Thorn Point

HPS Star Emblem Peak
Hiked: 11/19/2021
Distance: 7.3 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 6920'
Prominence: 560'
Elevation Gain: 2002'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.6
Round trip time: 4 hours
Recommended water: 64 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at Thorn Meadows Campground
Difficulty: Moderate

I got up at 3 AM to prep for a long day of driving to Los Padres, pretty standard. I always curse the drive, but never end up regretting it. The target was Thorn Point (HPS #25), home to an abandoned look out tower in the heart of the forest. The start was at Thorn Meadows campground, an 8 mile drive on a bumpy dirt road (7N03B) with one stream crossing. High clearance recommended. The top of the stream was frozen when I crossed and the temp at the trailhead was a shocking 27F. I got started with 3 layers and gloves and was cold for about 30 minutes before body heat and patches of sunlight warmed me up. The hike was beautiful from the start with a mix of large deciduous and evergreen trees. The first mile was fairly flat along a drainage, then gained a ridge. The slope was steady passing cliffs and randomly scattered boulders.

I was pretty close to the top before I spotted the tower. The trail took a somewhat indrect path with plenty of switchbacks to keep the gain in check. Scenery opened up behind as climb unfolded. Below the tower was the Sierra Club register in red cans, and a USFS register book that was in pieces. Next to the tower was a shack littered with debris. From what I gathered online, the tower has not been in use since the 1980s. The structure was made of steel girders while the tower was made up of decaying wood. It wasn't locked so I climbed up an poked around, carefully testing the floor as I went. The tower had a book with a story written by son of a ranger who used to man the tower in the 1950s. A few tools were lying around and a few people wrote about their interest in restoring the tower. The whole vibe was cool. I don't always agree with the Sierra Club, but Thorn Point deserves the emblem badge. After loitering for a while, I started down the trail, taking my time to soak in as much as possible. I had the entire mountain to myself. Nothing better to reboot the soul.