Place: Mt. Pinos, Frazier Park, California
Coordinates: 34.813477, -119.126516
Length: 4 miles up and down
Level: easy to moderate
Our first attempt to hike up Mt. Pinos was on the 2015 Spring Break, following our visit of Carrizo Plain NM. When we arrived at the parking lot we were met by harsh weather and decided to abort, swinging by the west Pinnacles on the way home.
Last August I had the opportunity to go back to Mt. Pinos, this time without Papa Quail, who was away on separate business. The chikas and I were returning north after visiting friends in Southern California. I planned to cover the distance in two days, one for a hike and the next for the beach. The night between I wanted to camp at the Valle Vista Campground.
Mt. Pinos is 8,848' high and can get a fine winter snow cover that attracts area cross-country skiers. The road pavement up the mountain ends in a base camp parking lot, about 2 miles shy of the summit.
Last April the lot was deserted. When I arrived there on August 14, there were many trailers and RVs parked about in no apparent order, and in between the vehicles stood numerous telescopes of various sizes. That night would be the third in a row that a strong meteor shower was expected.
I didn't ignore them on the way back: Scarlet Bugler Penstemon (Penstemon centranthifolius) |
The other reason was quite a nice surprise and that was a sole yellow-flowering penstemon that stood out in a field of regular red ones. Because we were in a hurry to get to the campground I took just a quick photograph, hoping to take better shots on our return. Unfortunately on our way back to the parking lot and trailhead I was too busy trying to resolve a conflict between the chikas and missed that unique specimen.
Back at the parking lot we got our backpacks and started up to the summit. The trail is a broad dirt road that's easy to follow all the way up. We went up and down that same trail.
The altitude isn't a problem there and the trail ascends in a mild slope through an open forest of (mostly) pine trees.
Still, the chikas started complaining almost from the start. We didn't even make it to half a mile before we had to stop for them to rest and snack and for me to breath deeply and say 'ohm' a lot.
A good, natural forest showcases quite a few tree personalities. While oaks are usually more expressive, the pines of Mt. Pinos can be quite wild in appearance too.
Within a mile the trail leveled almost completely and we walked out of the woods and into a large meadow painted intense yellow with rabbitbrush.
There are several species of rabbitbrush in that area, and I believe I have identified two of them in that meadow. The differences are slight, making it a challenge to tell the species apart.
Parry's Rabbitbrush (Ericameria parryi) and bee |
Stickyleaf Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) and bee |
Bees weren't the only creatures with interest in rabbitbrush. Elder chika found a big caterpillar chewing on the plant.
Although the trail was much easier we had slowed down considerably when crossing the meadow. There was so much to see there! Although not as high as the Sierra Neveda, Mt. Pinos is high enough for having an excellent bloom in mid-August.
Bunchleaf Penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus) |
And others were still going strong.
A narrow trail split off the main trail and lead to a nearby hilltop. I beckoned the chiks and we followed the trail to the tip.
While I would have loved to sit there quietly and contemplate, the chikas were restless and after looking around a bit we strolled back to the summit trail and continued up.
Rabbitbrush is the perfect color match for Indian Paintbrush |
Not a gem, but pretty and shiny nonetheless. |
Kennedy's Buckwheat (Eriogonum kennedyi) |
Brewer's Lupine (Lupinus breweri) |
We sat too. Had a little snack and rested.
When it was time to go on, she got up and continued without a protest.
At the summit there is a small parking area that looked like it has not been used in a long while. There were also benches and information post signs.
And there was view. Wonderful view.
At the Summit - View to the southwest |
Double-Tree (triple, actually) |
And there were flowers at the summit, too. A beautiful one that I've seen many of - the delicate prairie flax.
Prairie Flax (Linum lewisii var. lewisii) |
At the Summit - View to the southeast |
And I was just as attentive to the flowers as I was going up.
One-seeded Pussypaws (Calyptridium monospermum) |
It is my habit now to try and document every flower I see on the trail. One never knows which flower will turn out to be an interesting find. Even the simplest-looking flowers may turn out to be unique.
Heermann's Lotus (Acmispon heermannii) |
And then, there are those flowers that you know are unique right on the spot. It was only in the way back that I found the flower that made my day: a Mariposa Lily!
With seconds the entire attitude of the chikas changed a 180 degrees and happily, they spotted many more lilies for me to photograph. I couldn't believe that I had missed them on the way up.
Plain Mariposa Lily (Calochortus invenustus) |
Gooseberry (Ribes sp.) |
Chipmunk |
We slowed down again as we approached the base camp. Although eager to get back in the car, the chikas needed some rest (this time for real). That final break allowed me a few minutes more to absorb the mountain forest air.
Common Yarrow (Achilea millefolium) |
Back at the parking lot I waved farewell to the stargazers, wishing them good sightings and hoping that they'll bother taking the trail to the campground's restrooms and won't deposit any additional waste near the parking lot.
After leaving Mt. Pinos I drove leisurely west to the Valle Vista campground. The view of the valley was stunningly beautiful indeed.
The campground, however, was in a sorry state. The dirt road was all eroded and pot-holed, making it very difficult access to a none 4x4 to get down there. The lower part of the campground was completely inaccessible to us because of the road condition.
The upper part was filthy with trash that was left behind by people with absolutely no regard of Nature whatsoever. And when we did manage to find a side that was sort of acceptable, we discovered it was already occupied by a multitude of fire ants. So after taking a few photos of the beautiful valley we went back into the car and continued on westward, hoping to find another campground.
The next campground we found, at Aliso Canyon, looked much more promising. It is quite desolate, and when we were there it looked cleaner. I already pulled the tent from its case when some of the other campers pulled out a rifle and started shooting at something. I hurriedly stuffed the chikas and the tent into the car and took to the road again. By then it was too late to find another campground. We crashed in a hotel room in Santa Maria.
The following day we had a fantastic time at Oso Flaco State Park and Beach that completely eliminated all the bad taste that was left from our failed camping attempts.
Sometimes downhill is best :-)
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are beautiful, but the campsites description indeed leave a bad taste.
Yes, but not always easiest ... In that case, however, it was. And I hope to have better luck with campgrounds in that area next time I go there.
Deletethe amazing wild pine in the beginning is truly wonderful!
ReplyDeleteand the Mariposa lilies :-)
It's so annoying to see that people have no regard to their surroundings. and it's usually those that keep their houses perfectly clean. they just dump everything outside without any consideration. I really don't understand how can they be so rude.
it is very upsetting to see disregard for the environment, and particularly so when it comes from people who self-proclaim to be environmentalists.
DeleteThere was also much apparent neglect by the National Forest authorities too :-(