Snow on Figueroa Mountain

We did a day hike on the Whiterock trail up to Figueroa Mountain Road and Ranger Peak. Lots of snow remained from recent storms. Lots of snow was visible in the San Rafael Wilderness.

The Whiterock trail has a trailhead at the bottom on Sunset Valley Road about a quarter or half mile beyond Cachuma Saddle. There is a trail starting at Cachuma Saddle, where there is lots of parking, that starts where there used to be a building. This faint, unmarked trail will paralell Sunset Valley and lead you to the Whiterock trailhead. There are a couple of turnouts on the raod where you can park, but it is easy to miss the trailhead sign if you're not looking for it.

The other end of the trail is on East Pinery Road about a quarter or half mile beyond the junction with Figueroa Mountain Road. East Pinery is closed with a gate. There is parking at this junction. The informal trail to the summit of Ranger Peak is here, too. In spring it can be fun to climb to the summit and watch the swallowtail butterflies swirl around doing their "hilltopping" among the fragrant bush lupine.

The Whiterock trail is very muddy after rain and snow. There is old mining junk and an old car on the trail. There are great views of Hurricane Deck, McKinley Road and the Sierra Madre mountains from the trail.