W6/SS-371 Morris Peak

 It had been a hot few days in the desert, and I wanted to get out of the heat, so I decided a higher peak in the Sierra would be the answer. Morris Peak fit the bill, a pleasant 9 mile round trip high enough to get out of the heat. I drove up to Walker Pass where I parked below a Joshua tree in the large dirt pullout.

PCT northbound trailhead.

My plan was to take the PCT to the col below the summit, then the use trail the last half mile or so to the top. It was pleasantly warm, with a nice breeze at the trailhead and I headed north on the PCT. It had been a while since I last hiked on the PCT, and I forgot how well graded it is. Great for running.

So many flowers.

As I rounded the side of the first hill, the trail began crossing a field of yellow flowers. Very pretty. I enjoyed the flowers, the the switchbacks up to the ridge. Once I reached the ridge, the trail flattened out and began traversing below the peaks. It was mostly on the north side, which meant trees and views towards Lake Isabella.

Looking north.

Views of the summit.

From the col southwest of the summit I stepped off the PCT and quickly found the use trail that goes up the south face to the top. It was a lot steeper than the official trail, but not too bad. Having a trail, even a steep one, made the final ascent much faster. At the summit I signed the register at the high point, then descended slightly to a shady flat area. Here I put up an antenna and started calling CQ.

On the air.

I had cell service, and had no trouble making contacts. Even in the cooler temperatures up at 7000 feet I was glad there was some shade to stand in. I tried VHF, but didn't get any takers. The desert VHF community doesn't seem very active. Once I was done I packed up and headed back the same way I came up. 

PCT cutting across the mountain.

The run back down was much faster than on the way up. I passed one or two people backpacking, but I think it was too early in the season to see any thru hikers. Back at the car I enjoyed the cooler temperatures before heading back down into the hot desert. Little did I know it was about to cool down.

 

Trailhead: Walker Pass (CA 178)

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Take the PCT up to the col southwest of the summit, then the use trail up to the top.

Red Tape: None.

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.

W6/CT-266 Mt Bliss

 After activating Monrovia Peak I was hot and starting to run low on water, but I was still on top of the ridge and had a long way down. I had enough, though, to swing by Mt Bliss on the way down. From the road on the ridge below the Monrovia summit, I headed down. At the Sawpit Truck Trail (2N30.1) I turned right and started really going down. This road switchbacks down the southeast face of Monrovia, and had some nice views. I didn't enjoy them very much since I was getting hot.

Mt Bliss seen from the side of Monrovia Peak.

I did pass another running heading up, which surprised me. I thought the area was fairly remote. After a few miles of quick switchbacks I reached White Saddle and turned left onto 1N36 for the climb up to the summit. This was a gentle climb. From studying maps beforehand, I hadn't seen a trail to the summit, so knew I'd have to bushwhack to get to the firebreak along the ridge. I picked a spot that looked good, and went up through the brush.

Monrovia Peak.

It was steep, but I soon got to the ridge. Turning around, I could see that if I had continued a little farther along I could've taken a use trail the whole way. Oh well. A few more feet of climbing and I was on the summit. This peak was even sunnier and hotter than Monrovia had been a few hours before. I didn't waste time getting on the air, since my water was running low. I had some cell service, but it wasn't great.

Summit sign and register.

Once I had made my contacts I headed down, taking the trail this time. It was a quick jog back to the Sawpit road. I was pretty happy the road has some stream crossings, I was able to dip my hat and arms in the water to cool off a bit. The dirt ends at the entrance to the boy scout camp, but there is still a few miles back to the car. At the Monrovia Canyon Park I saw a water fountain and stopped to drink and fill up my bottles. From there it wasn't far back to the car, but having plenty of water made it much more pleasant.

Trailhead: Intersection of North Canyon Blvd and Ridgeside Dr.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: From Monrovia, head down the Sawpit truck road to White Saddle, then up to the summit. There is a use trail, so no bushwhacking required.

Red Tape: None.

W6/CT-028 Monrovia Peak

 I was down in southern California for a visit, so it was time to do some peakbagging. My goal for this day was to get Monrovia Peak and Mt Bliss, and the other small summits along their ridges. Based on other trip reports, I decided to do a big loop. From the airport I drove to Monrovia, and parked on North Canyon Blvd at the intersection with Ridgeside Drive. From here it was a short walk up Ridgeside to the start of the Lower Clamshell Truck Trail.

Start of the trail.

 

The gate was open, which was good, and I headed up. It wasn't very busy, but I did pass some people out for their Easter morning walks. After about a mile the truck trail reaches a saddle. The trail continues down the other side but I turned right and followed the fire break up the crest of the ridge. It started out ok, but, as expected, became quite steep.

Someone put a flag at this viewpoint.

It took a while to hike up the steep fire break, and it got warmer as I hiked. As I climbed I started to get views of the forested ridge top, and other peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains. It was a relief when I reached the top. I took the short spur to Clamshell Peak, then returned and went down the steep hill to the fire road below. The road was generally in the forest, which was a nice break. 

Final section of fire break.

Finally I reach the spot to rejoin the firebreak along the ridge for the final climb. It felt steep since I was hot and tired, but it wasn't too long. First I went over Rankin Peak. There was a wooden sign on the summit. I'm not sure why, the summit wasn't remarkable in any way. One last small col, and I was on the summit. The views were nice, but it was hot in the sun and the bushes weren't big enough to provide any real shade.  

Summit sign and register.

I signed the register and put up my antenna. Cell service wasn't very good, but I had enough to get out a few spots. Once I was done playing radio, it was a short and steep trip down the fire break to the road. Back on the road, I headed over to my next summit, Mt Bliss.

 

Trailhead: Intersection of North Canyon Blvd and Ridgeside Dr.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Head up the Lower Clamshell truck trail to the col, then follow the firebreak to the ridge. On the next road, go up, then take the firebreak to the summit.

Red Tape: None.

W7A/MN-135 Javelina Summit

I was on my way back home, but I had time for one more summit before heading to the airport. This peak in the suburbs of Phoenix fit the bill. I drove to Skyline Regional Park and parked in the main lot at the end of the road. From here it was a pleasant few miles up to the summit.

First view of the summit. 

I took the Quartz Mine trail to the Tortuga trail, then up the Javelina Summit trail. Quartz Mine was relatively flat, lots of small ups and downs. About half a mile from the main parking lot the trail passes another, smaller parking lot. If you were looking to minimize distance, that would be a better place to start. 

Getting closer.

After a short jaunt on the Tortuga trail I turned onto the Javelina Summit trail. This is where most of the climbing is. It was still early enough it wasn't super hot yet, and that made the climb a lot more pleasant. The trail was in good shape, like the others in the park. After a few days of peakbagging off trail, or with unmaintained trails, it was like being on a superhighway. Its amazing how much easier travel is on a trail.

Summit post. All the junctions were well marked with similar posts.

There wasn't anyone else on the summit. After taking in the view of the western Phoenix suburbs, I set up the radio. As I expected there was good cell service on top, and I had no trouble spotting. 

Just below the high point.

To get back to the car I simply retraced my steps. It seemed like the park was more crowded when I got back. There were still parking spots available. I took advantage of the flush toilets at the trailhead, the headed out to the airport for my flight home. 
 

Trailhead: Main parking lot of Skyline Wilderness Park

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Take the Quartz Mine to Tortuga to Javelina Summit trails. Or pick your own way for a longer hike.

Red Tape: None. 

One more saguero picture

W6/SD-417 Pasadena Mountain

Across the Colorado River from Yuma is this low range of mountains. The southernmost one is Pasadena Mountain, my goal for the day. Other hikers on Peakbagger had indicated there is a trail that goes to the summit, but I was a bit concerned about reaching the trailhead. I didn't know how the unpaved desert roads would be, and didn't really want to get my rental car stuck.

Pasadena Mountain rising from the desert floor.

I decided to just drive as far as I could up Sidewinder Road, and walk the rest of the way. The road was ok, until I found some soft sand. I turned around, giving the traction control a real workout, and parked on the west side of the road in a large, flat, well-packed dirt area. There were other cars here, and it seemed to be a popular area to use for OHV or free camping.

The turnout at the base of the trail is lined by these white quartz rocks.

I thought about following the road up and then over to the trailhead, but it turns out going cross-country was just as easy, if not easier. The ground was hard packed dirt and small stones, except in washes. I made good time, crossing under a set of high voltage lines then finding the road that goes around the base of the mountain. The turnout was easy to find as it was lined by white rocks.

Looking south at Pilot Knob.

The trail was reasonably well worn at the bottom, and gave me hope it would be an easy hike. My optimism was somewhat misplaced though. The trail went to the top, but in a lot of sections it was overgrown and hard to follow. Certainly not as nice as people a few years ago had it. If the trail got more foot traffic, it would go a long way to keeping it clear of grass. 

The interior of the range.

At the top of the hill it flattens out a bit, and I mostly lost the trail here. I found it again at the base of the final summit climb. Luckily, the terrain is open and not having a trail was not a big deal. After the last short push to the summit, I stopped to enjoy the views. Getting the radio out I discovered I had good cell service and the bands were cooperating. 

Just north of the summit, with Pilot Knob in the distance.

Going down was easier, both because I no longer needed to fight against gravity and because I could follow my track from the way up. However, a splinter or something worked its way into my shoe and sock and started stabbing me every few steps. It was quite painful and frustrating trying to find it in my foot. Back at the car I was just glad I didn't have to walk on the splinter any more and could go take a shower. My return, however, was delayed as I had to wait for a long freight train before I could get back to the freeway.

 

Trailhead: As far up Sidewinder Road as you can drive.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Walk across the desert aiming for the trailhead, which you hopefully have drawn or your map. The follow the trail as best as you can to the top.

Red Tape: None.

W7A/YU-095 Fortuna Benchmark

This peak just outside Yuma is probably climbed somewhat frequently due to the B-17 wreckage near the summit. Despite this, I had trouble finding information on the best route to take. In the end I was able to figure out that the wreckage is on the north side of the peak, and thought I could pick out some use trails in the satellite view.

The center-left peak is my destination.

I parked on the dirt section of South Frontage Road, east of the intersection with Avenue 15 but before it crossed the concrete wash. With the right car you could drive a mile or two farther in, and I passed a truck at the bottom of the trail which had done just that. From my spot I followed the road parallel to the freeway for a distance before it turned south. 

Looking back out the canyon.

The road winds its way through the desert to the base of the north-facing canyon. This section is flat. Once you find the trail, it initially follows a ridge before entering the canyon. It seemed like the trail stayed on the right side of the canyon, but I lost it a bunch of times. Luckily its easy to just go up, assuming you're in the right canyon. 

A piece of the plane.

About three quarters of the way up you'll find the first pieces of debris. There is more as you climb, and some of the rocks have been painted to memorialize the crew members, all of whom died in the crash. 

Two of the crosses.

I was a bit concerned going up since I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get onto the ridge from the canyon without rock climbing. It turns out there are enough use paths to follow around the cliffs that I needn't have worried. I approached the summit on a ridge from the northwest. It was cool and shady in the canyon, and sunny and windy on the ridge. A pretty pleasant day for the desert. 

Summit pole, with Jester's Peak behind.

On the summit I signed the register then used the pole to hold up the other end of my wire antenna. It was a nice setup. I had good cell service and had no trouble spotting or getting contacts. The people who had driven the truck in caught up to me on the top where they stopped for lunch.

If I knew more about planes I could probably tell you what part this was.

I took the same route back down, which was slightly tricky. There are so many use trails you need to be careful if you want to go the same way. Heading down was much faster than up, and I was soon back on the desert floor. Like the previous day, I stopped to pick up lunch on the way back to the hotel. 

Trailhead: As far along South Frontage Road as you're willing to drive.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Follow the road to the base of the mountain, then find the use trail that goes up the canyon past the B-17 wreckage.

Red Tape: Please don't take pieces of the plane.

 

Summit view looking north.

W7A/YU-123 Jester's Peak

This peak does not actually have a name, but the trail that goes to the summit is called Jester's Trail, so I think Jester's Peak is better than "Peak 1954". I was surprised to find it had never been activated before, since it is not remote and has a trail. There must not be any SOTA activators in Yuma. This summit is a bit hard to see from the Yuma area because it is in front of and a little lower than the ridge. It just blends in.

From the parking area.

Since I had a small sedan, I parked in the big dirt area on the east side of Avenue 15 East, across from East 48th Street. The dirt was well packed and I didn't have any trouble getting in or out. From here I followed a jeep road that headed east towards a low ridge. There are a lot of OHV trails in this area, and I saw plenty of cars and other walkers while I was in the low area.

Start of Jester's Trail.

At the end of the road is an informational board with a map and some posters about the local flora and fauna. The start of the trail was obvious and easy to follow. It climbs along a ridge, mostly on one side, but occasionally crosses to the other. It was warm in the sun and a bit cool in the shade. That's desert hiking.  

Through some ocotillo.

The trail was easy to follow until a steep area just below the summit. Here it seemed like there had been some small sides that wiped the trail away. It was class 2 steep, and required a little care, but nothing bad. The trail ends at a flagpole on a peak that is a little lower than the summit. I took a use trail over to the high point. Note there is a military range south of the summit, so don't wander too far in that direction.

Looking over at the city.

 On top I had good cell service, and band conditions seemed good too. I had no trouble making contacts with the KH1 whip. It was a pleasant temperature too, warm with a breeze to keep it from getting too hot. Once I was done playing radio I packed up and retraced my steps down. The steep area below the summit took some care to get through, but at the bottom I enjoyed the run.

Canyon separating this peak from Fortuna Benchmark.

I had to watch out for some unleashed dogs near the bottom. The human assured me they were friendly, but I seen enough dogs to know when it is friendly or not. This dog was not. Back at the car I headed back into town to get some lunch. Overall a fun summit and one I would recommend if you're in the area.

Fortuna Benchmark behind me.

Trailhead: Large dirt area at the intersection of 15th Avenue and 48th Street.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Drive or walk along the jeep road to the trailhead, then follow the trail to the summit.

Red Tape: Be aware of the military range south of the summit.

W7A/MS-048 Mt Suappoa

 Mt Suappoa is easy to pick out from a lot of places in Phoenix. The forest of towers on top really makes it stand out. In fact, I could see it from the airport train despite having never been to Phoenix before. It is also an easy summit to reach, since there is a road that goes to the Gila Lookout just below the summit.

The views from the lookout were nice.

I drove up to the lookout and parked. From there I walked back down the road towards the summit. At the first driveway I stepped off the road and headed up the hill to the fence. Once I was confident I was in the activation zone, I stopped and got out the KH1. I was tired after doing a big loop over the other two peaks in the park, so I did a quick activation. Thankfully there were still chasers listening, and I got my contacts quickly.

Saguaro along the road.

Having got my QSOs, I headed back to the car for the long drive to Yuma. 

 

Trailhead: Gila Lookout parking.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Walk back along the road, then cross country into the AZ.

Red Tape: Don't go climbing over fences.

W7A/MS-065 Goat Hill

 This was the second summit I did on my loop in South Mountain Park. After coming down from Salt Benchmark I continued up the National Trail which slowly climbs up the ridge. By this point I realized I had underestimated how much water I needed, so I was feeling slow and thirsty. But the scenery kept improving as I climbed so I kept going. 

Looking towards the summit.

This trail seemed busier than the Alta Trail across the valley. Maybe its easier? Either way I was making good time going up, and soon had the knobby summit in view. I was slightly concerned with how I would get to the top, but as I got closer I could see some well defined switchbacks leading to the high point. These don't appear on any map I looked at, but afterwards I could see they were clearly visible in the satellite view.

Mt Suappoa in the distance.

Like Salt Benchmark, the summit area is small. It would take some skill to string out a wire on this summit. After doing HF, I was getting ready to call on 2m when I realized my HT antenna had fallen out of my bag somewhere. Disappointed, I had to call it quits. From the summit it was a short and quick run back to the car. I headed down the Ranger trail, and after crossing the road, turned left to go back to the parking lot.

Looking back up at the summit, which is the knob on the right.

I was glad I had filled up my nalgene, and I promptly drank a good fraction of it. Since it was still early enough I decided I had enough time to drive up to Mt Suappoa for a quick activation before heading out of town. 

Trailhead: Alta Trailhead, as named by Google maps

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Head parallel to the road, then go up the hill on the Ranger Trail. Follow the National Trail to the summit use path.

Red Tape: None. 

W7A/MS-060 Salt Benchmark

 This is one of three peaks in Phoenix's South Mountain Park. I had mapped out a loop over this peak and Goat Hill to get my Sunday run in, so headed to the park after my flight landed. I parked at the Alta Trailhead, at the corner of Stephen Mather Drive and Telegraph Pass Road. My plan was to go up to Salt Benchmark, then along the ridge and down across the valley and back up to Goat Hill before dropping back down to the lot. By my calculations, it would be about 14 miles.

Heading towards Salt Benchmark.

I set off down the Bajada Trail, then turned right onto the Alta Trail. The Alta Trail climbs up to the ridge with plenty of switchbacks. It was my first time in the desert with saguaro cacti, so I was slowed down taking pictures of them. They're pretty neat. On the ridge I turned left, staying on the Alta Trail. The trail along the ridge goes over or around some minor peaks, and I saw a coyote on the shady side of the hill. 

Cliffy area just below the summit.

When I reached a point north of the summit, I turned and stepped off the trail and headed straight up the ridge. This was quite steep, but nothing too bad. Just below the summit are some small cliffs, but I was easily able to find a way through them to the top. The summit area is small, so don't plan on stringing out a long wire. My KH1 whip did very nicely instead. I had cell service on the summit.

Cholla on the ridge.

Once I was done playing radio I took the same route back down to the trail. It looked like there might be a use path along the ridge to the slightly lower summit, but since I knew what the north ridge one was like I took it. Didn't want to get stuck on top of a cliff. Back on the trail I continued along the Alta Trail and took it down to the small parking lot where I turned left onto the Maricopa Trail/National Trail. This took me across the valley to the base of Goat Hill.

 

Trailhead: Alta Trailhead, as named by Google maps

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Bajada Trail to Alta Trail, then cross country to the summit.

Red Tape: None. 

W6/CD-012 Quail Mountain

The summit of Quail Mountain is the highest point in Joshua Tree National Park, and was my goal for the morning. After breakfast in the hotel room in the town of Joshua Tree I headed into the park to the Quail Springs parking area. I had done some research beforehand, and this seemed like the best place to start. 

The direction I started out in.

 From the parking area there was a trail that headed straight towards the mountains. It was well used until it crossed the wash, where it disintegrated into a lot of lightly used use paths. I picked my way through these to find the start of a trail that would go over a low pass to the base of Mt Minerva Hoyt.

Heading up the trail.

Turned around, looking back towards Quail Springs.

 

The trail did not appear in any of the park maps I looked at, but it is clearly visible in satellite views of the area. Having the trail marked on my phone map made it a lot easier to find. Once on the trail it was quick going to the wash on the other side. In the wash you need to choose which ridge to take up to the top of Minerva Hoyt. I walked down the wash about a quarter of a mile before turning and heading up the hill.

Heading up the ridge.

The climb up was steep, but not too bad. The terrain was open, and I had no bushwhacking problems. Once I got to the main ridge I turned and headed up to the summit of Minerva Hoyt (named after one of the main advocates for creating the park). There looked to be a false summit that I went around, but it turns out it would have been easier to just go over it. From the summit of Minerva Hoyt there is a use trail that goes along the ridge to the summit of Quail Mountain.  

Looking across the ridge.

 The use trail was mostly easy to follow, and I was soon on the summit of Quail Mountain. The summit is broad and it is not entirely clear which pile of rocks is the highest, so I tagged both of them. There was marginal cell service (Verizon) on top, but none lower down the mountain. It was a bit chilly, so I quickly got on the air and made plenty of contacts on the bands I tried. The views to San Gorgonio and San Jacinto were great, and it was nice to see the park from a different angle.

View of the Salton Sea and Coachella Valley

 To get back down, I simple retraced my steps. Following the use path back to Minerva Hoyt was challenging in places. In the wash at the bottom I climbed out too soon and had a little work to find the trail. There were people going up the trail as I headed out, hopefully they had fun. Back at the parking lot it was quite busy, all the spots were taken and people were playing on the big rocks there. Overall, a fun summit and nice morning.

 

Joshua Trees at the parking lot.

 

Trailhead: Quail Springs parking area.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Take the trail across the wash, then find the trail that goes over the low pass. Head down the wash a short ways, then up the ridge to Minerva Hoyt. Take the use path across the ridge to the summit.

Red Tape: None, just the standard national park things.