Kern Valley Hiking Club +

Park & Start at “The Crossing”.
Walk the “road” for 0.5 mile to Twin Fawns’ bathrooms.
Go up Tule Elk Trail from Twin Fawns’ bathrooms to the free lookout binoculars (8.66% grade) and come back down.

Roundtrip total, this is about 3.6 miles and 800 feet elevation gain.

Expect similar to this for one roundtrip:

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/morning-snowshoe-d93ed5b-4?p=-1&sh=tzxl8k

Or maybe add an extra back down to the bench log 🪵 and back up again to the binoculars. Depends on heat 🥵 and how we feel.

Like this recent hike:

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/morning-fishing-fc6709b-2?p=-1&sh=tzxl8k

Or you could always repeat the whole thing if you want more!

Elevation gain is less than 800 feet for one roundtrip. But it is a great easy cardio:mileage ratio without taking much time or a lot of mileage. People just train on this incline for serious events!

Just so I can get a little exercise and stay hiking ready for some trips, when I am home 🏡

Arrive and meet early enough to start hiking 🥾 at noon from “The Crossing Group Campground”. (It comes up in Google Maps.) Wind Wolves is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm now.

Please DM me if you have any questions.

“The Crossing” is 5.4 miles from the highway entrance.

Enter WW 🐺🐺 from North.

@ 3 miles, turn Right.

@ 3.7 miles, Left at Stop 🛑 sign, following directions displayed on sign to “The Crossing”.

@ 4.8 miles, Straight through Stop 🛑 sign, again following directions displayed on sign to “ The Crossing”.

@ 5.4 miles is “The Crossing” and its parking area.

I know this place well. It really is a hidden gem 💎 Normally it has better AQ than Bakersfield. 👍

There are flush toilets, sinks, paper towels 🧻 and also filtered water 💦 at 0, 0.5, and 2 miles at Wind Wolves 🐺 🐺

Entrance & parking is free 💰👍

If coming from Bakersfield, we can meet & carpool from Rite Aid, on the NW corner of Old River Road & Panema Lane.

Please let me know if you want to do that together!

***All of our Kern Valley Hiking Club Group’s basic regular hiker responsibilities and release of liabilities apply here, as stated on all of our events.

Please refer to them if you have any questions.

*** PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY *** No one in the group is a guide or in any way responsible for your comfort or safety. Please be prepared with adequate gear and supplies for the trip. Please remember that going out into wilderness has risks associated with it and you should be aware and prepared to address any changes in weather, road conditions or to look out for/avoid random acts of nature, including insects, wild animals and natural hazards. It is your responsibility to evaluate the difficulty of any activity you participate in, and decide whether you are prepared by having the experience, skill, knowledge, equipment, and the physical and emotional stamina to safely participate.

*** WAIVER OF LIABILITY
*** The Organizers and members in this group are not professional leaders, guides, or mountaineers. The function of the member or organizer is only to organize the trip. Each person who shows up for a trip/meetup (and their guest or guests) is responsible for his or her own safety. By attending a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you and any guests that you bring are aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with the activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the Organizers, Members of the Kern Valley Hiking Club Meetup Group from and against any and all liability arising from your participation in the group activities.

By RSVPing you and those you bring with you as your guests ARE agreeing to the above statements.

This hike was originally posted for Nov. 2. but cancelled due to high winds. I decided to repost it for December 7.
Not sure yet if RRCIA will join us this time.
An easy but fabulous hike from Red Cliffs Parking area to Secret City in Nightmare Gulch.
(not anything like the New Years Day hike)
Super easy hike if you are in good condition.
Moderate if you are in so so condition.
Hard if you rarely or never work out.
But you can turn back any time.
App. 7 miles r/t
Meet at Red Cliffs parking area, east side by Red Cliff trail head
9am

15 ESSENTIALS YOU MUST CARRY ON ALL HIKES
Besides the obvious 1 1/2-2 liters of water, lunch, snack, warm jacket/wind breaker, rain gear if needed, warm hat and gloves, the following is a must to have in your day pack:

1. Map of the area, even if you are using a gps
3. Headlamp or small flashlight with extra batteries.
4. Knife or utility tool such as a Swiss Army knife
5. Fire starter. You can make your own with cotton balls and Vaseline or

Esbit fuel cubes.
6. Emergency space blanket
7. Emergency water purifier or filter.
8. Light weight base layer (Thermasilk is very light weight)
9. First aid kit
10. Extra food (2-3 power bars)
11. Waterproof matches (or regular matches or lighter kept in zip bag)
12. Sun screen
13. Small plastic trowel and toilet paper (in zip bag)
14. App. 2’ duck tape.
15. Whistle to scare away bears or to be found if lost.
Every hiker needs to carry these items on all day hikes.
**PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY *** No one in the group is a guide or in any way responsible for your comfort or safety. Please be prepared with adequate gear and supplies for the trip. Please remember that going out into wilderness has risks associated with it and you should be aware and prepared to address any changes in weather, road conditions or to look out for/avoid random acts of nature, including insects, wild animals and natural hazards. It is your responsibility to evaluate the difficulty of any activity you participate in, and decide whether you are prepared by having the experience, skill, knowledge, equipment, and the physical and emotional stamina to safely participate.
*** WAIVER OF LIABILITY *** The Organizers and members in this group are not professional leaders, guides, or mountaineers. The function of the member or organizer is only to organize the trip. Each person who shows up for a trip/meetup (and their guest or guests) is responsible for his or her own safety. By attending a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you and any guests that you bring are aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with the activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the Organizers, Members of the Kern Valley Hiking Club Meetup Group from and against any and all liability arising from your participation in the group activities.
By RSVPing you and those you bring with you as your guests ARE agreeing to the above statements.

This will for sure be a leisure walk in our newest nature park in West Golden Hills, Tehachapi. Formerly Golden Hills Country Club.
We will walk all the trails totaling a mere 6 1/2 miles. We can walk further along the rail road tracks if we feel like it.
Afterwards we can go to Kohnen's German Bakery for a holiday lunch.
Meet at the GH Nature Park parking area on Woodford Tehachapi Road, across from the G H Motel.

15 ESSENTIALS YOU MUST CARRY ON ALL HIKES
Besides the obvious 1 1/2-2 liters of water, lunch, snack, warm jacket/wind breaker, rain gear if needed, warm hat and gloves, the following is a must to have in your day pack:

1. Map of the area, even if you are using a gps
3. Headlamp or small flashlight with extra batteries.
4. Knife or utility tool such as a Swiss Army knife
5. Fire starter. You can make your own with cotton balls and Vaseline or

Esbit fuel cubes.
6. Emergency space blanket
7. Emergency water purifier or filter.
8. Light weight base layer (Thermasilk is very light weight)
9. First aid kit
10. Extra food (2-3 power bars)
11. Waterproof matches (or regular matches or lighter kept in zip bag)
12. Sun screen
13. Small plastic trowel and toilet paper (in zip bag)
14. App. 2’ duck tape.
15. Whistle to scare away bears or to be found if lost.
Every hiker needs to carry these items on all day hikes.
**PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY *** No one in the group is a guide or in any way responsible for your comfort or safety. Please be prepared with adequate gear and supplies for the trip. Please remember that going out into wilderness has risks associated with it and you should be aware and prepared to address any changes in weather, road conditions or to look out for/avoid random acts of nature, including insects, wild animals and natural hazards. It is your responsibility to evaluate the difficulty of any activity you participate in, and decide whether you are prepared by having the experience, skill, knowledge, equipment, and the physical and emotional stamina to safely participate.
*** WAIVER OF LIABILITY *** The Organizers and members in this group are not professional leaders, guides, or mountaineers. The function of the member or organizer is only to organize the trip. Each person who shows up for a trip/meetup (and their guest or guests) is responsible for his or her own safety. By attending a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you and any guests that you bring are aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with the activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the Organizers, Members of the Kern Valley Hiking Club Meetup Group from and against any and all liability arising from your participation in the group activities.
By RSVPing you and those you bring with you as your guests ARE agreeing to the above statements.

Let's start the Holidays right with an easy, family friendly hike. From Ruby Jenkin’s book: This hike along the west side of upper Kern Canyon offers open views of the mountains that line the wide valley of the North Fork Kern National Wild and Scenic River. (T23, page 64, Exploring the Southern Sierra: West Side)

Hiking Plan
We are meeting at the Whiskey Flat Trailhead in Kernville at 1:00 pm. The trailhead parking lot is at the end of the paved Burlando Road. See inset Google Maps for directions from your home.
We will hike the trail and cross over Bull Run Creek on the stone bridge. We will hike 3 miles or until the group decides to turn around and head back to the vehicles.

Expect something like this hike, or a variation of it:

Whiskey Flat Trail
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/whiskey-flatw-maureen-donna-9f810eb?sh=she-kraw&utm_campaign=memory&unfurl=false&showMemory=true

Hiking Category
This is a class 1 out and back trail hike. The hike is 3 hours with an elevation gain of 200 feet covering an approximate distance of 6 miles, round trip. This is a good hike for beginners. Those who wish to go further just need to check with the people they carpool with to make sure all are in agreement. This 14 mile trail ends at McNally’s in Fairview.

*** PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY *** No one in the group is a guide or in any way responsible for your comfort or safety. Please be prepared with adequate gear and supplies for the trip. Please remember that going out into wilderness has risks associated with it and you should be aware and prepared to address any changes in weather, road conditions or to look out for/avoid random acts of nature, including insects, wild animals and natural hazards. It is your responsibility to evaluate the difficulty of any activity you participate in, and decide whether you are prepared by having the experience, skill, knowledge, equipment, and the physical and emotional stamina to safely participate.

*** WAIVER OF LIABILITY *** The Organizers and members in this group are not professional leaders, guides, or mountaineers. The function of the member or organizer is only to organize the trip. Each person who shows up for a trip/meetup (and their guest or guests) is responsible for his or her own safety. By attending a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you and any guests that you bring are aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with the activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the Organizers, Members of the Kern Valley Hiking Club Meetup Group from and against any and all liability arising from your participation in the group activities.

By RSVPing you and those you bring with you as your guests ARE agreeing to the above statements.

Updated Ten Essential Systems for Hikers
Navigation: map, compass, GPS device, personal locator beacon (PLB) or satellite messenger
Headlamp: plus extra batteries
Sun protection: sunglasses, sun-protective clothes and sunscreen
First aid: including foot care & insect repellent
Knife: plus gear repair kit
Fire: matches, lighter
Shelter: (can be a light emergency bivy)
Extra food & water: Beyond the minimum expectation
Extra clothes: Beyond the minimum expectation
The exact items from each system that you take can be tailored to the trip you’re taking. For example, on a short day hike that’s easy to navigate you might choose to take a map, compass and PLB, but leave your GPS behind. When deciding what to bring, consider factors like weather, difficulty, duration, and distance from help.