TR: Pinyon Creek (John Muir Wilderness)
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 10:50 am
Embarrassing!
Last weekend (April 19-20, 2014) I thought I was going up Symmes Creek to the "pass" south of Mt. Bradley. I was searching old posts for trail descriptions and what I was reading didn't match my memories because all I remember is following deer trails. The Sheppard Pass trail was nowhere to be seen and in retrospect I didn't see a single human-made trail whatsoever. I was actually in Pinyon Creek! So far there's nothing on that Creek on HST.
On Saturday, I was in a hurry to get to Center Peak with an ammo box and summit register and return to LA in two days. Didn't realize that Symmes Creek Rd. intersects 395 south of "W. Market St." in Independence (this is the one that changes into Onion Valley Rd.). Driving up Onion Valley Rd, I didn't see the left turn for Foothill Rd, which goes south towards Symmes Creek. Turns out I made a left turn onto some road that goes along Pinyon Creek. At one point it is severely washed out although it was passable with a 1990 Toyota Corolla.
On my way back to the car, I walked a ridge through cattle country, instead of following the creek, and noticed a watering hole for cattle that shows up clearly on satellite images: Lat. 36.76425 / Long. -118.28252 ( http://www.gps-coordinates.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )
The other sure clue I was not in the creek I thought I was, is this wonderful mesa between 8,920 and 8,960 ft: Latitude 36.7477 / Longitude -118.3226
I'll post some photos later. Here is a "trail" description. One doesn't really need directions because the terrain is so rugged that the whole time there was just one way to go: the path of least resistance. I parked at the end of the dirt road around 5,900 feet (36.764149 / -118.28295).
The north side of the creek is passable, but steep. There's a nice camping spot down from a beautiful waterfall around 6,400 feet. The trees are huge. The falls can be bypassed by going over a mini "pass" (36.761269 / -118.295417).
Around 7,000 feet, there's another mini "pass" which is also to the north of the creek. Around 7,200 you have to switch to the south side of the creek. Around 7,400 there is a huge willow "forest" in the creek that shows up on satellite images as a large green patch. Around 7,600 (36.7526 / -118.3128), there's a fork in the creek, the right branch (north) has running water but is too steep. The left branch (south) was dry and easy to climb with lots of rocks in the bed. I slept under a large boulder around 8,200 and saw lights of Independence at night.
Sunday morning, I climbed up to the above-mentioned mesa. Then, crossed the main branch of Pinyon Creek. This could be taken to "Pinyon Pass" (Latitude : 36.733828 | Longitude : -118.345456) say, 12,460 feet, which is to the north of Mt. Bradley. Instead, I took the drainage to the north of "Pinyon Pass". I thought I was heading to the main crest and Center Basin. Instead, the top of the drainage I was in shares the ridge with the drainage above Robinson Lake. (It would have been lots faster to park at the top of Onion Valley and hike up that drainage.)
In comparison, "Symmes Pass" (36.723063 | Longitude : -118.338032) is around 12,480 feet, to the south of Mt. Bradley. The two "passes" S and N of Mt. Bradley are roughly the same elevation. Sheppard pass is just over 12,000 (about 400 feet less).
Around 9,500 feet (36.748 / -118.3292) there is a beautiful foxtail (?) pine forest. I made it to about 11,000 (36.7495 / -118.3397) then started back down by glissading down a large snow chute.
The climb up was easy when done slowly. The slopes are STEEP. As a result, the climb down was tedious and kinda scary. I remember spending a lot of time sliding down sandy slopes. A few times, it was tricky to decide whether the rock I was about to step on would start sliding or remain put. A few times I started a bunch of rocks sliding down a ways, but nothing major.
I would give it a 5 out of 5, in comparison with creeks: Carroll, Lubken, Diaz (didn't get far in Diaz), and Tuttle. Pictures around Sheppard Pass look prettier, but I've never been there ;-) There are BIG trees, a waterfall, large patches of willows, a mesa, and stunning views of the upper canyons with a lot of snow, even in this low-snow year. Happy trails !!!
Last weekend (April 19-20, 2014) I thought I was going up Symmes Creek to the "pass" south of Mt. Bradley. I was searching old posts for trail descriptions and what I was reading didn't match my memories because all I remember is following deer trails. The Sheppard Pass trail was nowhere to be seen and in retrospect I didn't see a single human-made trail whatsoever. I was actually in Pinyon Creek! So far there's nothing on that Creek on HST.
On Saturday, I was in a hurry to get to Center Peak with an ammo box and summit register and return to LA in two days. Didn't realize that Symmes Creek Rd. intersects 395 south of "W. Market St." in Independence (this is the one that changes into Onion Valley Rd.). Driving up Onion Valley Rd, I didn't see the left turn for Foothill Rd, which goes south towards Symmes Creek. Turns out I made a left turn onto some road that goes along Pinyon Creek. At one point it is severely washed out although it was passable with a 1990 Toyota Corolla.
On my way back to the car, I walked a ridge through cattle country, instead of following the creek, and noticed a watering hole for cattle that shows up clearly on satellite images: Lat. 36.76425 / Long. -118.28252 ( http://www.gps-coordinates.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )
The other sure clue I was not in the creek I thought I was, is this wonderful mesa between 8,920 and 8,960 ft: Latitude 36.7477 / Longitude -118.3226
I'll post some photos later. Here is a "trail" description. One doesn't really need directions because the terrain is so rugged that the whole time there was just one way to go: the path of least resistance. I parked at the end of the dirt road around 5,900 feet (36.764149 / -118.28295).
The north side of the creek is passable, but steep. There's a nice camping spot down from a beautiful waterfall around 6,400 feet. The trees are huge. The falls can be bypassed by going over a mini "pass" (36.761269 / -118.295417).
Around 7,000 feet, there's another mini "pass" which is also to the north of the creek. Around 7,200 you have to switch to the south side of the creek. Around 7,400 there is a huge willow "forest" in the creek that shows up on satellite images as a large green patch. Around 7,600 (36.7526 / -118.3128), there's a fork in the creek, the right branch (north) has running water but is too steep. The left branch (south) was dry and easy to climb with lots of rocks in the bed. I slept under a large boulder around 8,200 and saw lights of Independence at night.
Sunday morning, I climbed up to the above-mentioned mesa. Then, crossed the main branch of Pinyon Creek. This could be taken to "Pinyon Pass" (Latitude : 36.733828 | Longitude : -118.345456) say, 12,460 feet, which is to the north of Mt. Bradley. Instead, I took the drainage to the north of "Pinyon Pass". I thought I was heading to the main crest and Center Basin. Instead, the top of the drainage I was in shares the ridge with the drainage above Robinson Lake. (It would have been lots faster to park at the top of Onion Valley and hike up that drainage.)
In comparison, "Symmes Pass" (36.723063 | Longitude : -118.338032) is around 12,480 feet, to the south of Mt. Bradley. The two "passes" S and N of Mt. Bradley are roughly the same elevation. Sheppard pass is just over 12,000 (about 400 feet less).
Around 9,500 feet (36.748 / -118.3292) there is a beautiful foxtail (?) pine forest. I made it to about 11,000 (36.7495 / -118.3397) then started back down by glissading down a large snow chute.
The climb up was easy when done slowly. The slopes are STEEP. As a result, the climb down was tedious and kinda scary. I remember spending a lot of time sliding down sandy slopes. A few times, it was tricky to decide whether the rock I was about to step on would start sliding or remain put. A few times I started a bunch of rocks sliding down a ways, but nothing major.
I would give it a 5 out of 5, in comparison with creeks: Carroll, Lubken, Diaz (didn't get far in Diaz), and Tuttle. Pictures around Sheppard Pass look prettier, but I've never been there ;-) There are BIG trees, a waterfall, large patches of willows, a mesa, and stunning views of the upper canyons with a lot of snow, even in this low-snow year. Happy trails !!!