Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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36.31900°N / 121.81°W |
Route Type:
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Trails, Scrambling, easy bushwacking |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Difficulty:
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Class 2-2+ (variable) |
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Approach
From Bottchers Gap Trailhead. see "getting there Section"...
...From the top of Launtz Ridge...
Continue on the main trail and you will reach a signed junction where some rolled up fencing has been for several years. Head to the right, and you will begin going downhill, passing through a small valley with some old run down huts and cabins. Continue along the hillside, until you go through some meadows with Pico Blanco in clear veiw. (but, this is a false peak youre looking at, as was the one you saw coming down the dirt road to the camp).
Route Description
From the meadows, the rest of the route is basicaly up to your mountaineering knowlege, just head up in a safe as possible matter. From this point you will enter Graniterock property. They dont mind climbers, or scouts, but do not want people wandering on their many ATV roads. If your lucky, youll come across some use trails that head up the mountain, but they probably arent there all year. Head up the mountain through light brush and over the limestone rock. The hillside is studed with Yucca Plants. Avoid them, they hurt very bad and some people have developed rashes from exposure to their pricks. Continue upward, where it gets steeper and passes by 2 parts of an ATV road which is overgorwn and would make a long and time consuming route. You might also find a small, low powered cell phone tower/ repeater. Keep on heading up to the top. At the peak, Enjoy the expansive veiws of the northern Ventana Wilderness and Big Sur coastline. Also, Sign the summit registry, where you will find many amusing entries by scouts, mainly camp staff members, some taking the record challenge of climbing from the camp to the peak in less than 2 hours.
Depending on your route, this climb can be considered Class 2 or 2+, but I will let some much more experienced climbers better classify it.
Essential Gear
Flashlight, if you do this late afternoon.
Trailmix/ gorp, bring on the calories.
Long Pants, the brush and yucca is painful.
Plenty of water.
Sturdy Hiking shoes.
Maps and Compass, Or GPS, being this is partially Off-trail.
Your Brain.
Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.