I left the Loomis parking lot around 8:30, followed the campsite roads, clear of snow, to get to the Manzanita Creek TH. At that point the snow was fairly consistent although, there was some exposed ground in lower elevations.
I followed the Manzanita Creek Trail for about 1 mile before going off trail southwest to meet up with the ridge that goes southeast up to Loomis Peak. Snow conditions were pretty good throughout the day, even in early afternoon there wasn't much sinking. Snowshoes were still helpful on steeper sections and softer areas. The snow was also still deep enough to avoid much of the bushwhacking that'd likely be required in Summer/Fall.
I made it to the summit, easily enough, around 11:45. The summit itself ended up being one of the better summit views I've seen in Lassen. It's comparable to Brokeoff Mountain, except on the opposite side of the park, and no one seems to come here. The register, I was surprised to even find one, only had a dozen or so entries over the past 3 years.
There were great early spring views of Chaos Crags, Lassen Peak, Eagle Peak, Ski Heil Peak, Pilot Pinnacle, Mt Diller, and Brokeoff Mountain. It was an up close panoramic view of nearly all the peaks of significance in the area. I’d like to return next spring to camp nearby so that I can enjoy the sunset views (instead of the harsh mid-day sun).
I returned the same way I came.
I’d estimate the total round-trip distance to be a little under 10 miles with around 3000’ of cumulative elevation gain. So, a bit of a commitment for a snowshoeing trip.
Here's roughly the route I took (not exact)... For those interested in off-trail snowshoeing that’s a bit more challenging, I’d highly recommend it. Route finding wasn’t that hard, no real obstacles, and only one slightly steep part as you ascend the ridge. You’ll almost assuredly have it all to yourself once you leave the Manzanita Creek trail. The views were among my favorite of the park. I’d probably avoid doing it in Summer/Fall, given some of the dense forested sections you’d have to wade through...
