W6/ND-337

 This desert peak is a short distance east of Ridgecrest. It is unremarkable, other than having the prominence required to be a SOTA peak. After a late night, I woke up and headed out. It was hot, but I was looking to get a little heat training in, so I didn't mind. Since I wanted to get some distance, I parked on the side of Trona Road, just south of the intersection with Randsburg Wash Road.

Near the start, looking towards the summit.

I could see some roads and use trails on the satellite view of the area, so I figured it would be an easy run through the desert. It took a little searching to find the road I wanted, parallel to Randsburg Wash Road, but once I did it was smooth sailing. The road was fairly straight, going through a few washes as it crossed the desert. 

About to head up the hill.

At the base of the hill there is a road that leads from the paved road to the col. This is where most people seem to start the hike. With some clearance you could drive to the col on the sandy road, otherwise it would be a shorter hike from the pavement. I took this road up to the col, then picked the slope to the top that looked best. Probably whichever you pick will be fine, the mountain is not too steep.

Looking towards the Owens Valley. Southern Sierra on the left.

The top was a bit rockier, but still class 1 the whole way. The view on top was pretty nice. On one side I could see the southern Sierra, China Lake, and even Telescope Peak in Death Valley. Views south were blocked by higher hills. There was good cell service on top, and I had no problem spotting. Band conditions weren't good enough to get everyone who wanted to work me, but I was able to make enough contacts. 

Looking back at where I came from.

I took a different ridge back down to the col. It didn't seem any better or worse than the way I had gone up. From there it was a quick jog along the col road to the parallel road and the car. The A/C had nearly cooled the car back down by the time I got back to the hotel in Ridgecrest.

Trailhead: Along Trona Road or Randsburg Wash Road, depending on how many miles you want to hike.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Head across the desert, taking roads if available, to the col northwest of the summit, then go straight up to the top.

Red Tape: None. Some areas are part of military bases, so watch out for signs.