For my upcoming birthday I asked my husband for a Jetboil cooking system. It would be the first item in a long list of backpacking gear that we’re going to need to make the crossover from day hikers to backpackers. Since I’d been looking for an excuse to make the short hike up the little bump called Mt. Akawie (aka Buckhorn Peak if you’re using a Tom Harrison map), we headed up to the mountain to test the new cooking system and spend a quiet morning together.
We hit the trail just after 6 am. After a very short distance we took the path leading up to the peak. There appeared to be a number of fire roads around to explore, but we were ready to get cooking and I couldn’t wait for a hot cup of coffee. The Jetboil system did not disappoint! For breakfast I’d packed a couple of Eggo waffles (my favorite) and brought along a freeze dried breakfast scramble from Mountain House. Overall, it was pretty good. I definitely could live on this stuff for a couple of days in the backcountry. After eating, we got comfortable on one of the large, flat bounders looking towards Waterman Mountain and Twin Peaks and napped for a short while. After a peaceful rest and stomachs full of interesting freeze dried food, we packed up our gear and did some exploring around the mountain both on and off-trail. An unmaintained road/trail took us northeast around the bump and offered views looking towards Pleasant View Ridge. We also saw a lot of deer; mostly doe and one with a young fawn. The road/trail eventually disappeared and we made a scramble up the east side of the mountain before heading back the way we came. It was around 11 am when we got back to the car. We thanked Mount Akawie for the hospitality and headed home to enjoy what was left of our weekend.
We watched the sunrise from Cloudburst Summit as we geared up and got ready to hike to Winston Ridge and Winston Peak. We’d been to Winston Peak a few times before, but we had climbed it from the north side. This time our plan was to hike to Winston Ridge first (which we had not done) and then tackle the steep ascent up the use trail on the south side of the mountain to Winston Peak. We began the hike by descending the fire road and heading northwest on the PCT. When we reached a small saddle with Bump 6903 we had a choice to climb up and over the bump or hike around it to the left or to the right. From the research I’d done it seemed taking the use trail to the left was going to be our best option. The trail was quite rugged with soft dirt and loose rock that would give way if you weren’t careful. We had a number of downed trees to negotiate as well. There was one rather large tree that was particularly challenging. (I will talk more about that later.) This rugged section of trail tested our agility for sure, but it was definitely a lot of fun. When we reached another saddle, we continued northwest to reach the high point on the ridge. The hike along the ridge was undulating and lovely with views of Squaw Canyon to the south and Pleasant View ridge on the opposite side. We could also see the transition zone from forest to desert. We hiked past the high point on the ridge and came to a rock formation that reminded me of the back of a stegosaurus sticking out of the ground. I examined it looking for a way to get around it, but it looked a little sketchy, so I opted not to continue any further. We took a long break on the ridge and chatted about how nice it was to be the only ones here. For such a fun hike I was surprised it didn’t have more people on it. But being I like my solitude, I was not complaining. I explored some of the interesting rock formations and checked out the views in all directions while my husband made some contacts on his HAM radio. Before continuing the journey, we signed the summit register which was tucked away in some rocks marked by a rock cairn. We then started heading back enjoying the views and the scenery along the ridge. As we got closer to the saddle, I had a good perspective of that very large downed tree I’d mentioned earlier. We had climbed over it on the way to the ridge and it looked awfully menacing from this angle. When we reached the downed tree, my husband went over first (as we had done on the way to the ridge) so I could hand him my backpack making it easier for me to maneuver up and over. The footing here was loose, and we had to be extra careful. We continued along the slippery slope and at one point we diverted slightly off trail after negotiating another downed tree. We could see the saddle and Winston Peak right in front of us and were able to correct ourselves right away. Once back at the junction with the PCT, we had the choice of hiking back the way we came, or we could make the steep ascent up the south side of Winston Peak on a use trail. We decided to take on the challenge! The climb showed no mercy, but it sure was fun! The ground wasn’t nearly as slippery as what we’d experienced on the way to the ridge. I turned around to look back a few times to take in the wonderful views of Winston Ridge and snap some photos. This was also a good excuse to catch my breath. The climb seemed to go on and on, but I could see the top and I knew we’d be there in no time. Once at the top of Winston Peak, we gave each other a high five. We both felt pretty accomplished! I wandered around the summit for a while climbing about the rock formations and keeping an eye out for a summit register. I never did find one. We then descended down the north side of the mountain and back to Cloudburst Summit. I had actually wanted to include the short hike to Mount Akawie (aka Buckhorn Peak) on this trip, but both of us decided what we really wanted was a bacon cheeseburger and some fries! It was well earned after this climb!
Kratka Ridge has been on my radar to hike for quite some time. We made a plan this weekend to go check it out and when mapping out the route, I added nearby Peak 7160 to the plan. The whole hike was only a little over two miles, but in that short distance we were offered amazing views, a fun, steep climb and plenty of solitude. We arrived at the trailhead at the Vista Picnic Area around 6:30 am. The route wasted no time ascending quickly and offering great views. As we continued there were sections where the ground was soft and the footing was loose making the going more challenging. It wasn’t long before we reached the ruins of an old, wooden ski lift that had been in operation from the 1950s up until 2001. Now its deteriorating structure sits abandoned with single seat ski lift chairs hanging from the cables. We spent some time exploring the structure and tried to imagine what it had been like when it was up and running. We sat inside the old ruins looking down the mountain towards the rickety lift chairs enjoying each other’s company and the quiet of the morning until it was time to continue up to the high point on Kratka ridge. Behind the ski lift I discovered what looked to be a use trail that would require some scrambling up rocks and tree roots to reach the top. I continued to explore the area looking for the best way up and just a little further past the wooden structure I found another use trail on the side of the slope that would also take us to the top. The trail was narrow and a bit loose, but I felt comfortable enough to negotiate it to reach the high point from this route. At the top of Kratka Ridge we were rewarded with some of the most excellent views of Bear Creek Canyon and the San Gabriel Wilderness I have ever seen. I could identify Mount Williamson, Waterman Mountain, Twin Peaks and many of the other surrounding mountains from the viewpoint. After we were done taking it all in, we found another faint trail which followed the wilderness boundary. I figured it would take us back to the scramble behind the lift and sure enough it did. We then began our descent down the mountain being extra careful on the slippery sections. As we descended I could see Peak 7160 right in front of us. There wasn’t much of an established way up, so we started heading towards its high point. The ascent was steep, but the footing was fine. Along the way I found a heart that someone had made out of pine cones. When we reached the summit, I found another one made out of stones. So cute! From Peak 7160 we had a great view looking back over at Kratka ridge and down into the canyon. It was a lovely day. Although it was short, this hike is definitely a favorite!
