Back to the cars, we kept on the hidden Hills road in a NE direction until the intersection of the paved road to Essex was met. Instead of using this good rood and then later the road to Fenner, we decided on a shortcut route to Fenner. Don't you do it! This was a mistake!
Miraculously all the ears, people and dog survived the many, many bumps and it was a relief to hit the pavement again at Goffs. Here again we began on a dirt road, this time nicely graded. The vegetation gradually changed as we reached the higher desert country, becoming forests of Joshua tree and spanish Bayonets, making what we think worthy of New York Mtns National Monument status.
It was 29 degrees as we made camp at nightfall so a campfire was in order. On Sunday 28 hikers started up an old mining road as far as the mine and then up to an impressive rock massif, which as usual is not the high point. The peak is more to the west.
The summit block took a little while to figure out, some doing it the hard way and others an easier event. Even the latter was low 3rd class and a fixed rope was used on the descent for safety. The skinny climbers were the better off since there was rock squeezing through a narrow opening.
All in a11, it was a fun climb and the very cooperative group even though we logged about 108 miles of dirt road jockeying.
