Signal Peak

Signal Peak wasn't exactly the prime peak on my todo list. I didn't expect too much of this mountain with little prominence, close to the highway, telecommunication installations on top and no apparent 'interesting' route to it's peak. However, my current fitness level and some minor health issues kind of forced me to look for an easy peak like this. After climbing it I have to say: I was pleasantly surprised, in particular by flora and some nice views which it offered.

When preparing this outing I was looking for an alternate route to the top, something different than the standard path from the Cisco Grove campground. After studying the map, I thought that the approach via south and later southwest ridge would be a good way to "spice" the hike a least a little bit. From experience, I learned that if you hike in the Sierra Nevada in terrain where there's no trail, it is a good idea to not just look at maps but also satellite images, in order to find out what kind of bushwhack is to be expected.The satellite images gave me the "green light" for this approach and so I decided to give it a try.

The best parking for this hike is immediately north of the I-80 Cisco Grove exit. There is free parking at the so-called Cisco Grove Gold Park. I first walk along the street to the campground. After crossing the bridge over Rattlesnake Creek, I leave the Fordyce Lake Road and follow the power lines to the beginning of the south ridge. I then climb up this ridge which is relatively steep, but doesn't pose any technical difficulties (Class 2, T3). As the satellite images showed, there aren't too many annoying bushes on this route. At an altitude of approximately 7000 ft the ridge gets less steep and turns north-east. About 500m before the actual summit there is an interesting, old & abandoned lookout, in fact a much nicer place than the actual summit (which is decorated with a lot of telecommunication antennas).

Since the USGS 7.5' topos indicate three "tunnels" south and south east of P. 7212, I decide to go and check them out. However, I only find the remains of the one gold mine (the one closest to the trail), but thanks to this little detour I get my dose of bushwhack for the day anyway. After this, I just follow the trail back to the campground and from there along the street to the parking lot.