Distance

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Elevation

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Vertical

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Time

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Well, in the age of Covid-19 and Social Distancing, many popular trailheads and USFS facilities are closed! Oh, woe is me, right? Not really! I just have to get creative and research a little harder in finding great solitude hikes. So, I was looking at the topo maps on Peakbagger in the San Gabriel Mountains near Table Mountain and Big Pines for some inspiration. It did not take long, and I found a very random summit that is barely a "blip" on the map, and it does not even have a Peakbagger page!!!! It is close enough to Big Pines Hwy (Los Angeles County route N4) to make for a short, but adventurous cross-country hike in solitude. I added the peak to here on Peakery. The out-and-back round trip is roughly 2 1/4 miles, but don't let the short distance fool you: this hike has a lot of ups and downs over steep, loose ravines with a lot of deadfall and some moderate bushwhacking!!!! What I did is park at a large turnout shaded by trees at mile marker 10.48 on Big Pines Hwy at elevation 6,330' (between Big Pines and Jackson Lake). I hiked east 150' up a steep berm to a small ridge, and downclimbed 400 feet down a gully northeast down into lush and beautiful Cedar Canyon. I actually found a trail along Cedar Canyon and followed it slightly downhill northwest and then west to the lowest point of elevation on my hike at 6,000'. I saw my ascent gully and headed to the right (north) and followed it uphill, often steeply with some bushwhacking (but no rock scrambling!!) I beared left at 2 gully forks and ended up on a dirt road at 6,550'. I turned left onto the road and followed it up a short way and broke off to head up the knoll to the summit where the chaparral was breached to allow for foot traffic. I returned roughly the same way to round out the day with a steep descent and then a 480' climb back to the ridge directly above my car and N4, and that steep 150' drop back to the car. It was a tiring, sweaty affair, but totally worth it! What a way to end a day after I had worked a full day prior to the hike!!!!

Route to summit

None

out-and-back
Obstacles

stream crossing, bushwhacking, blowdowns, rockfall/loose rock, buggy

Key gear

trekking poles

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