Haddock Mountain, LPNF 11.30.09

norma r · Post by **norma r** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:25 pm

Bradley S. and I did a day hike of Haddock Mountain in the Sespe Wilderness of the Los Padres National Forest via Pine Mtn Road. The snow of Friday night and Saturday dropped about 6 inches and made for a beautiful early winter snow hike. Bradley's 2-wheel drive car could not negotiate the icy road so we had to park about 3 miles from the Reyes TH. The park service just closed the road yesterday for the winter so it seems we were able to hike from this direction just in the nick of time.

The trail begins at the Reyes Peak trailhead on Pine Mtn road off Highway 33 NW of Ojai. Less than a 1/4 mile the trail splits and you head left to Haddock or right to Reyes. The trail winds along the north side of the ridge which kept us in shade most of the day and the snow, powder. We did walk through acres of rime ice that had fallen off the trees that provided a chime like ringing sound as we stepped in it. Took a video.

I was fascinated by the cool sandstone formations and cliffs between Reyes and Haddock and would like to come back here for some bouldering. The snow provided us with an amazing canvas to see hundreds of animal tracks and we ended the hike finding a bear track quite close to the car. The Sespe is certainly Wild!

Haddock Mountain, elev 7,431 feet

winter snow hike on the last day of November

Following Bobcat tracks

rest of the pix are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ryan.norma8 ... tain113009#

EnFuego · Post by **EnFuego** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:33 am

Looks awesome. I love freshly snowed trails.

lik2hik · Post by **lik2hik** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 4:09 pm

Great T/R Norma!
Like EnFuego said, nothing like a freshly snowed trail. You found a lot of great tracks. Nice hike.

simonov · Post by **simonov** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 7:45 am

I'd never even heard of the Sespe Wilderness until recently.

Yet another reason to be glad for living in California.

norma r · Post by **norma r** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:50 pm

simonov wrote:I'd never even heard of the Sespe Wilderness until recently.

you know, i had never even hiked in the Sespe Wilderness until recently and i am really enjoying it! i did another peak today. San Rafael Peak. it is 16 miles SSW of Frazier Park. i'll probably post a TR soon.

simonov wrote:Yet another reason to be glad for living in California.

I agree!