Completed the 3-3-2-1 Challenge as the First of my Six Pack of Peaks for this year!

3 Amigos  – 3 Peaks – 2 Counties – 1 Day!

Mount Pinos – 8,848′ (highest peak in Ventura County)

Sawmill Mountain – 8,818′ (highest peak in Kern County

Grouse Mountain – 8,583′  (because two peaks in one day just isn’t enough!)

I have been getting over some knee and heel pain so I wanted to do an easier hike compared to some of the harder hikes I have done in the past. I found two friends who wanted to join me to form the Three Amigos!

It was very enjoyable and I loved breathing in the smell of pine trees, which infused a large portion of the hike. I also saw a dozen or more snow plants, the most I have ever had the pleasure of seeing on a hike!   

This hike is a great option for those looking to get started on peak hikes. Nothing hard but there are a few spots with some moderate elevation gain, the worst being the switchbacks on the way back from Sawmill to Pinos.

If it’s your first time,  the turn off to Sawmill is easy to miss. Pay attention to the arrow on the right side and logs delineating the path to Sawmill. There was no arrow for the turnoff to Grouse on the left, but it was likewise marked with logs.

It was pretty warm, which was arguably the hardest aspect for me as I despise the heat, and I drained my 3 liter bladder by the end of the hike.