I hiked last week up Bastard Ridge and it was too hot. I came to the conclusion that despite the fact we're in the middle of November I needed to go to higher country to beat the heat. I went up to the Chumash Wilderness via Mt. Pinos and knocked off that peak, Sawmill, Grouse, and Cerro Noreste. The weather was perfect in low 60s for most of the day and maybe hitting 70 at the lowest point on the hike. I started from the massive parking lot at the end of the road on Mt. Pinos. Hiking this route from Cerro Noreste is more efficient with less mileage and elevation gain but what's the fun in that and it'll also add 40 minutes to your drive.
I have done this hike a bunch of times so have started to create my own routes on this one as much of it is parklike forest. From the TH I started immediately up the steep slope connecting to a E/W ridge that I took around to a N/S ridge that has some large rock outcroppings. I slipped around those and continued up a much more flat ridge to reconnect to the fire road that meandered around that ridge. You reconnect right before the fire road opens up to the meadow plateau. Once on the meadow I left the fire road again and skirted the large rock outcropping ending up on the north side of the plateau. I took this up to the next high point dropped down and climbed the short steep trail to the top of Mt. Pinos which has a small radio tower on it. There is now a sign up there. There used to be much dispute of the high point but this has been clarified as being slightly higher then the viewing area a 1/4 mile further down.
From the viewing area, I shortcut the longest most mellow switchbacks in the history of trail building. Oddly at the end of the switchbacks the trail drops steeply to the saddle. I guess the builders were burnt out. From here there is two short climbs to the Sawmill turn off. This peak also had dispute about the high point with the large rock pile not being the high point but actually a bunch of rocks off the side of the trail before you get to the large pile being the high point. There was even an opinion that the high point was on the opposite side of the main trail and I believe there is a sign in can up there which I have looked for but never found. From the summit I continued on a use trail along this ridge for a little while. It is necessary to make a sharp left and drop off this ridge to reconnect back to the trail. There are ducks here to let you know to get off the ridge.
The trail drops down to the turn off to Sheep Camp and the trail that comes up from the Boy Scout Camp which I have never taken. The only hikers I passed after leaving Pinos near Sawmill were four backpakers who had stayed here Saturday night. Another drop takes you to the turn off for Grouse which goes straight up and then south to the peak. This peak was the famous 100th peak of the HPS. In case you weren't sure you were there the tree has ribbons tied to it. I took a straight northerly route to reconnect to the trail after sumitting. The first bump I came to had a tepee created out of wood and a sign saying Grouse Mountain, more dispute over high points! I continued down and then steeply in a northwesterly manner until I reconnected to the trail just before it dropped to the next saddle. This north side of Grouse may have the most underbrush from trees that I have ever seen, if this area burns it will be a tinderbox.
The drop down to the saddle is significant and you can see a trail at the saddle coming up from a campground at the base of Cerro Noreste, another trail to explore. From the saddle it is another steep climb to connect to the paved road that goes to the summit. I crossed the road and immediately started up the steep draw/ridge which is a more direct route to the summit. This peak's sign in can is located just off a dirt road that connects to another radio tower installation. There is a pie of rocks that marks the spot where the sign-in can is, which is hidden pretty well. Per the topo map the high point is actually in a different spot off the paved road near another pile of rocks, go figure.
The route back requires more elevation gain then the way in which is why this route is more challenging. Fortunately the steep sections are pretty short and much of the incline is moderate. The weather made it much more pleasant then it typically is when I hike this route in the summer. There was no wildlife moving around at all. I barely even saw any birds. Once back at Pinos, there was a lot more hikers. It is interesting that the boring fire road trail has all the people and no one is willing to venture any further on the very pretty trail. This route is about 14 miles long with 3,800 feet gain which I did in 5 hours.
4 Pack Peaks-Los Padres High Country
"From the viewing area, I shortcut the longest most mellow switchbacks in the history of trail building."
seriously? and you saved how much time? shame on you.
and you helped create more erosion on that trail. but you peak bagged then bragged and now you are done and smug.
if you don't like all that extra walking, why not try another hobby? or maybe stay home and cut the switchbacks in your own turf.
how do you even justify that?
that is one of the more beautiful and remote sections of the lower los padres. the trail already has enough switchback cutters without contributing to the eventual destruction of that section of trail and then advertising the fact. sheesh.
seriously? and you saved how much time? shame on you.
and you helped create more erosion on that trail. but you peak bagged then bragged and now you are done and smug.
if you don't like all that extra walking, why not try another hobby? or maybe stay home and cut the switchbacks in your own turf.
how do you even justify that?
that is one of the more beautiful and remote sections of the lower los padres. the trail already has enough switchback cutters without contributing to the eventual destruction of that section of trail and then advertising the fact. sheesh.