Mt. Pinos to Sawmill Mtn. and maybe Grouse

This is an out of town trek that you can do in a day when you live in LA! I think this may be the time to head up to one of my favorite hiking locations.

• Please check as I might push it to a later weekend date depending on the weather and other conditions. I think we should be good at this time though.
• For this hike it is important to keep an eye on the weather for the area, traffic to get there and also Los Padres Forest Service information
• From Simi it is a 90 minute drive. It is always about 20 degrees cooler at the trailhead. Due to the elevation, come prepared for any weather. I was hailed on while there in August 2020.
• This is a remote area with no facilities near the trailhead. At the freeway offramp Flying J's has all amenities you might need to either fill up on, use their restroom etc.

Be prepared for some mountain driving as the road is windy and narrow, with beautiful views as you get higher.

We start at Mount Pinos Nordic Base 8340ft elevation. First we will do an easy trek good for beginners to Mt. Pinos (8831 ft) its about 3 mile round trip. Any beginner can do that portion and then turn around.
We all will probably want to take a break at Mount Pinos sign to enjoy the beautiful view. To make it worth the drive we go farther down to Sawmill Mountain roundtrip 8 miles.

• I may consider extending the hike to Grouse Mountain which will add maybe another 2 miles or so to the hike. I would suggest only the more experienced or faster paced hikers to do this option.
• Please keep in mind that the turnouts to Sawmill and Grouse may or may not have signage and it is important to stick together. There are points where it is possible to just turn around in case it gets too difficult for you.
• Bring: Lunch or snacks in your pack. I suggest putting a cooler in your car with extra food/water so that at the end of your hike when you get back to your car, you can eat, drink what you need. Sometimes the group decides to go to the Pizza or Mexican restaurant in Frazier Park to debrief after the hike.
• Pack a headlamp or light for emergency. It can be real dark in the parking lot if you are there after the sun goes down, though at an intermediate pace we should be back way before the sun goes down.
• Bring hiking polls if you use them
• Wear hiking/trail shoes with good traction
• Sunscreen/sun protection and a hat recommended
  Bring lots of H20: I recommend at least three liters for this hike, maybe more if you sweat a lot!
• Distance: 8 miles plus optional Grouse which extends it 2 more miles or so.
• Out and Back hike.
• Elevation Gain: about 1900 ft
• Difficulty: Intermediate due to elevation/distance, however if you are a beginner I think you could join us and stop at the Mount Pinos portion which is only a few miles and beautiful views.
• Dogs: No
• Restrooms: None, you must be comfortable going behind a tree.
• Water Fountain: None, stock up at home or at Flying J's
• Parking: Plenty and in summer months no pass required
• Sunset: for May 31st is 8:01 pm light probably won't be an issue but please pack a headlamp or flashlight or a charged phone just to be safe as you always want to be prepared for anything in this area
• Weather: Weather in the mountain communities can be extreme and change quickly so please come prepared! It can start out hot then be cool on the way back, so I recommend an additional layer of a windbreaker/or some long sleeve shirt or jacket.
• Known Dangers: The elevation of Nordic Base is 8300 ft so any hiker can become short of breath and tire out easier regardless of experience. Please be aware that altitude sickness can happen to anyone at this elevation.
• For Driving Directions please note that GPS might not work correctly, you should be on a paved road the whole time!
• Please refer to the 10 Essentials when hiking, especially in mountain/remote areas

Always check the morning of the hike before leaving as it can get canceled due fires, uncomfortable weather or if less than 2 besides the host sign up by day of.

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