Pallett Mountain

Pallet, Will Thrall and Pleasant View Ridge, photo by Sunny Yi

Pallet, Will Thrall and Pleasant View Ridge, Photo by Sunny Yi.

Peak Name

Pallett Mountain

13E

Elevation

7760

feet

Status

active

Region

North Of Angeles Crest Hwy 2

Range

San Gabriel Mountains

Nearby peaks

Pleasant View Ridge, Will Thrall Peak, Mount Williamson

Location

34.3849987,-117.8853415

Description

Pallett is named for pioneer homesteaders who were friends of the reclusive mountain man Charles Tom Vincent, after whom Vincent Gap is named, and after whose daughter Mount Emma is named. The views from this peak, where the forested mountains of the Angeles Forest give way to the San Andreas Rift and then the desert, are sweeping. It is usually hiked in strenuous combinations with the complex of nearby peaks.

HPS routes 1 and 2 start from the beautiful Burkhart Trail, named for homesteader B.K. Burkhart who built the trail to carry supplies. Route 1 starts from the south at Buckhorn Campground then descends into Cooper Canyon, where you will find lemon lilies in the spring and Cooper Canyon Falls where you can make a small detour to pay them a visit. It then descends along the dramatic canyon walls to cross the creek and ascend to Burkhart Saddle, from which you can follow the west ridge to climb over Will Thrall Peak to reach the HPS peak Pleasant View Ridge, or hike up the east ridge to the peak. Route 2 starts from Devil’s Punchbowl, worthy of a visit in itself, and works its way first west then south and up to the saddle and then on to the peak. Route 3 is an enjoyable though strenuous adventure that starts from the PCT on Angeles Crest Highway before departing to the top of Mount Williamson and traverses the Pleasant View Ridge (which the HPS peak PVR is at the tail end of), crossing over Goodykuntz Peak then down and up again to Pallett.

Maps generated from CalTopo.com, reproduced with permission

Downloadable Maps, Files, and Guides

Route 1- Burkhardt Trail

Elevation Gain

3300′ total, 2300′ out plus 1000′ on return

Navigation Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

12.5 miles round trip on trail and steep use trail

Estimated time

6-7 hours round trip

Route Rating

Class 1, strenuous

Leader Rating Required

Driving route

From the intersection of I-210 and Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2), drive north on Angeles Crest Highway 33.5 miles to the entrance to Buckhorn Campground on the left. Turn left.
Proceed down the entrance road and then turn left at the next two forks, then follow the signs “Burkhart Trail” to a large parking area.
If the campground entrance is locked, drive SR 2 another 0.8 mile to the campground exit road, which intersects SR 2 at a sharp angle to the left. Park beside the exit road and hike down through the campground to the signed trailhead. This adds 1 mile and 200′ gain to the round trip.

Hiking route

From the parking area (6460′), hike north down the Burkhart Trail (10W02) about 2 miles to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) near Cooper Canyon Falls.
Turn right (east) on the PCT, crossing Little Rock Creek (5600′) in about 0.3 mile, and then proceed 100′ farther to a trail junction with the Rattlesnake Trail (signed). Turn left onto the Burkhart Trail.
Follow this trail north over occasionally loose slopes for 3.2 miles to Burkhart Saddle (6959′).
Hike about 0.5 mile east up a steep use trail to the summit. (Will Thrall Peak can be reached by turning west at Burkhart Saddle and climbing a steep use trail about 1/2 mile to the summit.)

Route Notes

Printable Route

Road Type

Paved

Google Maps Link to Trailhead

Route 2- High Desert Trail

Elevation Gain

4600′ total, 3800′ out plus 800′ on return

Navigation Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

15.5 miles round trip on trail and steep use trail

Estimated time

7-9 hours round trip

Route Rating

Class 1, strenuous

Leader Rating Required

Driving route

Take the Antelope Valley Freeway (SR 14) northeast toward Palmdale. Get off at the Angeles Forest Highway/Pearblossom Highway.
Go 4.5 miles northeast and then east on Pearblossom Highway to the intersection with SR 138.
Turn right and drive 9 miles to Longview Road (N6) (shown as 131st Street on the 7.5 minute topos) in the town of Pearblossom, where a sign “Devils Punchbowl” points to the right. Turn right (south) onto N6. Note your odometer and proceed as follows:
At 2.0 miles, junction with Fort Tejon Road. Turn left.
At 2.5 miles, junction with Longview Road (N6) (shown as 13st Street on the 7.5 minute topos). Turn right.
At 4.5 miles, signed junction marked “Lewis Ranch” and “Devils Punchbowl” on the left. Turn left.
Drive 3 miles farther to a parking lot at the end of the road at the Devil’s Punchbowl Nature Center. Park in the parking lot. (At the time of this revision, there is no fee.)

Hiking route

From your parking spot (4760′), walk to the signed beginning of the Burkhart Trail next to the portable toilet.
Proceed onto the trail, which swings southwest past a large, green water tank to a trail junction at about 0.7 mile.
Take the right (west) fork, which reads “Burkhart Saddle 6.2 miles”.
After 2 miles the trail descends steeply to a junction with a dirt road. Turn left (south) on this road, signed “Burkhart Saddle 3.7 miles”.
The road passes a windmill high above Cruthers Creek and then descends into the canyon, where you follow a wide trail alignment that heads uphill on the right immediately after crossing the creekbed (4600′).
Ascend the trail for 3.4 miles to Burkhart Saddle (6959′).
Hike about 0.5 mile east up a steep use trail to the summit. (Will Thrall Peak can be reached by turning west at Burkhart Saddle and climbing a steep use trail about 0.5 mile to the summit.)

Route Notes

Printable Route

Road Type

Paved

Google Maps Link to Trailhead

Route 3- From Mount Williamson

Elevation Gain

1000′ gain and 1450′ loss (4000′ gain from Mount Williamson trailhead)

Navigation Difficulty

Difficult

Distance

6 miles round trip steep cross-country (9 miles round trip from Mount Williamson trailhead)

Estimated time

3-4 hours round trip (6-7 hours round trip from Mount Williamson trailhead)

Route Rating

Class 1, moderate

Leader Rating Required

“I”, normal conditions

Driving route

See the Mount Williamson guide.

Hiking route

From the summit of Mount Williamson, descend the northwest ridge on a use trail.
Hike over bumps 8244′, 8248′, down 300′ to a saddle and up 160′ to bump 8160’+.
Go northwest and then west down to a second saddle at 7280’+ and up 500′ to the summit of Pallett Mountain.
Return to Mount Williamson.

Route Notes

From Mount Williamson.

Printable Route