Brokeoff Mountain is the second of the two significant mountains rising dramatically above the forested mountains of the Lassen Volcanic National Park in eastern California. Lassen Peak, of course, is the centerpiece of this jewel of a park. Lassen Peak is a dormant volcano that last erupted in 1916 and still has the potential to blow again. Brokeoff Mountain is the significant mountain just a few air-miles south of Lassen Peak. By a fortuitous drawing of the county boundaries way back when, the Tehama-Shasta county line runs just north of Brokeoff's summit, putting Brokeoff in Tehama County and giving the otherwise flat valley county a fairly significant, utterly gorgeous highpoint.

Beth and I had arrived at the park two days earlier after flying in to Reno, and the previous day we had made a successful hike up to the very top of Lassen Peak, in beautiful clear and dry conditions. Today was no different, and we got packed up from our campsite and drove about 18 miles to the southern terminous of the park, arriving at a small parking area around 8:30 in the morning.

Many guidebooks and individuals claim that of the two peaks, Brokeoff Mountain's hike is much more enjoyable, with variations of scenery and terrain. Whereas Lassen Peak is pretty much a straight shot up open slopes, Brokeoff's hike spends considerable time amid dense forest, periodic open meadows, and toward the end, an enjoyable transition from forest to sub-alpine conditions. We walked across the highway and started up the trail, which immediately enters into alder, and for the first half-mile, zig-zags in and out of the alder and its accompanying stream, which we crossed about three of four times.

Once out of the alder the trail generally stays north of the creek and gains steadily amid tall pines. About a mile later we crossed the creek at a boggy area and entered into a shielded stretch of the trail that still had much remnant snow blocking much of the path. There weren't many tracks and we surmise that we were probably among the first to hike the trail for the season (which likely didn't start until late June). Going up and over, or around, these snow banks was easy enough. Occasionally we hit some ice but soon we were back out to where the trail had much sun and the snowdrifts disappeared on us.

About 2.5 miles in the trail comes into a meadow where Brokeoff's blocky massif is directly above us. The trail makes a few switchbacks up onto the rockier terrain, with lesser tree cover. It crests a small notch on the ridge south of the summit. We entered into a region of low tangly brush full of bees out doing their business. We walked past them and took an extended break along the trail in an open area. From here the summit is straight above us. Beth got a bee in her hiking shorts! That was an interesting few minutes.

The trail makes two very long switchbacks on the southwest face of the summit before gaining high on the summit ridge, passing a few false peaks and gendarmes before curling up to the true summit. We arrived about 11 a.m. in spectacular conditions. Lassen Peak was plainly visible to our north, along with all the snowy terrain and pretty glacial lakes. Mount Shasta was visible about 80 miles to our north. We stayed for about 30 minutes and relaxed in a small shielded area between two rocks on the summit's west edge. We were the first to summit and had not seen anyone at all coming up.

The hike to the top is about 3.5 miles one way with about 2,600 feet of gain. I have to concur with the previous reports - Brokeoff Mountain is an overall much prettier hike. It certainly isn't crowded! As we descended the top we saw a couple guys coming up, and on our hike out we saw a grand total of 10 people. The hike out went fast and easy. I had been carrying some sandals strapped to my pack in case I needed them, and at some point on the descent I realized I was missing one! I had to hike back up a few hundred yards where I found Mr. Sandal just laying on the trail. That was our only minor crisis.

We were back to the car by about 2 p.m. Unfortunately my boots were now shot. They'd been giving me trouble for awhile with scrunching my toes. The hike down just outright mushed them into black-toe heaven. We drove down out of the high country, got a drink break in a small burg along the highway and had a late lunch at a nice Mexican food place in downtown Red Bluff. The rest of the day was spent driving the 150-odd miles north to our hotel in Klamath Falls, Oregon, run by Dipesh, the happiest and chattiest hotelier in the west. The next day we made a successful hike up Mount Scott, the highpoint of Crater Lake National Park.