1.3 hr
Overview
Take Note:<br>This is a bit of an adventure with a rough road approach, some scrambling and some route finding. The first mile is on a trail built by climbers.<br><br>From the trailhead hike on the road past the faded red \u201cNo Motor Vehicles\u201d post as Picket Pen road deteriorates and turns into a path, stepping over small downed trees as you go. The faint road/path heads through a broken forest, staying to the left of bushes (as opposed to heading directly toward the dome to the right). You'll pass a bushy clearing with two broken-top trees as the trail slants down to the right and you\u2019ll see a creek with a sea of Alder trees that you\u2019ve been cleverly avoiding. Continue downstream a short ways until the Alders cease, then step across the creek on two orange steeping stones and you\u2019ll see granite, the toe of the dome, directly ahead through the trees.<br><br>Pick up a trail heading left (northwest) between the granite dome and the creek. Follow the trail until you come to a open area with massive boulders and downed trees. The trail heads up a dry granite boulder wash tumbling down through the bushes - look for lots of cairns. Head directly up the wash until bushes block your path, then look for a cleared trail.<br><br>Follow the trail up and left, with a few cairns showing the way and you'll reach the surprisingly large granite dome. Follow a climber's path along the bottom of the dome (north), at times scrambling. Continue up, around and to the top with great 360 degree views and an awesome view of the Sierra crest.<br><br>If you like you can continue to Morattini Flats, a wonderful quiet meadow that in the early summer has abundant wildflowers. From the summit head east a few hundred yards to the saddle between Slick Rock and the higher terrain east. Pick up a nice alpine trail and follow it for about 0.5 mile where you hit a hard-to-see T where you take a left. The trail straight leads to a private ranch at Pearl Lake so don't take that. If you can't find the left turn use a GPS/Map an
Trail Stats
3.2 km
269 m
2236 m
1966 m
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Photos
Wildflowers near a meadow.
Wildflowers near a meadow.
Slick Rock Dome from Big Hill Fire Lookout. High Sierra in background.
Slick Rock Dome from Big Hill Fire Lookout. High Sierra in background.
Slick Rock sunset
Slick Rock sunset