Gilcrest Peak

Gilcrest Peak tops out above 11,500 feet in the Hoover Wilderness, standing guard over Lundy Lake about 7 miles north of Lee Vining. There's no maintained trail to the top — this is a scramble for hikers who are comfortable leaving the path and picking their own line up loose rock, not a stroll to a viewpoint.

Getting There

Turn west off Highway 395 onto Lundy Canyon Road roughly 7 miles north of Lee Vining and follow it to the trailhead near the outflow of Lundy Lake. From there, the Lake Canyon Trail climbs the narrow canyon between Gilcrest Peak and Mount Scowden, reaching Oneida Lake after about 3.3 miles. Getting to Gilcrest Peak itself means leaving that trail and traveling cross-country — no path, no cairns to follow.

What the Climb Involves

• Mostly Class 2 talus and scree, with a few short Class 3 sections near the summit
• Roughly 3,800 feet of gain above Lundy Lake packed into about a mile once you're off-trail
• Route-finding skills and solid conditioning are non-negotiable — this isn't a beginner objective
• Old mining relics visible along the lower canyon, remnants of the area's Lundy District history

Permits

Day hikes into the Hoover Wilderness from Lundy Canyon don't require a permit. Overnight trips do — reserve one through recreation.gov, where Lundy Canyon entries aren't subject to a quota.