Outdoor Adventure USA

PINYON MOUNTAIN HIKE
Date: Friday, October 6th 2017 6:30AM
Distance: 2 miles (out-and-back)
Hiking Time: 1.5 hours (round trip)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 500'/500'
Difficulty: Moderate

If there's any interest, feel free to meet up with me for this short hike. This will be an early bird special, since it'll be in the 90's out there. So I'll be at the Pinyon Mountain Road entrance around 6:30AM.

DIRECTIONS

At 7.8 miles north of the campground along Hwy S2, turn right onto Pinyon Mountain Road. Stay right at the fork in 0.1 mile, and continue up a gentle incline on the eastward trending, sandy road. A short stretch of protruding rocks is encountered in about 4 miles. At 5.7 miles, the road tops a watershed divide at 3980 feet in elevation in the middle of a broad saddle. Find a place to park anywhere in the saddle area near the dirt intersection.
OVERVIEW

From the road summit simply go cross country up the ridge to the north and west, aiming for the high point. The south facing slopes are bald, but scattered growths of pinyon pine and nolina (a yucca look-alike that is nicknamed bear grass) are found on the summit and north facing slopes.

The summit view includes Whale Peak to the south, which blocks more distance views in that direction. Facing east, though, you take in a sweeping vista of the San Ysidro and Santa Rosa Mountains, Borrego Valley, Borrego Badlands, and the Salton Sea.

I'm up for it. I've done Whale Peak nearby so this one will be new. Besides, we get to hike with the famous man from San Diego on his continuing quest for 52 hikes a year!

brentbba wrote: ↑Wed Sep 20, 2017 3:02 pm I'm up for it. I've done Whale Peak nearby so this one will be new. Besides, we get to hike with the famous man from San Diego on his continuing quest for 52 hikes a year!

Sounds good! The trailhead for this hike is practically the same as the northern approach to Whale Peak. I still need to hike the southern approach from Blair Valley, though.

I'll be interested to see where the trail head is for Pinyon. Discovered that the trail head to Whale Peak is my go to campsite up there! That hike is marked similar to the Mojave Road with rock carons.

brentbba wrote: ↑Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:11 am I'll be interested to see where the trail head is for Pinyon. Discovered that the trail head to Whale Peak is my go to campsite up there! That hike is marked similar to the Mojave Road with rock carons.

There are a couple nice spots to camp just off that road. I remember the carins, along the Mojave Rd and Whale Peak.

This hike is the easy way to Pinyon Mountain. There's a much longer approach from the north, off Highway 78, that I have yet to trek. If there's enough time left in the day after this, there are a number of other short hikes in the area that we can check out.

Sounds like fun John!!

I'm changing the date to Friday for this. My family get together was switched to Sunday afternoon, so I'll be at camp on Friday.

John

What time will you return to camp?

DaveK wrote: ↑Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:21 pm John

What time will you return to camp?

I'm not sure. I don't have an exact departure time yet. But I'm assuming Friday afternoon.

Responded to your PM John. No Bueno on the date change. I won't be arriving in camp until after 10pm on Friday as is.