It was the start of a solo desert trip and I needed something to do
between San Jose and Baker on the long drive out to Mojave. I settled on
a couple of minor summits in Kern County, not too far from SR58, which
I would take much of the way east across the county.
Rock Pile
This exceedingly minor summit has an official name in the BGN database,
a small collection of rocks barely sticking out above the Central Valley,
east of Bakersfield. It lies on private orchard lands off General Beale
Rd a few miles south of the highway. Turning off General Beale Rd puts
you on private property, signed as such but not gated. As I neared my
target, I noticed a backhoe a few hundred yards ahead of me. I figured he
might be wondering what I was doing there, and thought I'd simply ask for
permission, however unlikely it was to be granted. But rather than
confront me, the driver simply drove down another side road and continued
to do whatever he was there to do. Probably just a worker who might have
even thought I was there to check on him. I parked at the side of the
road and went over
to climb Rock Pile and all its 52ft of prominence in
a few minutes. The highest rock is at
the southwest end of the small
ridge, a class 2 effort. Views take in orchards immediately surrounding
Rock Pile. The snowy Tehachapi Mtns could be seen to the east, though
clouds obscured much of this view. I took a few quick
pics and beat a
hasty retreat.
Mound
This less-minor summit lies about a mile and a half inside Edwards
Air Force Base in its northeast corner. It lies immediately north of the
much higher Leuhman Ridge that is topped with a collection of Air Force
installations, antennae, and such. Luckily, Mound is not so encumbered.
From Boron, I drove south on paved Boron Ave past the
landfill, to a gated/locked, rarely-used entrance to the base. A good dirt
road forks west, following just outside the base boundary. I drove
this until I was about 1.4mi NNE of the summit. I parked off the
road, went through the barbed-wire fence, and made my way directly
towards the unassuming feature. A railroad spur
goes around the north and east sides of Mound,
close to its base. Upon crossing this, I noted the tracks were rusty on
top, suggesting it sees very little traffic. I climbed up about 300ft on
the north side
to reach the highpoint, now in full view of Leuhman Ridge
and possible, though unlikely, observation. Once again, just a few
quick pics
and then I headed down. It took a little under an hour for the
roundtrip. Now 4:30p, this would be enough for the day, really just a
chance to stretch my legs before the more involved efforts over the next
few days...
went over
to climb 
Rock Pile and all its 52ft of prominence in
a few minutes. The highest rock is at
the southwest end of the small
ridge, a class 2 effort. Views take in orchards immediately surrounding
Rock Pile. The snowy Tehachapi Mtns could be seen to the east, though
clouds obscured much of this view. I took a few quick
pics and beat a
hasty 
retreat.
parked off the
road, went through 
the barbed-wire fence, and made my way directly
towards the unassuming feature. A 
railroad spur
goes around the north and east sides of Mound,
close to its base. Upon crossing this, I noted the tracks were rusty on
top, suggesting it sees very little traffic. I climbed up about 300ft on
the north side
to reach the highpoint, now in full view of 
Leuhman Ridge
and possible, though unlikely, observation. Once again, just a few
quick 
pics
and then I headed down. It took a little under an hour for the
roundtrip. Now 4:30p, this would be enough for the day, really just a
chance to stretch my legs before the more involved efforts over the next
few days...