Sonora Peak (elevation 11,464 ft.) is a volcanic mountain top which provides the boundary between the Northern Sierra and High Sierra regions of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. The trail offers scenic, long distance views as well as numerous types of wildflowers and maybe even a pleasant surprise.

Views

If you complete the moderate hike (details below), the 360-degree view from the top shows varying and impressive terrain for 100+ miles.

• South/Southwest: high volcanic peaks
• West: thick forest, punctuated by The Dardanelles
• Northwest: it is possible to see the peaks of the Lake Tahoe region
• North: Carson Valley of Western Nevada (part of the Great Basin)

Animals

I didn’t see or hear a lot of animals on this trip but I did see a Peregrine Falcon coasting on the winds and closely scanning the ground for a meal. Note to self: bring binoculars next time.

There were some smaller birds up near the peak though they moved too quickly for me to get a good look. I think they were up there snacking on flies, bees and … butterflies!!! I was quite surprised to see small clusters of butterflies floating about on the winds. The butterflies were so numerous that I could actually hear their collective wing flaps. Another hiker said he was there a week before and there were clouds of them, so perhaps late July/early August is best for butterfly observation.

The Hike

Basic info (for the St. Mary’s Pass route):

• Difficulty: moderate
• Distance: 5 miles, out and back
• Elevation gain: 2,012 feet
• Starting elevation: 9,450 feet
• Time: about 2 hours from parking lot to the peak, stopping for wildflowers and pacing myself for the altitude; about 50 minutes down (few stops)
• Area: Stanislaus National Forest

Finding the start: There are two main trails to the top of Sonora Peak from CA Route 108 – one which goes from Sonora Pass and the other goes through St. Mary’s Pass. Finding the trail head to St. Mary’s Pass was a bit of a challenge as there is no sign and there is just a short dirt road leading to a small nondescript parking area. I actually passed it coming from the West and I had to turn around at Sonora Pass. It is less than a mile from Sonora Pass, a few turns in the road past the Pacific Crest Trail parking area.

Starting up the trail to St. Mary’s Pass is straightforward as the trail is well established. I took my time going up since I wasn’t used to the elevation and I wanted to stop and take photos of wildflowers (identification and more photos TBD).

From St. Mary’s Pass, there is a clear trail heading to the right. Hiking Northern California by Ron Adkison (2000) said it would be off-trail at this point but I didn’t have trouble yet. I did lose the trail shortly afterward and made my way cross-country on dirt and rocks (careful to avoid stepping on flowers) towards the base of the peak.

The easiest route to the top starts to the north of the peak. I was able to easily find that trail and move slowly up the ridge towards the peak. At this point I had to carefully watch each step to avoid slipping down the slope on loose rocks. I imagine earlier in the season it would be more difficult with snow still on the ground.