An Easy Day at the Zoo!

07-25-2026 – Mount Lassen, Peak #6 of the NorCal Six Pack of Peaks Challenge

Easy Day at the Zoo!

After summiting Magee Peak, I drove over to Lassen National Park to see if I could find a last-minute campsite. No luck there. I did, however, decide to take the 20-mile drive from the entrance gate to the Mount Lassen Trailhead just to check it out.

When I arrived, one side of the parking lot was closed for an emergency medivac. But I did find a spot to park (not in a parking spot though) with the trailer. When I got out to look around, I couldn’t believe how many people there were. Some coming down from the hike and others just getting started at 2pm. Seeing the line of people reminded me of doing the final push on Mount Baldy during the Climb for Heroes hike. Like little ants all over the trail.

My legs were tired from Magee Peak earlier in the day as well as from the other hikes I had done in the previous days, and my plan was to camp and hike up in the morning. But, I thought, what the hell. If these people (they really weren’t hikers) could make their way up the mountain at 2 in the afternoon, so could I.

I grabbed my gear. Refilled my water cache and headed up at 2:02 pm. Mount Lassen was only just over 5 miles out and back with an elevation gain of 2,269 feet in elevation gain. It was slow, but I was in no hurry as this was my final peak of the NorCal Six Pack.

Easy day at the Zoo and a fitting way to complete my challenge.