California Borrego Springs Whale Peak North

More Anza Borrego Hiking

On Hwy 2 after mile 21 and directly after the Anza Borrego Park sign (from the direction of Borrego Springs) head left on a dirt road.
Head East at the sign Pinyon mountain valley. Follow this dirt road in a high clearance 4x4 to the trail head or as far as you can make it.
We made it up to the mark Parking, this is a short rocky stretch too much for our 4x4 car because of the clearance.
At the trail head, go into the gorge/canyon and hike up a rocky trail. If you can call it a trail that is, there have been other people and there are cairns. Be careful the cairns only indicate that someone else made it so far, it is not necessarily the easiest way.
At point B we took the more direct route up (south, a bit to the left). The other way to the right (west) is easier but hard to find without knowing exactly where to go, but with a gps it should be easy to find.
Up to point C you made the steepest climb. Head further cross country (expect large rocks and boulders, some huge) and aim for point D. At point D we hit the trail and a good one leading up to the peak (east) This goes really fast all of a sudden. Follow this trail to point E. At this point the actual short but steep climb to the flat top starts. Look around to make sure you get back the same way you came. The view is stunning as you can probably see most of the park on a clear day.
The way back is a good trail up to point I, after this point the trail goes down (rocky and steeper) there are some cairns, but there are many ways leading down.
At point J there is a flat sandy valley. Take the wash east and keep left in the wash that gets more narrow.
At point K the wash goes downhill more steeply, by keeping a bit left we found our way to point B relatively easy.

The hiking time is 5 1/2 hours return. And 1 1/2 hours less by driving to the trail head.
The way up takes about 1/2 hour longer than the return.

Take care as some stretches are steep and may be slippery or have loose gravel.
A mistake is easily made as you get more tired.
Nothing too difficult and by taking the easier westerly path the difficulty goes down one notch.

http://www.efmer.eu/trails/usa/ca/borrego/whale_peak_north.html
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