Whitaker Peak (Pt. 4,148)
Posted: Mon May 11, 2020 6:53 am
I came out of my COVID-19 quarantine stupor today and decided to go hiking. I deliberately chose a location that had a low"ooh-aah" quotient so I wouldn't have to see anyone. Heat, shadeless, no water, and walking through scrub were all considerations. Taking all of those factors into account, I settled on Whitaker Peak (the high point, not the previous location of fire lookout). Worked like a charm. I only saw one other person all day.
You can get to Whitaker by following the Whitaker Peak Fire Road (6N53) to the intersection of 6N53B (whatever that road is called) and then following that road southwest to Pt. 4120 and then back-tracking north-east along the ridgeline to Whitaker proper. I didn't feel like just doing a road walk so I noticed on satellite imagery what appeared to be a distinct trail heading west from Templin Highway just south of the entrance to 6N53. This trail intersected the fire road in 2 places and then followed a fire-break along the ridge just west of the fire road. So I decided that would be my route.
The start of this trail isn't obvious, but after some sniffing around I found it. The trail looks like maybe it is a motorcycle or MTB trail (although it is pretty steep initially) that sees enough use to be established. It climbs steeply up a minor ridge and then intersects with the fire road. A short distance up the road, it again diverges west, cuts the first big hair-pin, crosses the road again, and then climbs the ridge immediately adjacent to the fire road. Nice views open up to the south and west the higher you go, particularly into dramatic Canton Canyon (anyone know anything about that area? Is it accessible, is there a trail, etc., etc.). A California Condor glided by as I climbed, but I wasn't quick enough to grab a shot of it.
Lower Trail
Upper Trail
Whitaker Peak on the left, Pt. 4027 on the right
The trail tops out right where 6N53 intersects with 6N53B near a tower of some sorts. From there, it was a road walk (partially asphalt, mostly dirt) to a point just shy of Pt. 4120 that I understand used to host a fire lookout. The road walk was kind of dull, but made better by the views toward Cobblestone and the Condor Sanctuary. Rugged-ass country.
Cobblestone
Crappy zoom of Slide
As I neared Pt. 4120, the ridge that leads to Whitaker dropped down near the road affording opportunity to scramble to the ridgeline. I found a location that looked reasonable and took the opportunity instead of going all the way to 4120 and then back-tracking.
Where I accessed the ridge. It was more firm and slipperly than I thought it would be.
Whitaker from the ridge
Once here, I followed the ridge line more or less to the summit of Whitaker proper. Some places were "brushier" than others and I dropped just beneath the ridgeline several times to find the path of least resistance. Nothing major.
On top, I found the register and logged in. This peak doesn't see much action and the register dates back to January, 2011. There is a benchmark on the peak but I didn't see it. After the fact, I found out that is was immediately adjacent to the summit register, but that it is counter-sunk so it must have been covered up by dirt. Had I known at the time, I probably would have dug around a bit to see if I could uncover it.
The summit of Whitaker isn't terribly interesting in and of itself. Broad, flat, and scrubby. But nice views west and north. I spent some time there with the flies and the sun and then followed my tracks back to where I began. On the way out, I crossed paths with a solo hiker on the fire road, but as mentioned, so no one else all day. Good to be out again.
Summit Register
Pt. 4120 - Whitaker Peak Lookout
Whitaker Summit
You can get to Whitaker by following the Whitaker Peak Fire Road (6N53) to the intersection of 6N53B (whatever that road is called) and then following that road southwest to Pt. 4120 and then back-tracking north-east along the ridgeline to Whitaker proper. I didn't feel like just doing a road walk so I noticed on satellite imagery what appeared to be a distinct trail heading west from Templin Highway just south of the entrance to 6N53. This trail intersected the fire road in 2 places and then followed a fire-break along the ridge just west of the fire road. So I decided that would be my route.
The start of this trail isn't obvious, but after some sniffing around I found it. The trail looks like maybe it is a motorcycle or MTB trail (although it is pretty steep initially) that sees enough use to be established. It climbs steeply up a minor ridge and then intersects with the fire road. A short distance up the road, it again diverges west, cuts the first big hair-pin, crosses the road again, and then climbs the ridge immediately adjacent to the fire road. Nice views open up to the south and west the higher you go, particularly into dramatic Canton Canyon (anyone know anything about that area? Is it accessible, is there a trail, etc., etc.). A California Condor glided by as I climbed, but I wasn't quick enough to grab a shot of it.
Lower Trail
Upper Trail
Whitaker Peak on the left, Pt. 4027 on the right
The trail tops out right where 6N53 intersects with 6N53B near a tower of some sorts. From there, it was a road walk (partially asphalt, mostly dirt) to a point just shy of Pt. 4120 that I understand used to host a fire lookout. The road walk was kind of dull, but made better by the views toward Cobblestone and the Condor Sanctuary. Rugged-ass country.
As I neared Pt. 4120, the ridge that leads to Whitaker dropped down near the road affording opportunity to scramble to the ridgeline. I found a location that looked reasonable and took the opportunity instead of going all the way to 4120 and then back-tracking.
Once here, I followed the ridge line more or less to the summit of Whitaker proper. Some places were "brushier" than others and I dropped just beneath the ridgeline several times to find the path of least resistance. Nothing major.
On top, I found the register and logged in. This peak doesn't see much action and the register dates back to January, 2011. There is a benchmark on the peak but I didn't see it. After the fact, I found out that is was immediately adjacent to the summit register, but that it is counter-sunk so it must have been covered up by dirt. Had I known at the time, I probably would have dug around a bit to see if I could uncover it.
The summit of Whitaker isn't terribly interesting in and of itself. Broad, flat, and scrubby. But nice views west and north. I spent some time there with the flies and the sun and then followed my tracks back to where I began. On the way out, I crossed paths with a solo hiker on the fire road, but as mentioned, so no one else all day. Good to be out again.
