This was DAY 2 of our big 23mi in 24hrs hiking 5 peaks and a combined 6200ft elevation gain.

Having crushed my 6th peak in the 6 Pack Challenge at Baldy the day before, this was a bonus repeat peak day for me so we could get Rachel complete on her 6 Pack too. This was a much more relaxed start to our day than the previous on all accounts. Later start, no wind, nice leisurely 2mi “stroll” to the first peak. We were definitely moving slower and stiffer with Baldy still fresh on our leg’s muscle memory. When we got to the Nordic Base, it was nearly empty, and we only saw about 4 people total all day.

This particular hike is strangely silent from start to finish. It was like that for me when I hiked this back in Aug too. Barely any bird songs, no squirrels sounding the alarm as we drew near, barely any breeze in the treetops. It’s almost spooky. We DID have about 4 sentinel birds sounding the alarm when we were hiking back but that’s about it. I DID catch the tail end of a single chipmunk and the floofy tail of a grey squirrel, but I didn’t catch either on camera.

The unique challenge about this hike is the series of ups and downs you do. You hike up to Mt Pinos, down the backside to the base of Sawmill. Then you climb up to summit Sawmill, then down that backside to the base of Grouse. Finally, you climb back up to Grouse, and then you repeat the process going back. So instead of a single ascent challenge like most peak hikes, you’ve got 3. They’re not huge mountains in comparison to some in the challenge. Mt Pinos being the tallest in Ventura County stands at 8,848ft, is then followed by Sawmill at 8,818ft-the tallest in Kern County and then the bonus Grouse Mountain at 8,583ft. Fortunately, once you climb that final return ascent back up to Mt Pinos and the Condor Summit, you’re home free. You’ve upped the last up and the rest is all downhill.

This was a great finish for Rachel’s 6 Pack and another great visit for me in Pine Mountain Club. I can’t wait to return to this one in late Spring to catch all the beautiful wildflowers in the area.

Saturday was definitely a kick-it-in-your-jammies all day kind of day after this 2-day adventure. It’s tough doing peaks back-to-back but I’m pleasantly surprised just how doable it was for us. It’s promising for our 2022 big hike goals. — with Rachel Waddy at Mt. Pinos Nordic Base.