W6/CT-134 Ralston Peak

 This was the first peak of a three peak day in the Wrightwood area. I parked in a small pullout on Lone Pine Canyon Road at approximately (34.3057, -117.5079). There are a few places in this area that are viable for parking. 

Looking back at the parking spot.

I crossed the road and started heading through the low brush towards the summit. There is a depression that you have to cross. I tried to go around the side, but it seemed to be more effort than it was worth. As I approached the mountain I tried to decide which of the ridges to go up. They all looked steep and unpleasant, so I just picked the right one. I'm not sure if this was a good choice or not.

Looking at the summit from near the road.

As I expected, it was very steep, made even more fun by the loose dirt and rocks. I was glad to get to the relatively flat section on top. Thankfully, the brush was sparse enough that it was easy to go cross country up the hill. On top, I made my way over to the summit. I found a register under some rocks, and signed it. However, as I was signing, some red ants crawled up my legs and started to bite me. It was quite painful.

Looking over at Mt Baldy.

Despite the ants, I managed to find a spot to sit and have a nice activation. There was good cell service. The views were excellent, and there was a pleasant cool breeze blowing in from the ocean. On the bands, I managed to work Indonesia again. Once I was done I packed up and retraced my steps. Going down was not as difficult as I feared it might be, and I managed to get down safely. Back at the car I drove further up the road to the Circle Mountain trailhead. 

Trailhead: Lone Pine Canyon Road, west of the summit.
Website: SOTA Site.
Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.
Route: Cross country up to the top. 
Red Tape: None. 
Video: ham_bitious YouTube