- Butterfly Peak
- Ken Point
- Lion Peak
- Pine Mountain
- Pyramid Peak
- Cone Peak
- Palm View Peak
- Spitler Peak
- Apache Rock
- Antsell Rock
- Southwell Peak ("South" Peak on most maps but named for ranger Jesse Southwell)
- Red Tahquitz
If you look at the HPS list, there are some other peaks in the vicinity, but the above are the ones that are fairly directly accessible from the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) as it winds along the Desert Divide. I consider Lilly Rock, Sam Fink Peak, and Tahquitz Peak to be more part of the San Jacintos proper than the Desert Divide, but I suppose that's a matter of semantics. I'm also aware of Rock Point, but Rock Point is not easily attained from the PCT in my opinion. It's my blog, so I'll draw what distinctions I like. :)
In any event, the above are my "Desert Divide Dozen." I've been wanting to do some peaks along the Desert Divide for quite some time. I've done Red Tahquitz, Southwell, and Antsell before, but I've never touched any of the peaks further south.
My wife and daughter are out of town right now, so temporarily free of family obligations, I thought I'd do some peaks. As I looked at the maps, it came to me that a "through hike," that is a hike that goes straight through from one point to another and does not loop or retrace itself, would be the best way to visit the maximum number of peaks -- all twelve in one fell swoop.
How to proceed? First, I laid out a basic route marking the PCT. I drew the route from my entry point on Hwy 74 straight through to my exit point in Humber Park. I then mapped out all the peaks. My basic plan is to follow the PCT north, bagging the peaks as I go. I calculate that the route will be about 40 miles/64 km long. I plan to do it over four days in May 2013. Water will be a critical resource, particularly in such dry country. I mapped out all potential water sources.
Below are my calculations/trip plan for the Desert Divide Dozen:
| PCT | Location | Leg | Total | Day | H20 | Elev | Elev Chg | Cum Gain | Cum Loss | Day Gain | Day Loss | Comment | Comment2 |
| 151.9 | Hwy 74 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4919 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Start | |||||
| 155.4 | Penrod Canyon | 3.5 | 3.5 | 5100 | 181 | 181 | 0 | ||||||
| 155.9 | CS0156 | 0.5 | 4.0 | 5200 | 100 | 281 | 0 | Shady Campsite | |||||
| 156.0 | Cut off trail to road 6S10 | 0.1 | 4.1 | 5200 | 0 | 281 | 0 | ||||||
| - | 6S10A junction | 1.8 | 5.8 | 5500 | 300 | 581 | 0 | ||||||
| - | 6S10A jump off | 0.3 | 6.1 | 5750 | 250 | 831 | 0 | ||||||
| - | Butterfly Peak | 0.3 | 6.4 | 6260 | 510 | 1341 | 0 | ||||||
| - | 6S10A jump off | 0.3 | 6.7 | 5750 | -510 | 1341 | -510 | ||||||
| - | 6S10A junction | 0.3 | 7.0 | 5500 | -250 | 1341 | -760 | ||||||
| - | Tunnel Spring Jct | 0.3 | 7.3 | 5700 | 200 | 1541 | -760 | ||||||
| - | Tunnel Spring | 0.1 | 7.4 | 5750 | 50 | 1591 | -760 | OK Water Tunnel | |||||
| - | Tunnel Spring Jct | 0.1 | 7.5 | 5700 | -50 | 1591 | -810 | ||||||
| 158.4 | Live Oak/Tunnel Spg Jct | 0.2 | 7.7 | 5900 | 200 | 1791 | -810 | Good water L Oak | |||||
| - | Ken Pt Use Trail Jct | 1.0 | 8.7 | 6100 | 200 | 1991 | -810 | ||||||
| - | Ken Pt | 0.3 | 9.0 | 6423 | 323 | 2314 | -810 | ||||||
| - | Ken Pt Use Trail Jct | 0.3 | 9.3 | 6100 | -323 | 2314 | -1133 | ||||||
| 158.4 | Live Oak/Tunnel Spg Jct | 1.0 | 10.4 | 5900 | -200 | 2314 | -1333 | ||||||
| 159.7 | CS0160 | 1.3 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 4.2 | 6300 | 400 | 2714 | -1333 | 2714 | -1333 | Small Campsite | Sat Night |
| - | Lion Peak jump off | 0.6 | 12.3 | 6620 | 320 | 3034 | -1333 | ||||||
| - | Lion Peak | 0.2 | 12.5 | 6868 | 248 | 3282 | -1333 | ||||||
| - | Lion Peak jump off | 0.2 | 12.7 | 6620 | -248 | 3282 | -1581 | ||||||
| 161.0 | CS0161 | 0.6 | 13.3 | 13.3 | 5.8 | 6820 | 200 | 3482 | -1581 | Shady Campsite | Sat Night? | ||
| - | Pine Mtn JO | 0.2 | 13.5 | 6800 | -20 | 3482 | -1601 | ||||||
| - | Pine Mtn | 0.3 | 13.8 | 7054 | 254 | 3736 | -1601 | ||||||
| - | Pine Mtn JO | 0.3 | 14.1 | 6800 | -254 | 3736 | -1855 | ||||||
| - | Pyramid Pk JO | 0.3 | 14.4 | 6800 | 0 | 3736 | -1855 | ||||||
| - | Pyramid Pk | 0.2 | 14.6 | 7035 | 235 | 3971 | -1855 | ||||||
| - | Pyramid Pk JO | 0.2 | 14.8 | 6800 | -235 | 3971 | -2090 | ||||||
| 162.6 | Cedar Spring Jct | 1.2 | 16.0 | 6780 | -20 | 3971 | -2110 | ||||||
| 163.3 | Eagle Spring Jct | 0.7 | 16.7 | 6950 | 170 | 4141 | -2110 | ||||||
| - | PVP/Cone JO | 1.0 | 17.7 | 7100 | 150 | 4291 | -2110 | ||||||
| - | PVP | 0.1 | 17.8 | 7150 | 50 | 4341 | -2110 | ||||||
| - | PVP/Cone JO | 0.1 | 17.9 | 7100 | -50 | 4341 | -2160 | ||||||
| - | Cone Pk | 1.0 | 18.9 | 6820 | -280 | 4341 | -2440 | ||||||
| - | PVP/Cone JO | 1.0 | 19.9 | 7100 | 280 | 4621 | -2440 | ||||||
| 166.5 | Fobes Saddle | 2.2 | 22.1 | 5880 | -1220 | 4621 | -3660 | ||||||
| - | Scovel Crk & Spg | 0.8 | 22.9 | 11.2 | 0.0 | 5500 | -380 | 4621 | -4040 | 1907 | -2707 | Good water | Sun Night |
| 166.5 | Fobes Saddle | 0.8 | 23.7 | 5880 | 380 | 5001 | -4040 | ||||||
| - | Spitler Pk JO | 1.5 | 25.2 | 7200 | 1320 | 6321 | -4040 | ||||||
| - | Spitler Pk | 0.2 | 25.4 | 7460 | 260 | 6581 | -4040 | ||||||
| - | Spitler Pk JO | 0.2 | 25.6 | 7200 | -260 | 6581 | -4300 | ||||||
| 169.2 | Apache Jct | 1.2 | 26.8 | 7340 | 140 | 6721 | -4300 | ||||||
| - | Apache Pk | 0.2 | 27.0 | 7567 | 227 | 6948 | -4300 | ||||||
| - | Rejoin PCT | 0.4 | 27.4 | 7220 | -347 | 6948 | -4647 | ||||||
| - | Antsell Rock JO | 1.7 | 29.1 | 7280 | 60 | 7008 | -4647 | ||||||
| - | Antsell Rock | 0.3 | 29.4 | 7679 | 399 | 7407 | -4647 | ||||||
| - | Antsell Rock JO | 0.3 | 29.7 | 7280 | -399 | 7407 | -5046 | ||||||
| - | South Pk JO | 1.0 | 30.7 | 7800 | 520 | 7927 | -5046 | ||||||
| - | South Pk | 0.1 | 30.8 | 7884 | 84 | 8011 | -5046 | ||||||
| - | South Pk JO | 0.1 | 30.9 | 7800 | -84 | 8011 | -5130 | ||||||
| 175.4 | CS0175 | 1.7 | 32.6 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 8200 | 400 | 8411 | -5130 | Nice camp, no H20 | Mon Night? | ||
| 177.2 | Tahquitz Creek | 1.8 | 34.4 | 8040 | -160 | 8411 | -5290 | ||||||
| 177.3 | Little Tahquitz Valley Jct | 0.1 | 34.5 | 11.6 | 0.0 | 8040 | 0 | 8411 | -5290 | 3790 | -1250 | Probable water | Mon Night |
| - | Red Tahquitz JO | 0.5 | 35.0 | 8200 | 160 | 8571 | -5290 | ||||||
| - | Red Tahquitz | 0.5 | 35.5 | 8760 | 560 | 9131 | -5290 | ||||||
| - | Red Tahquitz JO | 0.5 | 36.0 | 8200 | -560 | 9131 | -5850 | ||||||
| 177.3 | Little Tahquitz Valley Jct | 0.5 | 36.5 | 8040 | -160 | 9131 | -6010 | ||||||
| - | Tahquitz Valley Jct | 0.8 | 37.3 | 7980 | -60 | 9131 | -6070 | Good water | Mon Night? | ||||
| 179.4 | Saddle Junction | 0.6 | 37.9 | 8060 | 80 | 9211 | -6070 | ||||||
| - | Humber Park | 2.5 | 40.4 | 5.9 | 6500 | -1560 | 9211 | -7630 | 800 | -2340 |
This trip is still in the planning stages. I just post this so that others may refer to it.
HJ
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