Butte County High Point Trip Report

Lost Lake Ridge

Date: June 18, 2003
Author: Ken Jones

I used Gary Suttle's book and Peter Maurer's write-up. I found both helpful, though I think Peter's describes the way to a peaklet that is not the county highpoint. So I'll provide some additional information.

If you follow your map carefully, the "point where the trail bends southeastward" described by Suttle is not hard to find. I used map and compass (and GPS) to go directly from here to the highpoint on the side of the ridge. I'd suggest that you follow the trail a bit farther, and head up at a reasonable spot (before the trail starts dropping) to the top of the little knob to your south. At the top, you will find a manzanita-covered rock with a register, as described in the Maurer write-up. But this point is in Plumas county.

From the rock, head due west 130 meters (actually, my GPS showed a southerly variation of 1 meter, but it's not really that precise). At this point on the indistinct ridge you will find a cairn with a stick pointing up and a red-can register inside. This was left in June 2002 by Richard Carey, and I believe it is within 10 meters of the correct location for the highpoint (so I gridded a bit in the area). My map, compass, and GPS work led me directly to the cairn - I'd have stumbled over it if I hadn't seen it. However, as of my climb date only Richard and I have signed the register there.