I happen to be poking around on peakbagger.com and noticed that David Sanger
and Andrew Kirmse had recently visited a couple of unnamed peaks that I'd had
my eye on for a couple of years now. Located in the Santa Cruz Mtns in the
southernmost part of Santa Clara County near Hecker Pass (where SR152 crosses
the range between Gilroy and Watsonville), I was happy to see that they had
done the homework (finding roads that lead to them) I had yet to do. There are
ample places to park along the highway and I simply used the ones
indicated on their GPS tracks that I downloaded from the website. It made
for a very enjoyable day, covering about 11mi over the course of 4hrs.
Peak 1,750ft
The summit is found about 2mi up an old logging road that sees very little
traffic. There were tread marks from a bulldozer, but no tire tracks that I
could discern. The signs just past the locked gate
at the highway suggest that
the property is owned by a logging concern. There are the obvious cuts of the
old growth redwoods from a century ago, but no sign of any recent logging in
the past few decades. Most of the road follows through shady forest understory,
occasionally breaking out in open meadow areas but no real distance
views. There are a couple of large, plastic water tanks at the 2/3 point with
an abandoned cabin nearby. The highpoint is located within the
forest thicket, adjacent to an open meadow with a partial view looking to
the southeast.
Peak 1,810ft / Casserly Ridge
This one is about 3.5mi each way on another old logging road that seems to have
the same owner, judging by the No Trespassing signs found along it. The unused
road continues for three miles along the east side of the crest under heavy
forest coverage, parts of it overgrown but still useable on foot.
Shortly before
the topo map shows the road ending, it is necessary to head uphill cross-country
for a few hundred yards to the crest. A property boundary is reached here, with
signs of heavy cattle grazing though I saw none for the short time I was there.
There is a little-used ranch road running along it with some signs of
usage. The ridge is more open with some nice views to Watsonville and
Monterey Bay in places. The summit of Peak 1,810ft is another
disappointment, found just off the road where it tops out. Less than a quarter
mile away is the LoJ summit of Casserly Ridge, so I paid that one a
visit as well, no bushwhacking needed thanks to good cow and deer trails off the
roadway. Also no views here. I returned via the same route which seemed fairly
safe from observation. Chilly out, but otherwise beautiful weather.