Hiked: 8/12/2025
Distance: 6.1 miles round trip on dirt road
Summit Elevation: 9120'
Elevation Gain: 750'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.6
Round trip time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 40 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Pipes Canyon Road
Difficulty: Easy
From Highway 38, I turned onto Pipes Canyon Road and parked. There was plenty of parking available outside the locked gate. I suspect it is always locked due to private towers on Onyx Peak (HPS #29). The PCT also passes through here. I started up the smooth dirt road that makes a long U-shape to reach Onyx. I noticed more cedars than pines and the forest was sparse. At the turn, I left the road and headed for an unofficial peakbagger-only peak named North Onyx Point. It was a quarter mile from the road and I thought maybe unlocked some great views, but it didn't. I wandered around trying to find the high point before heading back to the road. I met one large jack rabbit, the kind I usually see at much lower elevations. It was the only wild life encounter of the day. The summit had several towers, some seismic equipment, and open boxes with communcation equipment. Pieces of an unassembled tower were laying on the ground. It looked like an active construction site, but no one was working that day. I found the benchmark and a reference mark, but no register. A small painted sign was propped up next to the benchmark. Views on the flat summit were hampered by trees. On the way back, I decided to take a shortcut down a drainage where the distance to the road below was at a minimum. Fortunately, the forest had plenty of open spaces to walk around the trees. 400' feet down, I crossed a trail. 500' down was the road. It was a surprisingly easy and useful shortcut, and could be used on the way up.
Hiked: 8/12/2025
Distance: 5.5 miles round trip on dirt road and use trail
Summit Elevation: 8330'
Elevation Gain: 1300'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.0
Round trip time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 28 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Forest Road 1N38
Difficulty: Easy
I drove up Highway 38, north of San Gorgonio and south of Big Bear, on the hunt for a couple of HPS peaks. Heart Bar (HPS #55) was first. I turned south onto Forest Road 1N38, aka Heart Bar Peak road. I parked in a turnout on the left a couple of hundred feet down the road. There was only room for one vehicle there. A quarter mile further was additional parking, but the road was pretty rough. The first mile of the road had large boulders, small logs, and deep ruts. If someone could drive the first mile, the road got considerably better all the way up to the use trail. I would not have tried it in my stock Tacmona. From my parking spot, the road started a series of long switchbacks. It was pleasant hiking amidst tall pines and cedars. The final ridge section was along a use trail. I lost it a few times, but picked it up again. There were two class 2 boulder piles that competed for the high point. The first one had fallen tree over it and a small cairn built where the Sierra Club HPS cans and registers were. I climbed up, signed in, and marked a waypoint. I continued down the ridge to the other boulder pile, climbed it, then marked another waypoint. By eyeball, it looked nearly the same height as the official one. Checking the waypoint later, the altitude was almost identical, well within the GPS margin of error. Views of the surrounding mountains were just OK. I didn't find any marks. I returned down the road and got ready for Onyx Peak.
HPS Star Emblem Peak
Hiked: 8/1/2025
Distance: 14.2 miles round trip on trail and use trail
Summit Elevation: 9390' (Baden-Powell), 7404' (Ross)
Elevation Gain: 5598'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 4.4
Round trip time: 9 hours
Recommended water: 136 oz.
Parking/Fees: $5 Day Hike Fee or Annual Pass
Difficulty: Strenuous
The easiest way to Ross Mountain (HPS #102) is going over Mt. Baden-Powell, then descending over 2000' down a ridge. It was a big training day. I parked at Vincent Gap and displayed my Forest Service annual pass. I was approached by an employee of Big Pines Recreation, who informed me that the forest service had auctioned off the parking lot and it was owned by his employer. He stated forest service passes will be honored until 1/1/2026, then Big Pines passes will be required. The current Big Pines day use fee was $5 and a machine that issued passes was already installed.
This was my third trip to Baden-Powell. I climbed the many switchbacks meeting a few parties on their way down. I noticed a couple of well defined use trails that shortcut the lower switchbacks that I didn't remember from my last visit. I reached the summit of Baden-Powell in about 2 hours, noting it was just a midpoint rest stop. I signed the formal register, then started down the south ridge.
I could see Ross Mountain at the end of two steep drops. Before taking a dozen steps, I was already thinking about the climb back out. I picked up a use trail immediately that went all the way ro Ross. The slopes were mostly open with scattered pines. Burned trees and charcoal littered some areas, replaced by young poodle dog sprouts. At the bottom of the first drop was a half-mile plateau covered with knee high manzanita. The second slope dropped even more steeply than the first. The use trail tried to work in short switchbacks in places, but often went directly down. From the bottom of the second drop, there was a little roller coaster section where the slope narrowed, then a 100' climb to Ross. At first, I walked by the register tucked behind a small tree. I found it shortly after. The register was in a Superman lunch box. The summit was long and flat. Views were great toward Mount San Antonio and friends, and there was a close up view of Iron Mountain's nightmarish north ridge. Copter Ridge ran parallel, with Hawkins Ridge the next one over. It had a very heart-of-the-Gabes feel. After some procrastination, I took on the crux: getting back to Baden-Powell. The first slope was the toughest, and I took frequent breaks. A cool breeze had been blowing all day, keeping the temps reasonable. I realized when I reached the plateau that I was a little short on calories, leading me to ration my food. It was a slow plod up the second slope but the worst was behind me. I didn't stop while passing over Baden-Powell the second time. Once I started down the north side of Baden-Powell, I began to relax and was on cruise control the rest of the way.
Note: The Sierra Club rates this hike very strenuous. I felt it was comparable with San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek trail, that they rate strenuous. Maybe the mental aspect of significant gain on the way back was a factor in their thinking.
Ross at the end of the ridge
Ross dead ahead. Iron Mountain left. Rattlesnake Mountain right.
Hiked: 7/24/2025
Distance: Drive up
Summit Elevation: 1058'
Elevation Gain: 0'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0
Round trip time: 10 minutes
Recommended water: 0 oz.
Parking/Fees: €3 parking fee
Difficulty: Easy
Vaalserberg is the continental high point of the Netherlands. We were sight seeing in Maastricht and decided to drive up. The road was paved all the way and there was plenty of parking. In addition to being the high point, the summit is a tri-country intersection where the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium meet. On top was a hedge maze, some restaurants and shops, and on the Belgian side, a viewing tower that we didn't climb to save time. Views were blocked by tall trees (unless you climb the tower). We found the high point marker and also the tri-country monument. It was about a 10 minute effort with no gain. After, we bought soft serve ice cream for our hard work. To leave the parking lot, we needed to buy a token from a vending machine for 3 euros. One car did not read the sign and after 5 minutes of blocking the exit gate, realized they needed a token. A passenger ran to the machine and back, then unclogged the exit. The land, trees, and foliage of the Netherlands looked just like Michigan. Flat and green. Vaalserberg was a fun detour tacked on to a busy day around historic Maastrict.
Nick and Shelby
High point
Leisa and I at the tri-country point, standing in Germany.
Hiked: 7/15/2025
Distance: 13.7 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 12953'
Elevation Gain: 6000'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 5.2
Round trip time: 11 hours 40 minutes
Recommended water: 182 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Whitney Portal Road
Difficulty: Very Strenuous
At 5:30 AM, I drove up Whitney Portal Road to Whitney Campground on a quest for Lone Pine Peak (SPS #108). I parked just outside the campground on the side of the road where vehicle parking was marked. I walked through the campground to the Meysan Lake trail. The trail was not in the Whitney Zone so didn't require a permit for hiking. The start of the trail was broken up by roads to vacation homes nestled in the trees. No one else was on the trail and I didn't see another soul all day. The trail made sensible and frequent switchbacks as it worked up to Grass Lake, Camp Lake, and Meysan Lake. Gurgling sounds of Meysan Creek could be heard when the trail wandered near. It was a pleasant 3000' ascent to Grass Lake, where I left the trail. I stayed east of Grass Lake and crossed three streams. I spent too much time on one crossing in an effort to keep my feet dry, forcing a minor bushwhack on the opposite side. Some of the chutes ahead still had snow. If the chute to Lone Pine had snow, it would have been trouble. Fortunately, it was dry.
Alpenglow on Lone Pine Peak
Reflection in Grass Lake
The notorious sandy scree chute was not completely visible from the start. It just looked like a head wall, but it cut back sharply through an opening in the cliffs. Before I tackled it, I dropped a small water cache under a boulder for the return trip. The chute was wide, but there was no obvious best way. Attempting to go up on the high angle dirt was self-defeating. I tried to stay on boulders and larger talus for traction. In the lower half of the chute, I tended toward the right side, then more left in the upper half. It was a slow grind. I paused every 50-100' to see if I could improve my route. I eventually reached the top of the chute where multiple large cairns had been built. The chute gained about 1500' in a half mile, but somehow went class 2. From the top of the chute, I was still 600' below the peak. I found a use trail and followed it toward the first of two false summits. More scrambling on large, solid granite got me over the false summits. I could have saved some energy if I had stayed lower and gone around false summits. Finally, I reached the the summit: a large boulder on the precipice of a 2000' drop to the lakes below. I was psyched and relieved.
Hard to see, but the SW chute cuts back sharply left
Half way up the chute
Summit in view
Summit boulder
The views were incredible. Lone Pine Peak lives between Mount Langley and Mount Whitney. Other visible 14ers included Russell and Williamson. Next door was Mallory and Irvine. To the east, Owens Valley stretched out 10000' below and the Inyo and White Mountains were visible through some haze. There were multiple registers in the ammo box under the summit boulder. The newest was placed in 2023. Several entries said things like "Never again" or "One and done". The chute was discouraging, but I can't say never. I rested a while on top in perfect weather and slathered on another layer of sunscreen. On the way back, the large cairns were helpful in deciding where to drop into the chute. It was easier than expected going down. A combination of scree skiing, plunge stepping, and using the available boulders. It still took a long time, but gravity was my friend. I picked up my water cache, then made no attempt to find dry passage back over the streams. I plodded clumsily through a wide, shallow part. Wet feet and shins were a welcome way to cool off. Descending the trail was pleasant, but the endless switchbacks seemed to eat up the rest of the afternoon. Satisfied with the days events, I loaded up the truck for the drive back to the OC.
Mount Langley
Mount Whitney, Russell (distant center), Williamson (right)
