Long, undulating hike from McKinley Saddle. The HPS climbing guide needs to be updated. The brush along the road on the ridge is very manageable. There was absolutely no trace of a use trail up to the 5484'-Santa Cruz saddle, so we ended up climbing a very steep firebreak on the north side of 5484' and then cutting over to the saddle. The use trail up to Santa Cruz is a bit overgrown in places but is well ducked at the critical junctions. If you find yourself fighting brush, you're probably off route and should back up and refind the route. It goes the whole way to the summit. Killer views from Santa Cruz peak to Hwy 154 out to the Channel Islands, Santa Ynez valley, and all across the Los Padres. It's a very long walk back to the trailhead from this summit.