Onyx Peak via Pipes Road
7.0 mi
Distance
3 hrs 56 min
Time
terrain
1,617 ft
Elev Gain
Overview
This is a moderate one way trail in San Bernardino National Forest.
This trail goes by Onyx Peak and Onyx Spring.
Rate this Hike
★★★★★
Solo day hiked Weds 11/29/2023 – Started at Hwy 38 on the dirt road 1 mi south of Onyx Summit to access the PCT southward. While it was 19°F when starting, it was dry with no wind so not too bad. Couldn’t pass the private dog compound next to the PCT quietly in the dark so I just powered by it, glad to have a 16 ft high fence between us. Made it to the summit of Wysup Peak in time to see a nice sunrise with the last 1/8 mile or 200 meters being an easy, direct scramble. From there, it took frequent navigating to link several, faint use trails along the ridges and saddles to ascend/descend Peaks 8745, 8763, and 8868. Neat to see the huge Sierra Junipers that grow on these peaks with their redwood-like trunks. After descending 8868, I followed a well-defined track up Heart Bar Peak which was the most relaxing part of the hike. It’s an old access road now partly covered by some good size mountain mahogany trees. Took a slightly different route back to the PCT using a few steep pitched, washed out roads to keep things interesting. After getting back on the PCT, it was a straight forward northbound hike to the base of Onyx Peak with the dogs pacing the perimeter at the compound but a little quieter than earlier. From the base of Onyx Peak, I took the well-worn east gully route to the saddle ridge and then a direct N-NE ascent up to the summit. For me, this was a much better and more challenging route than trekking up the Pipes Canyon access road to the summit. After finding the survey benchmark on the east side of the northernmost antenna group (there are several fenced areas on the summit) and walking around the other antenna groups, I used the same route down to PCT and back to Hwy 38. Definitely a more scenic hike and better weather than what I was anticipating! Logged 18.7 miles/3587 vertical ft. with Gaia.
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Public Tracks
Pipes Canyon
Forest Service Road Number = 1N01<br>Name = Pipes Canyon<br>Beginning Mile Post = 0<br>Ending Mile Post = 7<br>
