We drove up to the start of the Pinto Mtn. hike trailhead in JTNP. Due to the long approach drive we did not start hiking until 10 am. It was already quite warm and we all took lots of water, 4-5 liters each. We had opted for the western approach so we started out by crossing 3 miles of fairly smooth desert before turning east into a canyon. Footing got progressively rougher. First with rocks and boulders in the wash, then with loose small rocks on a steep slope. With no breeze in the canyon and wash it got very warm. On the final ridge we did get a bit of reprieve with a light wind. For the return we chose the direct route to the trucks. Turns out there is a nice use trail up the steep ridge. This looks like a better approach for going up also. We all ended up finishing all our water, hiking the last mile+ in the heat with dry mouths.
John had to go back home while Jack and I had planned more hiking for the next day. We did check the campgrounds for availability, but these days it’s pretty much impossible to find walk-up camping in JTNP no matter what time of day or what weekday. No big deal, since there is plenty of nice BLM camping around the park. We knew a spot from our 29 Palms Mtn. hike earlier this year and headed for it. Much quieter than a crowded campground. After campfire and beers we had a good rest.
Hike: <\/strong>10.9 miles, 2,400ft gain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>Day 2:<\/strong> We returned the way we came and Jack headed home while I decided to stay another night for one more hike. I filled up the truck in Twentynine Palms and drove over to the Iron Mountains, found a camp spot where the Colorado River Aqueduct<\/a> emerges from under the mountains, took a nap, had dinner, got my stuff ready for the next day, and took some sky pics on a moon-less night. Day 3:<\/strong> Once on the correct ridge, it was just a matter of going up. The footing was decent and I found myself on some bighorn sheep trails in places. Talking about bighorn. At one point I heard small rocks fall. First I thought it might just be due to the rocks warming up, but I kept hearing it again. As I studied the ridge across the wash from me, I spotted 5-6 bighorn sheep looking at me and then effortlessly jump around some boulders and vanish. If they would not have moved I’d missed them. Eventually, I got to the less steep portion of the hike at around 3,000 ft and my first view of the peak. The final ridge looked very intimidating! It did not look like this would be a class 2 climb as per reports I had read. I decided to go as far as I felt safe by myself (5 miles of difficult terrain separating me from the truck, another 5 to pavement, and then some 30 miles to cell coverage, a place to be conservative). As often in cases like this, good routes around obstacles became obvious as I got close and with a minor class 2+ scramble up the last 15 feet, I found myself enjoying views and breakfast on the peak. This peak does not see much traffic. There were 0 to 3 entries in the peak register per year. Return was the same way and almost took as long as the ascent due to the steep, loose slopes. (click on any image to enlarge\/start slide show)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After coffee, we drove back into the park and then over to the Geology Tour road. We took that and left the loop south on the Berdoo Canyon road. After we few miles we parked and hiked up a wash towards our mountains. Eventually, we left the wash and headed up a steep slope to a much more gentle ridge which led us to Bernard Peak. After a rest and finding my entry from 2017 (hike with Matt) in the peak register, we made our way over to Little Berdoo Peak. Here we had our lunch while watching a group of about a dozen crows (ravens?) doing aerial acrobatics. They just had a blast playing in the updraft coming up the steep face of the mountains. There were barrel rolls, tugging in the wings to shoot down to chase each other with amazing speed, then change the angle of the wings and sore up a few hundred feet in seconds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hike: <\/strong>7.3 miles, 1,900 ft gain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
I woke up a bit after 5 am and decided to start hiking as soon as there was enough light to not need a headlamp. By 5:45 I was on my way. Like for Pinto Mtn. the route stayed at the bottom of the mountain before turning into a wash and then up a ridge. Only for this hike there were a number of washes to cross, some with 20 ft sheer walls where one had to find a safe way down and up on the other side. I initially went up the wrong was for a little bit and had to backtrack. The area is incredibly rugged with steep ridges\/slopes and deep, narrow washes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hike: <\/strong>9.9 miles, 2,400 ft gain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div>