Tehama County Highpoint Trip Report
Brokeoff Mountain
Dates: March 11-12, 2005
Author: Guy Acheson
winter ascent
Record snowfall and rainfall in California has turned me back from attempts on San Gorgonio,
San Jacinto, and Little Blue Peak. My partner and I were prepared for anything other
than a whiteout to summit Brokeoff Mountain.
We arrived at the Lassen National Park south entrance on Friday morning, March 11, 2005. The snow was
over twice the height of my Mercedes ML320 in the parking lot. It was a severe blue-sky California day.
We hit the Brokeoff Mountain trail which is 0.3 mile before the park entrance fee station and proceeded on
snowshoes starting at 12:00 noon. By 5:00 pm we reached the crest of the ridge on the southwest of
Brokeoff Mountain and made camp in the snow. We melted snow and ate dinner in the dark.
The temperature quickly dropped to 20 degrees but there as very little wind.
We were back on the snowshoes at 9:00 am and climbed straight up the steep southern slope of Brokeoff
Mountain and gained the summit at 10:15. You must be careful of the snow cornice on the summit ridge.
It was overhanging the rocks by about 6 feet on this morning. The views of Mount Lassen, Mount Shasta,
Snow Mountain, Black Butte, Mt. Tamalpais, and Mt. Diablo were noteworthy.
This is a very good winter climb on snowshoes or skis.
It is an all cross-country trip as opposed to going for
Mount Lassen which is a well beaten path along the snow-covered park road.