Stevens Peak and Red Lake Peak - abandonned gold mines and some fun scrambling

Two days ago while hiking in this area I spotted Red Lake Peak on the other side of Carson Pass from the top of Round Top and it's inviting snow free south flank. At home I checked the map to find possibilities which could be combined with this peak. A logical choice would have been to traverse from Carson to Luther Pass bagging Red Lake -, Stevens - and Waterhouse Peak. However, such a traverse would have left me with a logistical challenge to somehow get back to my car, or, make it a very long outing and walk back to Carson again. Instead, I chose to visit the abandoned Alhambra and Alpine gold mines near Crater Lake, climb up to Stevens Peak via its east ridge and then return to Carson Pass via Red Lake Peak.

The plan to walk from Carson Pass to Crater Lake in the east flank of Red Lake Peak without gaining or loosing too much altitude wasn't the best idea I ever had. Even though it seems logical on the map the execution is quite tedious and strenuous: lots of loose scree and talus in the rather steep flank combined with some prickly bushes. It takes me almost 2 hours for the 3 miles from Carson Pass to Crater Lake and even though on paper I didn't gain or loose much altitude it is a constant little up and down.

I'm glad to finally get to Crater Lake and leave the not very pleasant flank behind me. I walk down along the little river and get to the first abandoned Alhambra gold mine on the left side of this creek. I take out my head lamp and walk in all the way to its end which is quite interesting. I then also visit the other mine about 100 yards up the hill and then walk northeast to the 4WD dirt road and follow it to the Alpine Mine. This mine seems to have been quite big at the time and I find a lot of artifacts and "interesting trash" laying around here.

After taking a break and eating something I then head up towards Stevens Peak along its east ridge. This ridge turns out to be a lot of fun, in particular from around 9600 ft on. I'm trying to follow the ridge as strictly as possible which includes some interesting Class 3 moves (T5/II). If you don't feel like such scrambling, there's plenty of easier options on the south side of the ridge. On top of Stevens Peak I enjoy the exceptionally warm November T-shirt weather and of course the nice views up here.

After a short break I then walk over to Red Lake Peak along it's connecting ridge. In order to climb the summit block (the highpoint is the north east peak) I actually have to search a little bit, because I didn't do my homework for this peak. The easiest access is most likely from southeast. About 20 yards from the northwest end of the crags I find a gully running north up towards the ridge. I climb up to the ridge along the gully's right rim (very good holds) and from there I directly follow the NE ridge to the highest point. The last part to the top along the NE ridge is actually not the easiest way but quite exposed class 3. The easier way (my way back down) is to climb a few feet down on the north side of the ridge and follow a rather wide ledge on the north side which runs parallel to the ridge in direction SE, a little past the highest point. There one climbs to the other side of the ridge through a small notch and gets to the top on the south side. The summit log can be found underneath a rock slightly N of the highpoint.

After a short break I climb back down from the summit block and follow the south side of the crags to a small saddle on their SW end where I find a good use trial which takes me back to Carson Pass.