Mount Pinos Campground via McGill Trail
Details
DESCRIPTION: When it's hot we go early, we get altitude and head to the mountains! Hiking Mount Pinos will take you away from the summer heat of SCV, dropping ~20 degrees where you can enjoy alpine views while listening to the breeze gently caressing huge pines. Starting near the Frazier Park sledding location where there is ample parking, we'll follow Cuddy Valley Road to the McGill Trailhead. This is an out-and-back, so if you do not want to do the full hike, you can safely turn around whenever you like and head back.
DETAILS:
1. Hike organizer(s): Michele.
2. Meet: Cuddy Valley Road trailhead parking area, Frazier Park, at 6:45 am, departure at 7:00 am sharp (Aug 22).
3. Distance: Approximately 10.38 miles (out-and-back).
4. Elevation gain: Approximately 1,923 feet.
5. Time: Approximately 5 hours hiking, including a snack break.
6. Conditioning: You need to be in generally good physical condition.
7. Dogs: Not allowed.
8. Restrooms: None at the trailhead or along the trail.
9. Adventure Pass: Required.
10. Turnaround: This is an out-and-back — turn around at any point if you need a shorter outing.
IMPORTANT NOTES: There are no expected stream crossings, technical exposures, or significant route-finding challenges on this trail. The elevation (8,800+ feet at the summit) means cooler temps but also thinner air — pace yourself, especially early. As always, people may slip and fall, encounter wildlife, or face unexpected conditions on this hike. This event may be cancelled due to inclement weather.
ESSENTIAL GEAR: Hiking boots and trekking poles. Clothing layers — temperatures at elevation can be 15–20°F cooler than SCV and conditions can change quickly. Hat and sunscreen. Snacks and a packed lunch. Refillable water bottle with 2+ liters of water and electrolytes or salt tablets. Bug spray.
The Ten Essentials of Hiking (link)
THIS HIKE RATING: Level 3, Intermediate (see chart below).
Please only sign up to attend hikes that are consistent with your ability. Based on your hiking during the last 90 days, how would you score on the Santa Clarita Valley Hikers (SCVHikers) hike rating scale of one to five, assuming a moderate pace (~2.5 mph)?
SCVH HIKE RATING SCALE:
1. Beginner: 1–3 miles, less than 500 feet elevation gain.
2. Beginner/Intermediate: 1–7 miles, less than 700 feet elevation gain.
3. Intermediate: 5–10 miles, 1000–2000 feet elevation gain.
4. Intermediate/Advanced: 7–12 miles, up to 3000 feet elevation gain.
5. Advanced: 10–17 miles, 3000 feet or more elevation gain.
TRAILHEAD LOCATION:
Cuddy Valley Road Trailhead, Mt Pinos Rd, Frazier Park, CA
(Between Cuddy Valley Rd. and Forest Route 9N05)
NAVIGATION: We highly recommend the AllTrails app be installed on your cell phones and/or you print a copy of the trail map so you can personally navigate the trail if you need to. Cell service may be limited in this area — download your AllTrails maps for offline access before you leave home.
If You Need Help on the Trail
In AllTrails, swipe up on the Navigate drawer and tap "GPS details" to see your coordinates. Screenshot them, then call 911 and read off the numbers. As a backup, the What3Words app names any location with three words that are easy to read aloud to a dispatcher. Your GPS works even without cell service — you just need signal to make the call.
We rely on donations to continue sponsoring hikes like this. Please contribute via cash or Venmo at each hike.
DISCLAIMER / RELEASE OF LIABILITY — PLEASE READ IN ITS ENTIRETY
When you sign up for this event, you are releasing Santa Clarita Valley Hikers (SCVHikers) and its volunteer organizers from any liability or responsibility in connection with your participation in this activity. Hiking is inherently risky. By signing up, you are taking full responsibility for your own safety and well-being.
SCVHikers and its organizers are not trained, certified, or compensated guides, and the club does not confirm the qualifications of any member to lead or participate in its events. All participants take full responsibility for their own actions and judgment.
By signing up for any SCVHikers event, you are releasing SCVHikers and its organizers from all liability for possible injury or death, as stated in paragraph 6.2 of the Meetup Terms of Service (available at the bottom of the Meetup website). Your personal safety depends on your own judgment and experience. If you sign up for this hike, you are confirming that the hike is within your current abilities.
At the trailhead, we will ask every participant to read and sign the SCVHikers Release of Liability and Express Assumption of Risk before the hike begins. If you are unwilling to sign, you will not be able to join the group that day. Signing up on Meetup does not substitute for the trailhead sign-in.
The outing begins and ends at the trailhead. SCVHikers does not organize, advertise, or coordinate carpools. Transportation to and from the trailhead is your own responsibility, and all risks of that travel are yours alone.
This event may be cancelled or modified due to weather, trail conditions, or other safety considerations.