Description:

Arthur and Chase are leading a hike up to Mt. Lowe via Echo Mountain. The trails up to Inspiration Point will be the same as the previous hike there, with the addition of summitting Mt. Lowe. Note that if you were tired on the previous hike, you probably shouldn't be attempting this.

This is a strenuous hike but it should be a lot of fun. There is no water on the trail, and you should have lunch/snacks with you. The trail should be in good condition, with hopefully no snow this time.

Don't feel like you have to do this hike if you just want to summit Mt. Lowe - we'll be going up another, much shorter way, in a few weeks.

Links:

• Sierra Club Trail Guide (see route 2)
• Our previous hike to Inspiration Point

After-hike Report:

We started at the trail head at about 8:30am. We reached Echo Mountain in a pretty quick 70 minutes but couldn't see anything further than a few hundred feet for all the clouds. We got above the clouds just before reaching Inspiration point where we stopped for some snacks and to take in the fantastic view. On the way up to Mount Lowe, we dodged a bunch of mountain bikers. Views from the top were also amazing. We could see lots of peaks poking out of the clouds to the west and Wilson and a snowy Baldy to the east. Our lunch on the summit was puncuated by the arrival of about two dozen Caltech chemistry grad prospectives carrying boxed lunches. (They'd come the easy way!) Then we hiked back down, arriving at the trail head at 4:30pm. We met at a nearby gelato place for post hike decompression.

Photos: