Bobcat Knob and Peak 6629
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 12:46 pm
Now that the Williamson Rock area has been reopened, I decided to hit up Bobcat Knob via the SW ridge.
Buckhorn campground was still closed for the season. So I parked outside the exit gate and walked down to the Burkhart Trail. The stream through the campground was flowing swiftly.
I had to get my feet wet even before reaching the trailhead, because the creek covered a bit of the road.
Nature continues to reclaim the Burkhart Trail. Throughout the day I encountered several tree obstacles.
About a mile into the trail, a clear view of my destination opened up through the canopy.
Bobcat Knob (6709') is a small bump in the Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness. Sierra Club folk often bag it en route to Goodykoontz Peak. Having done Goodykoontz twice already from the other side, I figured I'd skip it this time and make the Knob the highlight of this NHPS adventure.
Down in Cooper Canyon, the first stream crossing looked improbable without getting feet soaked or slipping on wet rocks and logs.
Upstream I found a better crossing and managed to stay dry.
Cooper Canyon Falls demanded a quick visit. I had never seen it with so much water.
The Little Rock Creek crossing was also blocked by water. But a few yards upstream there was a better way. Though the logs here were unstable.
Despite being reopened, the Rattlesnake Trail looked like crap at the junction with Burkhart. I avoided it and continued 0.2 miles around to the other side of the ridge, where I then found a nice gully-let to ascend.
This got me atop Bobcat's SW ridge.
The XC climb from trail to peak was a stiff 1000' of gain in 0.6 miles. I passed a few rock features and briefly contemplated a side-scramble.
Short on time though, I saved the rock climbing for a future date.
The ridge contained a periodic animal trail. Occasionally I ducked around or through trees and bushes. Nothing terrible. Around noon I reached the summit.
I ate lunch and checked out the views. To the south Kratka Ridge still held some snow.
Apart from a little cold wind, the day was perfect for hanging out in the mountains. On the way down, I took the NW ridge, with big Will Thrall Peak directly across the canyon and Sierra Club cairns sporadically positioned along the route.
Back at the car, I drove to ACH MM 54.10 for a bonus hike. The large turnout east of Three Points offers a toilet and picnic tables. Nearby is a PCT highway-crossing.
I started for Peak 6629 on the other side of the road.
It's probably easiest to make a beeline up the slope from the road. But I used the trail to gain a little elevation before going cross-country.
The gain was only 300' up fairly moderate terrain. DOT surveyors visited the summit in 1978.
Other bumps along this ridge had rock formations which could be surmounted fairly easily. I climbed a couple of them to check out the views.
Picked up and packed out from Bobcat Knob: 3 plastic bottles, 1 glass bottle, 2 aluminum cans, a shoelace, a sock, a glove, 2 bottle caps.
From 6629: 2 aluminum cans, 1 glass bottle, a glove, a balloon, and a My Little Pony figurine.
Buckhorn campground was still closed for the season. So I parked outside the exit gate and walked down to the Burkhart Trail. The stream through the campground was flowing swiftly.
I had to get my feet wet even before reaching the trailhead, because the creek covered a bit of the road.
Nature continues to reclaim the Burkhart Trail. Throughout the day I encountered several tree obstacles.
About a mile into the trail, a clear view of my destination opened up through the canopy.
Bobcat Knob (6709') is a small bump in the Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness. Sierra Club folk often bag it en route to Goodykoontz Peak. Having done Goodykoontz twice already from the other side, I figured I'd skip it this time and make the Knob the highlight of this NHPS adventure.
Down in Cooper Canyon, the first stream crossing looked improbable without getting feet soaked or slipping on wet rocks and logs.
Upstream I found a better crossing and managed to stay dry.
Cooper Canyon Falls demanded a quick visit. I had never seen it with so much water.
The Little Rock Creek crossing was also blocked by water. But a few yards upstream there was a better way. Though the logs here were unstable.
Despite being reopened, the Rattlesnake Trail looked like crap at the junction with Burkhart. I avoided it and continued 0.2 miles around to the other side of the ridge, where I then found a nice gully-let to ascend.
This got me atop Bobcat's SW ridge.
The XC climb from trail to peak was a stiff 1000' of gain in 0.6 miles. I passed a few rock features and briefly contemplated a side-scramble.
Short on time though, I saved the rock climbing for a future date.
The ridge contained a periodic animal trail. Occasionally I ducked around or through trees and bushes. Nothing terrible. Around noon I reached the summit.
I ate lunch and checked out the views. To the south Kratka Ridge still held some snow.
Apart from a little cold wind, the day was perfect for hanging out in the mountains. On the way down, I took the NW ridge, with big Will Thrall Peak directly across the canyon and Sierra Club cairns sporadically positioned along the route.
Back at the car, I drove to ACH MM 54.10 for a bonus hike. The large turnout east of Three Points offers a toilet and picnic tables. Nearby is a PCT highway-crossing.
I started for Peak 6629 on the other side of the road.
It's probably easiest to make a beeline up the slope from the road. But I used the trail to gain a little elevation before going cross-country.
The gain was only 300' up fairly moderate terrain. DOT surveyors visited the summit in 1978.
Other bumps along this ridge had rock formations which could be surmounted fairly easily. I climbed a couple of them to check out the views.
Picked up and packed out from Bobcat Knob: 3 plastic bottles, 1 glass bottle, 2 aluminum cans, a shoelace, a sock, a glove, 2 bottle caps.
From 6629: 2 aluminum cans, 1 glass bottle, a glove, a balloon, and a My Little Pony figurine.
