on loose terrain for a short time, then keep left.
Weakness seen center to gain the summit.
Weakness seen center to gain the summit.
Class 3.
Class 3.
Round Top summit, view east.
Round Top summit, view east.
Round Top summit, view north. Red Lake Peak seen right of center.
Round Top summit, view north. Red Lake Peak seen right of center.
Close-up toward Elephants Back and Lake Winnemucca.
Close-up toward Elephants Back and Lake Winnemucca.
Round Top summit, view south toward Deadwood Peak on the left.
Round Top summit, view south toward Deadwood Peak on the left.
From just past Lake Winnemucca, I left the trail and headed up on sometimes brushy terrain toward Elephants Back.
From just past Lake Winnemucca, I left the trail and headed up on sometimes brushy terrain toward Elephants Back.
Steeper and brushier as I hiked up the slope.
Steeper and brushier as I hiked up the slope.
View back toward Lake Winnemucca on my way up Elephants Back.
View back toward Lake Winnemucca on my way up Elephants Back.
Elephants Back summit ahead.
Elephants Back summit ahead.
Elephants Back summit, view toward Red Lake Peak. There's a loose social trail eroded into the peak that makes for an easy, quick descent.
Elephants Back summit, view toward Red Lake Peak. There's a loose social trail eroded into the peak that makes for an easy, quick descent.
View back up toward Elephants Back as I re-join the PCT.
View back up toward Elephants Back as I re-join the PCT.

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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!