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** Use at Your Own Risk **
01C |
Split Mountain |
6835' |
Location: Kern County, about 3 miles northwest of Wofford Heights, 175 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
| Auto Club | Kern County |
| Forest Service | Sequoia National Forest |
| USGS Topos | Kernville 7½, Tobias Peak 7½, Alta Sierra 7½ |
| Official HPS Maps | TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| Viewable JPG file - Approximately 800K | |
| 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: Black Mountain #5, Sunday Peak, Bohna Peak
ROUTE 1
- Distance: 8 miles round trip on road and cross-country
- Gain: 2400' total, 1500' out plus 900' on return
- Time: 6 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 2, strenuous, summit area is class 2
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
- Navigation: Difficult
Original: John Backus and Paul A. Lipsohn, 1975
DRIVING ROUTE 1
- From Sylmar rideshare point, go north on I-5 to SR 99.
- Go north 24.5 miles on SR 99 to SR 58.
- Go east 7.1 miles on SR 58 to Weedpatch Highway (SR 184).
- Go 4.3 miles north on SR 184 to SR 178. Please note: SR 184 goes right (east) at a stop sign 1.7 miles from SR 58.
- Go 33.5 miles east on SR 178 to the intersection of SR 178 and SR 155. This road is scenic as it follows the Kern River, but is very winding.
- Alternatively, you can reach the intersection of SR 178 and SR 155 from Walker Pass (please refer to your AAA map). This route is about 20 miles longer from Sylmar, but the road is not as winding and those traveling from the east might find it shorter.
- From the intersection of SR 178 and SR 155 in the town of Lake Isabella, go north on SR 155 for 7.0 miles to where SR 155 turns left in the town of Wofford Heights. Turn left.
- Go uphill on SR 155 for 7.7 miles to Greenhorn Summit.
- Turn right onto 24S15 (dirt). Note your odometer and go as follows:
- At 1.2 miles, a fork to the right. Turn right on 25S16. (This is the turnoff for Sunday Peak.)
- At 2.8 miles, a fork at a saddle. This is Black Mountain Saddle. This is the parking area for Black Mountain #5. Keep left. The gate at Black Mountain Saddle may be closed, adding 2 miles each way.
- At 3.2 miles 2WD vehicles should park. High clearance vehicles can go another 2 miles, to an old road on the right, with a large parking area on the left, a remnant of a timber cutting operation.
HIKING ROUTE 1
- From the 2WD parking area, hike north along the road to the 4WD parking area (2 miles, 6000').
- Go east on an old logging road, which becomes very overgrown, to the saddle at 6300' just above Cane Spring.
- Follow the ridge east over three small bumps and down into a saddle at 5720'+.
- From here climb up to the summit following a use trail.
- Scramble to the summit along a ducked class 2 route.
ROUTE 2
From Black Mountain #5- Distance: 3.5 miles one way
- Gain: 1500'
- Time: 2-3 hours one way
- Rating: Class 2, strenuous, summit area is class 2
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
- Navigation: Difficult
DRIVING ROUTE 2
- See the Black Mountain #5 guide.
HIKING ROUTE 2
- The Black Mountain #5 guide is required to climb Black Mountain #5. From the summit, hike down the north ridge about 0.5 mile to a wide flat area.
- From here hike northeast down to meet the saddle just above Cane Spring.
- Continue on to the summit by following the Route 1 instructions from here.
TRIP PLANNING
The drive from Sylmar is about 2.5 hours.
Many groups climb all of the peaks in the area in a two or three day trip. They usually do Bohna and Sunday the first day, Split and Black the second and Cannel Point the third day.
There are many good car camping spots (e.g. Black Mountain Saddle) and motels in Wofford Heights and Kernville.
Learn more about Split Mountain.
Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.