Location: San Bernardino County, about 7 miles west-northwest of Yucca Valley, 128 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Distance: 6 miles round trip on road, trail, and cross-country

Gain: 1200'

Time: 3 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, easy

Original: Bill T. Russell, June 1989

DRIVING ROUTE 1

• Drive east on I-10 past Banning to SR 62.
• Go north on SR 62 to Pioneertown Road in Yucca Valley. Turn left.
• Go north on Pioneertown Road 7.3 miles to Pipes Canyon Road. Turn left (west).
• Go 0.6 mile to a fork. Go right.
• Continue 0.3 mile farther to a parking area at a locked gate ("The Pipes", UTM 421811). Park here.

HIKING ROUTE 1

• From the parking area (4460'), hike south past the locked gate, cross the wash and hike up the jeep road to UTM 415800, which is about 3/4 mile from the parking area.
• Here the jeep road ceases to go roughly southwest up the broad ridge. Instead it turns south at a constant elevation. Leave the road on the right at a trail marked by the figure of a horse painted on a rock and continue up the ridge on this trail.
• The trail ascends for 100', crosses the crest of the ridge, and descends into a broad wash. It crosses the wash, and goes south up the wash to a saddle at UTM 406796. It then goes on the south side of a bump to a saddle 250 meters to the southwest at UTM 404787.
• Leave the trail here and go west up through some rocks to the summit. On the return trip it is pleasant to descend the broad ridge over elevation 5315'.