Eagle Rest

11/02/2003

Route: Hike up from end of Nesthorn Way (HPS Route 1)

Driving Time from Bakersfield: 60 mins (~53 miles)
Gas Used RT: 1/4 tank (4runner)
GPS mileage RT: 14 miles (possibly up to a mile longer than necessary)

Log:

09:16am - Started hiking from gate at end of Nesthorn Way
11:22am - Reached meadow below ridge leading up to summit
01:45pm - Reached Summit
02:24pm - Departed Summit
05:16pm - Arrived back at starting point

Status:

Time from parking area to summit: 4 hrs 29 mins
Time from summit back to parking area: 2 hrs 52 mins
Time on summit: 39 mins
Total time: 8 hrs 0 mins

Notes:

Eagle Rest (as seen from the creek) is very similar to the Topatopa Bluff and
Caliente Mountain (consisting of layered rock).

No cell phone reception on summit (Cingular)

Much of the hike is in the creek bed.

Approach trail ends shortly after the green "Private Property" sign.  This is close to the point on the map labelled X BM 4185.  At this point you enter the creek bed and stay in it all the way to the meadow.

Every time I tried to venture out of the creek bed I encountered thick brush and
had to return to the creek bed.

The "faint use trail" leading up from the meadow isn't obvious.  It is once
you're up a bit higher, but where to start from the meadow isn't.

Once you are due South of the summit, head North.  You should see some ducks
as you approach the rocks.

When heading up the ridge from the meadow, you generally want to stay at the
highest point along the ridge the entire time (with only a few exceptions).  It
is ducked in some places, but not in others.  You will likely have to use trial
and error from time to time to find the appropriate route.

When heading up from the meadow (going up the South side of the ridge) I made the mistake of contouring before reaching the top of the ridge.  This put me into steep slippery terrain.

When heading back down the ridge I descended on the North side of the ridge just
before reaching the meadow.  Although the grass was thicker and taller, the
terrain was far more gentle than the way I started up.  This spot is just North
of the two bushy pine trees in the meadow and is not far from the creek.