Amador County High Point Trip Report

Date: September 27, 2000
Author: Loro Paterson

We drove down to the Kirkwood access previously tried and asked the locals which was the best route. We found a local worker who had actually done the mountain and he said that the hike from the highway at Carson Spur was longer in miles but would take about the same time as the ski slope hike and was much more scenic. We hiked on the new Thunder Mt. USFS trail right off highway 88, and found it a very nice hike. Near the highpoint we met 3 mountain bikers and coming back down we met a deer hunter and his dog. The hike was very nice - about 7 mi RT and 2,000' elevation gain. Most of the hike there was no sign of human habitation in any direction - not even a repeater tower!