Distance

1.8 mi to summit

2.8 mi total

Elevation

6,290 ft start

Vertical

1,300 ft gain

Time

3 hr 0 min to summit

6 hr 0 min total

Peak 1 of 2 on a lovely day along the middle ridge west of Waterman. I parked at the large turnout with a toilet and some benches a few miles between Santa Clara Divide Rd and Waterman Ski Area. I took a combination of old road bed, use trail, and cross-country to gain the ridge, including going up a steep gully. I started on a road bed that has a gate at the turnout, and then soon took a small path, heading straight as the 1st roadbed veers right (west). The old roadbed is deteriorated, so at times, it appears as a single-track use path at times, and at other times, it seems to nearly disappear, as I headed in a generally southeast direction. I came to a point where the path seems to fade away and thought I was then following a game path that disappears as I round the side of a ravine, and where the footing is slippery over loose soil and pine/fir needles. I then found the gully, and then I decided to follow it up gaining only slightly better footing over pine cone collections in the gully. The gully widened, and then by chance, I found a ducked use path near it! I followed the use path to the ridgeline, and the rest was simply finding which summit was Delight. The ridgeline is confusing because there are several small outcrops that could be a summit! The one furthest to the west seemed the highest, as it peered down west towards the bouldery summit of Peak 7097'. That one is Delight Peak. I then followed the ridge east along the Waterman Trail to another high point scarcely 1/5 to 1/4 mile which is Double Delight Peak, no 2 of the day. After exploring the summit ridge of Delight/Double Delight, I found the ducked use trail down the slope and followed it back to Angeles Crest Hwy where it joins the gated roadbed at the turnout. If I saw the use trail earlier, I would have saved some trouble going up, but I am glad I did go up the way I did, because I had a fun adventure! It was totally worth the extra effort! I am trying to sharpen my cross-country skills for more adventurous hikes down the road! Elevation gain overall was about 1300' over about a 2.75 mi r/t hike to both Delight, Double Delight, and back. There were definitely some steep spots here! The hike had its strenuous moments, but I was in a peaceful mood and took a leisurely pace to soak up the lovely scenery, and I was just glad to be back in the mountains after 3 weeks of work-related dormancy!!!!

Obstacles

routefinding

Key gear

no info yet