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Location: Kern County, about 18 miles south of Ridgecrest, near the town of Red Mountain, 135 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Auto Club: Kern County

USGS Topo: Red Mountain 7½

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

Distance: 4 miles round trip on road, trail and cross-country

Gain: 1600' total, 1400' plus 200' on return

Time: 3 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, moderate

Original: Charlie Knapke, December 1995

DRIVING ROUTE 1

• From Mojave, go north on SR 14 for 20.7 miles to the Randsburg Road on the right. This is just after Jawbone Canyon Road. Turn right. Note your odometer, and go as follows:
• At 12.2 miles, fork with Garlock Road to left. Turn right.
• At 20.7 miles, junction in Randsburg. Turn left.
• At 21.7 miles, junction with Three Flags Highway (US 395). Turn right.
• At 23.6 miles and just before you get to the town of Red Mountain you come to the intersection with the Trona Road on the left. Turn left and then immediately right onto a dirt road. Note your odometer, and drive this road as far as possible:
• At 0.1 mile, keep left at a fork.
• At 0.7 mile, Keep left at a fork. High clearance 2WD should be able to drive in another 1/2 mile to about 3800' elevation. Park here.

HIKING ROUTE 1

• From the parking area hike east following an old jeep road to a saddle at about 4300' just north of elevation 4728'.
• From the saddle at 4300', follow a dirt road south past elevation 4728' and into a flat area.
• Continue south a short distance on a use trail to a crest, then go left to the ridge (probably a ducked route here).
• Continue along the ridge over elevation 5180'+.
• From here go southeast down across a saddle, and up the summit.

Distance: 3 1/2 miles round trip cross-country

Gain: 1500'

Time: 3 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, moderate

Original: John Backus, January 1987

DRIVING ROUTE 2

• Follow first three instructions for Driving Route 1.
• At 21.7 miles, junction with Three Flags Highway (US 395). Turn right.
• At 24.8 miles, an abandoned garage in the town of Red Mountain. Turn left (southeast) onto a dirt road just past the garage. Note your odometer again.
• Go straight at an immediate junction.
• At 0.5 mile, a fork at a large pipeline valve. Go right.
• At 0.8 mile, a shallow saddle due east of elevation 3833'. Park here.

HIKING ROUTE 2

• From the parking area (3770'), hike up the jeep road that starts at the parking area. It turns into a trail that then disappears.
• Continue southeast up the slope passing elevation 5024' on the left, then east-northeast to elevation 5180'+.
• From here go southeast down across a saddle, and up to the summit.

NOTES

On a rock at the summit is engraved "Nov 10, 1907" by some USMC personnel. The summit is littered with abandoned yellow gas tanks and other debris.

Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.