Three Sisters Rock
Posted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:02 am
Cecelia and I joined Dave and Andrew on Saturday for a trip to Three Sisters Rock in the Soledad Canyon watershed. We met at the Indian Canyon parking lot, which offered a warm-up view of our destination.
Crossing the road to the north, we took the PCT as it wove through the Santa Clara river wash area and spit us out at the railroad tracks. On the opposite side of the tracks was the Golden Spike PCT Monument, designating something about something.
From the road to the Monument, the trail was a bit stupid (watch for the telltale PCT signage), but beyond the Monument it was in fine shape.
Before reaching the power line service road, we scrambled up a use path to a ridge with some interesting bumps.
After a water break and photo shoot,
we sidehilled over to the service road, which took us in the direction of the Three Sisters.
Abandoning the road, a little ridge carried us to the base of the north sister. Some easy climbing got us into a runoff gully leading to the summit.
To reach the top of the north sister requires some class 3.
There was an antenna/lightning rod thing up there.
Next was an exploration of the middle sister, which didn't appear to be easily attainable.
Nor could we find a way up the south sister. But there was a neat slot between the rocks that provided a few minutes worth of climbing.
Finally we searched for a looping route back to the cars. An old road took us around the rocks
to a splinter Ridge which dropped us into the mouth of Bobcat Canyon, where a Metrolink train passed by during our final snack break.
From here we took a combination of service roads, railroad tracks, and riverbeds back to the PCT.
Crossing the road to the north, we took the PCT as it wove through the Santa Clara river wash area and spit us out at the railroad tracks. On the opposite side of the tracks was the Golden Spike PCT Monument, designating something about something.
From the road to the Monument, the trail was a bit stupid (watch for the telltale PCT signage), but beyond the Monument it was in fine shape.
Before reaching the power line service road, we scrambled up a use path to a ridge with some interesting bumps.
After a water break and photo shoot,
we sidehilled over to the service road, which took us in the direction of the Three Sisters.
Abandoning the road, a little ridge carried us to the base of the north sister. Some easy climbing got us into a runoff gully leading to the summit.
To reach the top of the north sister requires some class 3.
There was an antenna/lightning rod thing up there.
Next was an exploration of the middle sister, which didn't appear to be easily attainable.
Nor could we find a way up the south sister. But there was a neat slot between the rocks that provided a few minutes worth of climbing.
Finally we searched for a looping route back to the cars. An old road took us around the rocks
to a splinter Ridge which dropped us into the mouth of Bobcat Canyon, where a Metrolink train passed by during our final snack break.
From here we took a combination of service roads, railroad tracks, and riverbeds back to the PCT.