Location: Kern County, about 43 miles north of Mojave, 140 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Auto Club: Kern County

Forest Service: Sequoia National Forest

USGS Topo: Owens Peak 7½, Freeman Junction7½

HPS: Route(s), waypoints and explanation of usage

Nearby Peaks: Russell Peak (Russell Peak can be hiked from Backus Peak.)

Distance: 6 miles round trip on road and cross-country

Gain: 2700'

Time: 4-5 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, moderate

Navigation: Moderate route finding

Access: Do not park past the Wilderness boundary signs

Original: Byron Prinzmetal, April 1999

DRIVING ROUTE 1

• Take SR 14 north to Mojave.
• Continue north on SR 14 to the intersection with SR 178 (Freeman Junction).
• Go west on SR 178 2.4 miles to a dirt road on the north side of the highway. Park here. Unlimited parking space. If you are coming from the west, it is 6 miles from Walker Pass summit to the parking location. There is a call box numbered 178-858 on the south side of SR 178 opposite the turnoff.

HIKING ROUTE 1

• From the parking area walk north on the dirt road approximately 1 mile to where you are south-southeast of bump 5123'.
• Leave the road and walk northeast crossing several gullies aiming for just north of bump 5389'+ that is on the ridge that descends southeast from Backus Peak. Be sure to note the location where you left the road in relationship to bump 5389' for your return. You can also walk both up and down the prominent gully which starts at the parking area to the slope that leads up to bump 5389'. The gully runs generally north-south and parallels the road on the east.
• When you obtain this ridge turn northwest and walk up the ridge to the summit. Note the summit register is on the most northern bump.