|
|
|
** Use at Your Own Risk **
02A |
Lightner Peak |
6430' |
Location: Kern County, 6 miles southwest of Bodfish/Lake Isabella, 195 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
| Auto Club | Kern County |
| Forest Service | Sequoia National Forest |
| USGS Topos | Miracle Hot Springs 7½, Breckenridge Mtn 7½ shows access roads |
| Official HPS Maps | TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| Viewable PDF file - Approximately 3.7 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: Bald Eagle Peak
ROUTE 1
- Distance: 4 miles round trip on trail and cross-country
- Gain: 1600'
- Time: 3 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, easy
- Navigation: Easy
- Route: Open ridgelines through forest
Original: Cliff Black, October 1972
DRIVING ROUTE 1
(Bakersfield approach)
- Exit SR 178 at Borel Road 3 miles before reaching the town of Lake Isabella.
- Turn east, then turn left toward Bodfish at 1/4 mile, then turn right at Lake Isabella Road.
- Drive about 3 miles to Bodfish.
- Drive through the town of Bodfish on Lake Isabella Road (which becomes Caliente-Bodfish Road) for 10.5 miles to paved Breckenridge Road (28S06) on the right, signed "Breckenridge Campground 11 miles". Turn right.
- Drive 6.3 miles to the ridgeline, meeting 28S19 (dirt) on the right, signed "O'Brien Spring 2". Park here.
- Competent 4WD vehicles with experienced drivers can proceed 1 mile toward O'Brien Spring. This saves 2 miles round trip and about 400' gain.
(Walker Pass approach)
- Drive west on SR 178 to SR 155 at Lake Isabella. Turn left a short distance to Lake Isabella Road.
- Turn right (south) and drive about 3 miles to Bodfish.
- Continue as in the route from Bakersfield.
HIKING ROUTE 1
- From the parking area (5837'), hike north along the 4WD road about 1 mile to a grassy flat area (about 6160') before the road turns right and goes definitely downhill.
- Leave the 4WD road and hike west up to the ridgeline, then turn north. The first major bump on the ridge has benchmark debris and a register on top (Hobo Benchmark 6365').
- Trending northward along the ridge from Hobo BM, go over bump 6302' to bump 6320'+, then turn northwest into the final saddle before the summit.
- Ascend the final bump to the summit. The register is against a finger rock on the right (north) side.
ROUTE 2
- Distance: 10 miles round trip on motorcycle trail and cross-country
- Gain: 4500'
- Time: 8-10 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, strenuous
- Navigation: Moderate
- Route: Mostly trail through grassland and chaparral
Original: David Eisenberg, April 1997
DRIVING ROUTE 2
(Bakersfield approach)
- Exit SR 178 at Borel Road 3 miles before reaching the town of Lake Isabella. Note your odometer and go as follows:
- Turn east on Borel Road.
- At 0.3 mile, fork. Go right.
- At 1.1 miles, Swamp Flats Campground. Continue straight.
- At 2.0 miles, Hobo Campground. Continue straight.
- At 3.6 miles, find a large parking area on the right with a tree in the center. Park here.
(Walker Pass approach)
- Continue on SR 178 past the town of Lake Isabella for 3 miles to the Borel Road exit. Continue per the directions from Bakersfield.
HIKING ROUTE 2
- From the parking area (2480'), cross the road and hike up the signed Remington Ridge Trail about 4 miles to where the trail passes east of peak 6252' and drops about 100' into a final saddle.
- After crossing the saddle leave the trail on the right where convenient and hike west up the slope gaining 250' to the summit.
NOTES
There is a hot spring just below the parking area of Route 2. It can be reached via a use trail.
The endangered species Piute cypress, distinguishable from juniper by the soccer-ball seams on the berries, provides the shade in a clearing at 5000' and is also found near the stock fence at 5300'.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
The area is popular with deer hunters. The season begins the 4th Saturday of September and runs for 30 days.
NOTES
"Exploring the Southern Sierra: West Side" by J. C. Jenkins and Ruby Jenkins, 1995. Page 39 of this Guide contains a photograph of the summit.
Learn more about Lightner Peak.
Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.