Mt. Pinos

And now for something completely different: I haven’t done a Roxhikes post in a while. It’s high time I got out there on the trail and reported back to you on something new. Well, today that’s exactly what I did.  My pix with captions are below. A relatively encyclopedic write-up of the same, with more and better pix, can be found here but you’ll need Adobe Flash Player to view their pix.  Their text is a worthwhile read if you plan to visit in person or if you’re just insatiably curious. Either way, it’s all fine by me.  Well, as long as you enjoy yourself. The uninterested can stop right here and just go home. (Isn’t that the correct phrase, Kate?) In any case, without further ado… Mt. Pinos.

 

 

 

The Searchers & Rescuers were out in force, traveling in pairs, like Mormons on a mission.  But there was one key difference:  They wore fluorescent orange tops instead of starched white shirts.  Other than that?  Same-same.

 

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At trail’s end, you don’t need a fancy steak dinner on a linen tablecloth to appreciate the finer things in life. The hood of a car will do just fine for cold cuts, chips, and a bottle of Jacuzzi’s best red. It really hit the hungry spot!

 

 

Flora-lovers:  The red ones are ubiquitous on Mt. Pinos.  So are the pastel lavender lovelies.  C’mon, botany buffs, what ARE those things?

 

“Nordic” refers to cross country skiing.  Apparently it snows here and the trail sign confirms it.  My suspicion is that part of what makes the North Ridge trail “more difficult” are the biathlon competitors plinking .22 caliber holes, hopefully not also through their fellow skiers!

 

Nearing the summit, I wondered why I still had such kick-ass cell service. Usually, in the back country, reception dwindles to zero.  That’s when it hit me…

 

Selfie-time! I forgot how different the SoCal forest smells compared to the Rockies:  The pines have none of that butterscotch Ponderosa scent.  It’s much more of a scorched Jeffrey and pinyon aroma.  I also forgot how much the sun reflects off my head when I’m not wearing a hat, a mistake I won’t make twice!

 

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Assorted vistas:  Bakersfield’s definitely visible to the north in the Central Valley. The Coast Range and Ventura county lie to the south and west, I think – but don’t quote me on that.  Hey, gimme a break.  I just got here!

 

 

Tough, Gnarly, Still Upright: Not a bad way to be remembered, come the last.