🕺A High-Altitude Two-Step: Mt. Pinos & Sawmill Mountain

Peak Bagging Without the Pain
Southern California's best-kept alpine secrets! The trek from Mount Pinos to Sawmill Mountain offers a fantastic "two-peak" adventure in the Los Padres National Forest. Because we are starting at the Chula Vista/Nordic Base trailhead at over 8,300 feet, we get to skip the grueling initial ascent and immediately dive into sweeping views.

Clocking in at about 7.5 miles round-trip with roughly 1,600 feet of rolling elevation gain, it’s a moderately strenuous hike—mostly due to the high altitude—that will reward us with the rugged beauty of the Chumash Wilderness.

Vanilla Pines & Condor Skies
We start by following a gently sloping dirt access road through alpine meadows to the summit of Mount Pinos (8,831 feet). After checking out the broad peak, we'll continue west to the Condor Observation Site for phenomenal views over the San Joaquin Valley.

Just past the observation deck, the real wilderness experience begins. Our path narrows to a single track and drops down rocky switchbacks into a forested saddle. From the bottom, we climb up the ridge toward Sawmill Mountain until the trail mellows onto a high plateau. A spur will take us to a massive rock cairn marking Sawmill Mountain’s summit at 8,818 feet!

This route feels more like the High Sierra than typical Southern California chaparral. We'll hike past vanilla-scented Jeffrey pines and resilient limber pines. It’s also a premier bird-watching destination where we might spot Clark's Nutcrackers, Steller's Jay and maybe, just maybe lucky, an endangered California Condor. Mule deer are common, while bears and mountain lions generally avoid the trails.

🏕️I have a spot at Mt Pinos Campground. Feel free to hang out with us after the hike.

DIRECTIONS
Use the Google Map link below and note the information under "How to find us." Use Apple Maps at your own risk. I have posted a photo and aerial view of parking lot for your reference. There is a Flying J Travel Center shortly after exiting the fwy if you need gas, supplies or bathroom (no bathroom at trailhead). The trailhead is 30 min from there.

IMPORTANT
Trail statistics are approximate. For safety purposes always assume they are underestimated. But don’t be disappointed if they are overestimated.
Bring more water and snacks than you think you’ll need.

Trail descriptions are based on previous hikes. Current conditions are unknown until arrival. Expect the unexpected and plan accordingly.

The Organizers and members of Hiking With Dean are not professional leaders, guides, or mountaineers. The function of the member or organizer is only to organize the trip. Each person who shows up for a trip/meetup (and their guest or guests) is responsible for his or her own safety. By attending a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you and any guests that you bring are aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with the activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the Organizers, Members of the Hiking With Dean Meetup Group from and against any and all liability arising from your participation in the group activities per our ASSUMPTION OF RISK AND LIABILITY WAIVER and Section 6.2 of the [Meetup.com](http://meetup.com/) Terms of Service.