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** Use at Your Own Risk **
30H |
Rosa Point |
5083' |
Location: Riverside County, about 13 miles northeast of Borrego Springs, 182 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
| Auto Club | Riverside County, San Diego County |
| USGS Topo | Fonts Point 7½ |
| Official HPS Maps | TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| Viewable PDF file - Approximately 5 megs | |
| GPX file or Google Earth KML file to download to GPS units and other map software (How to use GPX and KML files) | |
| Routes as shown on CalTopo using the above files (How to use CalTopo) |
Nearby Peaks: Villager Peak
ROUTE 1
- Distance: 12 miles round trip cross-country
- Gain: 5500' total, 4800' out plus 700' on return
- Time: 10-11 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, very strenuous
- Navigation: Difficult
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
- Route: All cross-country desert terrain with some steep portions infested with cholla
Original: Paul A. Lipsohn, December 1973
DRIVING ROUTE 1
- Drive east on I-10 to the 86S expressway in Indio.
- Drive south toward El Centro on SR 86S Expressway for about 35.5 miles to Salton City.
- Turn west on the Borrego-Salton Seaway (S22).
- Continue 14.8 miles to a parking area on the right (just past the 32 mile marker) and a dirt road on the left (south). Park in this area on either side of the road. The road on the south of S22 is signed "Thimble Trail". This is a good car camping spot.
- It is also possible to reach the trailhead by driving east on S22 from Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs for about 13.1 miles.
HIKING ROUTE 1
- From the parking area (960'), hike northeast toward the rounded hill visible just west of the mouth of Palo Verde Canyon.
- Ascend the hill on a use trail and cross a shallow saddle (still heading northeast).
- Then go generally north up the ridge to a flat area at 3520'. From here, 3 peaks can be seen on the north skyline; the left (west) peak has several bands of white rock below its summit. The right (east) peak is Rosa Point.
- From the flat area at 3520', head northeast on a faint trail down to cross Palo Verde Canyon at 3240'.
- Then climb east up a ridge and follow a faint trail on the north side of elevation 3800'+ to get into the saddle (3600'+) on the prominent ridge going north from elevation 3800'.
- Ascend this ridge north to the summit of Rosa, which has a great view of the Salton Sea.
ALTERNATE ROUTE
It is possible (even scenic) to hike northeast up Palo Verde Canyon, leaving the canyon to the left (west) up a cholla-infested hillside at about 1850' (the canyon takes a bend from north to northwest here), attaining the ridge at the 2200' contour).
NOTES
When returning, DO NOT descend Palo Verde Canyon (above 2200') or Rattlesnake Canyon. Stay on the ridge you ascended and watch for "Jumping Cholla".
ROUTE 2
From Villager Peak- Distance: 4.5 miles one way cross-country
- Gain: 1700' gain and 2500' loss
- Time: 4-6 hours one way
- Rating: Class 1, very strenuous
- Navigation: Moderate
- Route Finding: Moderate
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
- Route: Open desert terrain that is very steep and very slippery in places
Original: Byron Prinzmetal, January 2002
DRIVING ROUTE 2
- Drive east on I-10 to the 86S expressway in Indio.
- Drive south toward El Centro on SR 86S Expressway for about 35.5 miles to Salton City.
- Turn west on the Borrego-Salton Seaway (S22).
- Continue 14.8 miles to a parking area on the right (just past the 32 mile marker) and a dirt road on the left (south). Park in this area on either side of the road. The road on the south of S22 is signed "Thimble Trail". This is a good car camping spot.
- It is also possible to reach the trailhead by driving east on S22 from Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs for about 13.1 miles.
HIKING ROUTE 2
- From the summit of Villager Peak, desend the south ridge to the 4900' contour.
- Hike cross-country east to a saddle at the head of Rattlesnake Canyon.
- Continue east on a use trail to a summit known as Mile High Peak.
- Follow the undulating ridge southeast to Rosa Point.
Note: A loop trip via Villager Route 1 and Rosa Routes 2 and 1 is 17 miles with 7300' of elevation gain and takes about 13-15 hours. It may be easiest to do in reverse because the ridge of Villager is an easier descent, especially after dark.
ROUTE 3
- Distance: 14.5 miles round trip cross-country
- Gain: 5500' total, 4800' out plus 700' on return
- Time: 10-12 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, very strenuous
- Navigation: Moderate
- Route Finding: Moderate
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
- Route: Trail and moderately steep desert terrain.
Original: Byron Prinzmetal, January 2002
DRIVING ROUTE 3
- Drive east on I-10 to the 86S expressway in Indio.
- Drive south toward El Centro on SR 86S Expressway for about 35.5 miles to Salton City.
- Turn west on the Borrego-Salton Seaway (S22).
- Continue 12.1 miles to a miles to a parking area on the left side of the road just past Call Box 346.
- It is also possible to reach the trailhead by driving east on S22 from Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs for about 15.8 miles.
HIKING ROUTE 3
- Enter Smoke Tree Canyon from a wash just east of the Call Box 346. The canyon splits. One canyon heads east toward the Natural Rock Tanks and the other heads north-northwest.
- Hike up dry wash and north-north west canyon past a dry waterfall to an open area (approximately 3.1 miles).
- Leave the wash and hike up a faint use trail to elevation 2260' and turn left on another use trail following the contours north.
- At elevation 2960' the trail contours in north-northwest direction to a saddle at 3140' just west of "Pyramid Peak". "Pyramid Peak" (3480'+, not named on topo, but has a register can) can be hiked form this location.
- Hike northwest and over / down several bumps until you intersect Route 1 at the saddle (3600'+).
- Continue on Route 1 for about a mile to the summit.
History of Summit Signature
Climbing Archives
Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.