Lower Highland Lake is a beautiful small body of water (in winter covered by ice/snow) about 5 miles south off CA SR4 from the west: Turn right (south) on Highland Lakes Road (8N01) about 16 miles past Bear Valley. CA SR4 is closed from the first snowfall (typically early November) to June, requiring about 20 mile approach by snowmobile or overnight snow camping tour from the Hwy4 closure gate SnoPark (SnoPark permits at Bear Valley XC resort).
Nearby Upper Highland Lake has 2 campgrounds and is in winter a good starting point for a climb up Hiram Peak (9796 ft / 2986 m), about one mile, and a thousand feet above Highland Lakes on the ridge separating the deep canyons of Highland and Arnot Creeks. Its summit offers an excellent view of these drainages, along with the impressive pyramid shaped summits of Airola Peak and Dardanelles Cone. While most of the wilderness area sees very few visitors, Hiram’s close proximity to Highland Lakes brings a few visitors during summer, and snowmobiles in winter. Class 2 climb June to November.
summitpost.org/hiram-peak/150618

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Details

Informations

Elevation 2,590 m

Weather

Today

Monday 22 December

4°C

-2°C

52 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 20.0 km/h

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Location: Alpine County, California, United States

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