This peak is not in the book. Published October 2018

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This peak is located southeast of Saint Charles Mountain. I call it Worm Lake Peak because it dominates the Worm Lake Basin with its impressive North Ridge. The standard route up this seldom-climbed peak is from the South via the Highline Trail. USGS Paris Peak

West Ridge, Class 2

Date of Climb: August 24, 2018

Access

Same access as for the Northeast Ridge Route of Saint Charles Mountain. This climb is part of a ridge traverse from Saint Charles Mountain.

Route

From the 9,020-foot saddle W of Peak 9276, bushwhack E up the rather ill-defined ridge in relatively easy open forest as well as sections of open desert scrub to the L/N of the forest’s edge. The blowdown in the forest is not too bad. The forest ends abruptly at a N-to-S ridgeline of trees. To the east of this ridge is open desert scrub. The summit high point is near the N end of this ridgeline. The summit is actually one of the trees and has a small summit cairn nearby.

North Face/North Gully (Descent), Class 2

Access

Same access as for the West Ridge Route. This descent is part of a ridge traverse from Saint Charles Mountain and a return to the Worm Lake Trail.

Route

From the summit of Peak 9276, descend E along a ridge for about 150 vertical feet then turn L/N to descend into the forested North Face of the peak. The bushwhack down through the open forest is surprisingly easy and very fast. Thankfully, there is very little deadfall in this forest. The terrain’s angle will pull you leftward/NE and dump you into a wide, easy gully that splits the North Face. This gully is easy to identify as you descend because it is wide open terrain (desert scrub). And, better yet, it is a gentle gully with a well-beaten cattle trail in it that leads all the way back to the S end of Worm Lake. Continue on a good cattle trail on the E side of the lake to reach the Worm Lake Trail at the N end of the lake. Follow the Worm Lake Trail back to the Horse Flat Trail. Descend the Horse Flat Trail back to the trailhead at the terminus of FSR-457.