USE AT YOUR OWN RISK
Location: Kern County, about 2.5 miles north-northeast of the town of Onyx, 155 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
| Auto Club |
Kern County |
| Forest Service |
Sequoia National Forest |
| USGS Topo |
Onyx 7½ |
| Official HPS Maps |
TPO file -
Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| |
Viewable JPG file -
Approximately 370K |
| |
GPX file or Google Earth
KML file to
download to GPS units and other map software
(How to use GPX and KML files) |
| |
Routes as shown on CalTopo using the above files
(How to use CalTopo) |
ROUTE 1
- Distance: 6 miles round trip cross-country
- Gain: 3400'
- Time: 8-10 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 2, very strenuous
- Navigation: Moderate
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
Original: Charlie Knapke, October 1988
DRIVING ROUTE 1
- From Mojave go north on SR 14 to the intersection with SR 178 (Walker
Pass Road). Turn left.
- Go west on SR 178 for about 23 miles to Bloomfield Ranch Road (paved,
on right side). At this spot SR 178 makes a giant turn south. Go
0.8 mile further to a dirt road on the right. Turn right.
- Note your
odometer and go as follows:
- At 0.3 and 0.35 mile, forks. Go straight.
- At 0.4 mile, several buildings with a bridge. Park on the right near
the trailers before the bridge. This is private property.
Do not proceed (either by car or on foot) without permission from the property owner(s).
- Alternatively,
park on the highway and hike the 0.4 mile.
HIKING ROUTE 1
- From the parking area (2800'), cross the bridge on the south fork of
the Kern River.
- Continue north up the road about 50 yards and find a cattle
trail heading to the left. In another 100 yards a large canyon opens up
to the left (west). This canyon is an alternative route, but is typically
very brushy.
- Leave the road and hike up the cattle trail, then over a
minor rise on the right, then down into the canyon. Note this location
for your return.
- Staying generally on the slopes north of the main canyon,
ascend steeply to a saddle (5520'+) just south of the peak. The
rocks in the canyon bottom are polished and very slippery. The route to
the north of the canyon bottom can look difficult, but usually turns out
to be easily passable.
- Turn right and follow a well-ducked trail up to the summit.
- Keep to the right of the rock outcroppings near the top. The
register is on the west summit block.
