Brush Mountain, San Emigdio Mountain

16 February 2003

By: Tom Hill

Today, Sunday 16 Feb 2003, James Carden, Virgil Popescu, and Tom Hill did a xc, OHV route, and forest road loop hike to Brush Mtn and San Emigdio Mtn near Frazier Park. The day was perfect for hiking, featuring a cloud canopy but without the rain or drizzle that had been predicted earlier in the week. As a bonus the route was gated at both ends, eliminating all traffic.

For Brush Mtn, we ascended a lovely xc ridge landscaped with Jeffrey pines, single-leaf pinyons and a sprinkling of easily passable manzanita, which begins at Caballo Camp and heads due north to near the high point of Brush Mtn. (Caballo Camp is near the turnoff point -- gated today -- for Marion Campground past Apache Saddle.) This was another one of my "pure pathfinders."

From Brush Mtn we traversed east along the standard route to Marion Campground in the saddle, where we picked up designated OHV (off-highway-vehicle) route 107. This track continued east along the San Emigdio ridgecrest and deposited us rather neatly on the upper portion of the San Emigdio Mtn fire road (this road also gated at highway).

We continued our march eastward until a definite ridge formed on our left-hand side, signaling the approach of the summit area. A short trek uphill brought us to this pleasant summit, for yet another of my "pure pathfinders."

To close the loop, we descended the San Emigdio Mtn forest road to the highway junction just past Apache Saddle, then walked the highway shoulder through the double swerves for less than a mile downhill to the vehicle. Highly recommended when the road gates are closed.

Routes posted by Tom Hill