Back in Bend we loved to eat at Wild Rose Thai; that place had THE BEST Thai food. The hike we did the other day had me thinking about that restaurant the whole way as we hiked up Wildrose Peak. Our hike was 8.7 miles with 2539′ of climbing up to the tippy top of 9,073’!!!!
Charcoal Kilns
The trail to Wild Rose Peak starts at the Charcoal Kilns. These ten beehive shaped masonry structures, about 25 feet high, are believed to be the best known surviving examples of such kilns in the west. The kilns were completed in 1877 by the Modock Consolidated Mining Company to provide a source of fuel suitable for use in two smelters. Claim to fame: George Hearst, father of William Randolph Hearst, was one of the incorporators of the Modock Company.
Wildrose Hike
We checked the kilns out first and then started our hike. I was expecting it to be cold at the top since it’s a touch over 9,000’ so I packed a jacket, beanie, and winter gloves. The trail climbs through a woodland of mixed pinon pines and junipers with excellent views of the valley below. It felt weird to be back in the forest in the middle of Death Valley. The tread was very good most of the way, though there are a few rocky stretches. While we passed snow on the sides of the trail lower down, there were a few patches packing the north facing sides towards the top.
A couple false summits and a lot of elevation later, we summited Wildrose Peak. The icy wind was whipping pretty good and it was cold at the top. After standing on the summit, we backtracked a bit and found a sheltered spot on the south facing side in a little cove of trees. Sandwiches and a bit of resting fueled us for the hike back down.
I would absolutely recommend this hike if you are in the area and don’t mind altitude hikes. It was odd to think that back in Bend, Mt Bachelor summit is 9068‘ and we hiked to 9073’!
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