Pleasant View Ridge

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

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

Peak Name

Pleasant View Ridge

13C

Elevation

7983

feet

Status

active

Region

North Of Angeles Crest Hwy 2

Range

San Gabriel Mountains

Nearby peaks

Will Thrall Peak, Pallett Mountain, Mount Williamson

Location

34.390009,-117.90935

Description

The views from this peak, where the forested mountains of the Angeles Forest give way to the desert, divided by the San Andreas Rift below, are indeed pleasant and sometimes stunning. It is a worthy stop that is usually hiked in strenuous combinations with the complex of nearby peaks.

Both HPS routes start from the beautiful Burkhart Trail, named for homesteader B.K. Burkhart who built the trail to carry his 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 bag Pallett Mountain to your east, or follow the west ridge to climb over Will Thrall Peak to reach PVR. 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.

Maps generated from CalTopo.com, reproduced with permission

Downloadable Maps, Files, and Guides

Route 1- Burkhardt Trail

Elevation Gain

3600′ total, 2600′ out plus 1000′ on return

Navigation Difficulty

Easy

Distance

13.5 miles round trip on trail

Estimated time

6 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 9.5 miles to Angeles Forest Highway. Keep straight.
Continue about 4.5 miles to the junction with the Mount Wilson Road at the Red Box Ranger Station. Keep straight.
Continue 20 miles to the entrance to Buckhorn Campground on the left. Turn left.
Go right, then 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. Park beside the entrance, and hike down the entrance road to the same parking area.

Hiking route

From the parking area (6440′), hike north down the Burkhart Trail (10W02) about 2 miles to where the Cooper Canyon Trail comes in from the west.
Follow the combined trails upstream (east) 1/3 mile and cross the creek (5600′) and proceed 100′ to a trail junction with the Rattlesnake Trail (signed).
Follow this trail upstream to the north and continue on to Burkhart Saddle.
Hike west up a steep use trail to the summit of Will Thrall Peak.
Continue northwest along the ridge to a saddle.
Then follow the trail on the south slope of the ridge to a point where the trail is only 20′ below the ridge; here climb up to the ridge and follow it to the summit.
On the return to Burkhart Saddle, you will find a use trail which skirts Will Thrall Peak on the south, starting at the saddle between the peaks (This use trail has deteriorated and may be difficult to find and use).

Route Notes

Printable Route

Road Type

Paved

Google Maps Link to Trailhead

Route 2- High Desert Trail

Elevation Gain

4900′ total, 4100′ out plus 800′ on return

Navigation Difficulty

Easy

Distance

16.5 miles round trip on trail

Estimated time

8-10 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′).
Continue as in Route 1.

Route Notes

Printable Route