High Sierra Topix

Saturday hiked up to Cook Peak with some of the KRV hiking club - although usually a drive up peak - we parked down low to give all members a conditioning type hike - it was hot for hiking but the breeze on top was a welcome relief with great views of Lake Isabella and surrounding peaks. Cook Peak is east of Isabella and situated between Lake Isabella and Mt Mesa

Thanks for all the info and photos of the Kernville area, Mountaincat. Just one small correction. The road you are thinking of is Lloyd Meadows Road, not Lylle Meadow. It is FSR 22S82.

The Freeman Creek trail was redone last summer and is a lovely, brush-free hiking trail all the way from top to bottom now.

At the end of Lloyd Meadows Road is Jerkey trailhead, with a good trail that goes up into the Golden Trout Wilderness.

There is also an unpaved road that goes to the trailhead for Forks of the Kern off of Lloyd Meadows Road.

For more hikes in the Lloyd Meadows Road/Western Divide Hwy area, see http://www.ponderosaca.com/hike.html

Oops, my bad. Lloyd Meadow. There's a pack station out that way too, and Lloyd Meadow is also a rafting start spot for multi-day trips on the Kern. Brain freeze there (I did get the double LL's right).

I haven't done any trips with the local hiking club. Cook Peak sounds like a good workout, for certain.

Hey Mountaincat,

Isn't there a big fire raging near Kernville? I hope everything is OK down there. Good Luck!!

Vic

The Goldledge fire only got to about 4,000 acres, and was not really big and raging... it just hung on forever it seems. Trouble was its steep terrain meant few people could work it. It hasn't put out any noticable smoke for a couple weeks now, although there probably are some smoldering spots.

We've had 3 fires in the Kern area so far. Two were caused by electrical things, and the Goldledge fire from someone shooting a weapon.