No ‘Guns-’n’-Trucks’ on a Ridge Ramble

From the long ridge top of Liebre Mountain, a marvelous vista unfolds: the northwest corner of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Tehachapis, the sunbaked floor of the Antelope Valley.

This is not gentle country. No wonder pioneer highway builders had such difficulty scraping out a roadway to connect Los Angeles with Bakersfield and the Central Valley.

Constructing the highway in 1924 was quite a task. To circumvent the deep canyons in these parts, the highway followed Castaic Ridge between the drainages of Piru and Castaic creeks. It is obvious why the highway was dubbed the “Ridge Route.”

The road challenged the early autos and drivers with 697 curves along the 38-mile route from Castaic to Gorman. In 1933, California 99 succeeded the ridge route. Eight-lane Interstate 5 is our modern ridge route.

In 1977, federal officials agreed to list the old Ridge Route on the National Register of Historic Places. Highways rarely receive such a historical designation; in California, only the Redwood Highway had received this honor. The drive to the Liebre Mountain trail head follows a short length of the old Ridge Route.

Retired telephone company engineer Harrison Scott, with support from the Angeles National Forest, led the successful effort for historical register status.

Ordinarily, I tend to avoid the far northwestern corner of Angeles National Forest because the three predominant activities here--off-highway vehicle driving, hunting and target shooting--are incompatible with happy hiking. Liebre Mountain and a couple other locales in the national forest’s Saugus Ranger District, are exceptions to the guns-’n’-trucks rule.

Liebre Mountain (elevation 5,771 feet) is botanically intriguing and reflects its position between mountain and desert environments. Cool slopes are forested with big-cone spruce and gray pine. Black oak woodlands recall the foothills of the High Sierra. Pinyon pine, juniper and aromatic sage are evidence of the desert’s influence.

The pathway to Liebre Mountain is also a historic one; cowboys drove horses from Tejon Ranch over the mountain’s north slope, and on to Los Angeles. These days Horse Trail, as it was known, is part of the famed Pacific Crest Trail.

From atop Liebre Mountain, the intrepid hiker can, with the help of a car shuttle, continue southeast on the Pacific Crest Trail, a ridge-top route that parallels Forest Road 7N23. Walking Forest Road 7N23 for five miles or so to a junction with Old Ridge Route is another possibility.

Directions to trail head: From Interstate 5, about four miles south of Gorman, exit on California Highway 138 and head east four miles to a signed junction with Old Ridge Route. Turn right and drive 2.2 miles to another signed junction. Old Ridge Route continues 28 more twisting miles to Castaic, but you turn left on Pine Canyon Road (County Road N2) and head east just over four miles. Watch for road paddle No. 13.6, and continue another 0.1 mile to an unsigned dirt road on the right (south) side of Pine Canyon Road. Park your vehicle 100 feet up this dirt road or in the narrow turnout on the north side of Pine Canyon Road. Signed Pacific Crest Trail begins a bit uphill (south) of the dirt parking area.

The hike: Pacific Crest Trail ascends moderately via switchbacks among oaks and gray pine. The black oak display some fine fall colors. Almost immediately, views unfold of the Antelope Valley and the Tehachapis.

Two miles of climbing brings you to rustic, pine-shaded Wilderness Camp, a tiny campsite with a picnic table and stove.

From the camp, PCT joins a retiring dirt road and continues its switchback ascent. The trail crests a minor ridge that offers commanding desert and mountain views, then continues its dogged ascent toward the main ridgeline.

At a signed junction located 200 feet short of the ridge crest, PCT bears left and marches off toward Bear Campground, about two miles southeast. Continue walking straight ahead to gain the Liebre Mountain crest and to intersect the Forest Service Road 7N23, which follows the crest. Enjoy the fine southerly vistas from there.

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Pacific Crest Trail

WHERE: Angeles National Forest

DISTANCE: From County Road N2 to Wilderness Camp is 4 miles round with 800-foot elevation gain; to Liebre Mountain summit is 7 miles round trip with 1,700-foot elevation gain.

TERRAIN: Serpentine ridges of “The Ridge Route”

HIGHLIGHTS: Intriguing mix of mountain and desert environments; excellent vistas.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Moderately strenuous

PRECAUTIONS: Annoying deer flies in warm weather. Don’t forget your Forest Service Adventure Pass.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Angeles National Forest, Saugus Ranger District, 308 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus, CA 91350; tel. (805) 26-9710