Parked at the trailhead Friday night. Met some other folks that were starting at 3am. Almost joined but the extra 4 hours of sleep helped. Woke at 7, made breakfast, and started hiking at 8am. That mountain is a doozy! Maybe I just didn’t have the energy, but I think that is the hardest one yet, makes south sister seem easy! I got to the summit at 12 o’clock. 4hrs up. Back to trailhead at 3:45. 6 hrs total move time. Over 5000ft gain. 11.5 miles. Definitely not for the casual hiker. Navigating the route up and at the top is definitely tricky and you need to take your time. Glad I didn’t do at night for sunrise, would have been a bit sketchy for me. But I made it up! Bugs were not bad at all. Near the little lake halfway in the skeets were the worst. But it was 60 degrees, light breeze, sunny, great morning for a hike. The top was hazy with smoke from the fires so didn’t get the best view. All in all great day for a hike but I don’t think I’ll need to do Diamond peak again. One and done. I climbed mr Fuji in Japan and they say anyone can climb my Fuji, but only a fool does it twice. Or something like that. I think that applies here lol.
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Responses
Hi! Your pictures and review is great! I was wondering if you could share the route you took to the trailhead? I have attempted to get to the Rockpile TH once now and the road was awful and definitely meant for a high clearance vehicle.
Hi Morgan! Thank you! I used google maps and put in rockpile trailhead. the initial one takes you to crescent and then on that rough road to summit lake. that road eventually leads to rockpile trailhead, but you are right it is awful! The road i took is wonderful and even a prius could make it lol. If you turn off at hills creek reservoir just before/after oakridge( depending on where youre coming from), and go down the road and take the first right to go around the dam. its a bit windy for about 10-15 miles, but paved the whole way. once you get around the dam and cross the bridge continue right and up the road, there is a gravel turn off and then its about 10 miles up. but the gravel road is great. only a few tiny washboards. i cruised up and down at 35-40mph no prob.
https://goo.gl/maps/jLetx1V5P6hAi7KW9