No Thrill on Thrall: High Desert Trail to Burkhart Saddle

Looking Toward the Burkhart Saddle Up the Cruthers Creek Drainage

There are essentially two established routes to the summit of Will Thrall Peak: the Burkhart Trail from the south out of Buckhorn Campground (a variation of which involves dropping into Cooper Canyon on the PCT from Cloudburst Summit along the Angeles Crest Highway), and the High Desert Trail from the north out of the Devil’s Punchbowl. You can also get to Will Thrall from Mt. Williamson by way of a cross-country jaunt across Pleasant View Ridge to the summit of Pallet Mountain and then down to the Burkhart Saddle where all three of these routes intersect. And I just discovered courtesy of Cucamonga Man that you can also access Will Thrall by way of a cross-country route via Alimony Road (4N15) in Juniper Hills. Having previously experienced the cross-country route from Mt. Williamson with an exit at Buckhorn, a couple of friends and me decided last Sunday to make an early season attempt on Will Thrall by way of the High Desert route from the north.

This route starts from the parking lot for the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area which is managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. From here, the trail (which initially follows a fire road) climbs gently south for approximately ¾ mile where it intersects with the High Desert Trail which runs in an east-west orientation along the northern foothills of the Pleasant View Ridge. Going east here will take you out to the Devil’s Chair and ultimately South Fork Campground. Traveling west will take you to Cruthers Creek which drains the narrow canyon leading to the Burkhart Saddle.

We tacked west here and began the 3 mile walk toward the mouth of Cruthers Creek Canyon enjoying the shade, the Mojave views, and the gigantic Manzanita along the way. The terrain here is mellow and trekking is easy, primarily because you’re continually losing elevation all the way to Cruthers Creek. You’ll realize just how much elevation you’re losing on your way back out.

The High Desert Trail Just Beyond the Split from Devil's Punchbowl

The High Desert from the High Desert Trail

Descending Into Cruthers Creek

Signage at the Base of  Cruthers Creek

Colorful Rock Formations

At Cruthers Creek, the track turns south, crosses the stream (where we found water flowing), and begins the steady climb toward Burkhart Saddle some 3+ miles up the canyon. A dirt road from the north intersects the trail in the canyon bottom here, but it traverses private property and is secured by a locked gate. That is unfortunate because the road provides direct access to the canyon and would trim some miles off the overall trip if it was available for use by hiker trash. Not that miles are necessarily a bad thing, but whether having to traipse them is desirable or not I suppose depends upon your objective.

Out of the canyon, the trail initially climbs northward up the exposed western slope of the canyon before switching back south at a point along an obvious ridge. The ascent here would be uncomfortably warm on a mid-summer day. Shortly beyond this point, the trail crosses back over to the western slope of the canyon and then continues south well below the ascending ridgeline. Mileage markers, which I understand to be measured from Buckhorn Campground, dot the trail which is useful in terms of tracking your progress.

Cool Cruthers Creek

Climbing Out of the Canyon

Looking Back 

Desert View from Higher Up

From Cruthers Creek all the way to the Burkhart Saddle is a sustained climb. This climb is never steep, but it is unrelenting with few level stretches and fewer suitable spots to pitch a tent for the night. If I was a PCT through-hikers who opted for this official detour around the Williamson Rock closure area, I would probably try to plan my route to avoid spending the night along this stretch of trail.

As the path climbs deeper into the canyon and the air thins, the character of the surroundings changes. The canyon narrows, the slopes steepen considerably, and the flora thins. Manzanita, sage, and chaparral give way to evergreens. In several places, the track crosses scree slopes which could be dicey in winter conditions, but on our visit, the path was devoid of snow for most of way and trail conditions were excellent. Tip of the hat to the fine folks who maintain our trails and keep them passable.

Trail Ascending the Steep Western Wall of the Canyon

Trail Conditions

The path wasn't bereft of snow the entire way, however. At approximately the 6,000 foot level, roughly 1/2 mile from Burkhart Saddle (between mileage markers 6 and 5) we encountered snow where the path takes a hard bend and tacks east. It wasn't much snow, but it covered ice and sat on an off-camber stretch of the trail that was exposed. A tumble here could definitely get you a helicopter ride out of the canyon. My friend gingerly attempted to start across the snowy section and immediately slipped in his trail runners. We then tested the shoulder and it promptly gave way. Finally, we attempted to skirt this section of the trail by going high, but the slope was so steep and loose, and the rock so crumbly, that ultimately we abandoned that option as folly. So we contended ourselves with sitting on a nearby log in the snow, having a bite to eat, enjoying the amazing moment, and living another day to tell the story.

Dangerous Patch

Your Fate if You Slip Here

The Sketchy Part of the Trail from Down Canyon

After absorbing as much of the mountains as we could, we turned tail and retraced our steps back to Devil's Punchbowl. As mentioned, the return trip is all downhill except for the climb back out of Cruthers Creek which my device measured at roughly 800 feet from the creek-bottom to the high point along the High Desert Trail. My device measured total mileage and gain for the day at roughly 13.9 miles and 3,750 feet of elevation gain.

As for my hoped-for date with Will Thrall, it was disappointing that it was cancelled, but it will happen at some stage. In the meantime, this was a really nice tease by a less visited section of the San Gabriels that just enhanced the attractiveness of the object of my mountainous desires.

Almost Back to Devil's Punchbowl

The Punchbowl

Sitting on the Devil's Throne

Snow Dusted San Gabriel Mountains Towering Over the Devil's Punchbowl

The sky was a steely gray and the wind was gusting as I jumped into the car and started for the Devil's Punchbowl on the high-desert, not really knowing whether it was a good idea or not. Getting out was a good idea, of course, but given the darkening skies and the winds buffeting my car, I was having reservations about site selection as I made my way up the Antelope Valley Freeway.

But as I crested Soledad Pass and veered east onto the Pearblossom Highway, the clouds broke, the winds mellowed, the outside temps stabilized in the mid-50s, and conditions became optimal for a day in the devil's playground. Arriving at the parking area, it was evident that lots of other folks thought the conditions perfect as well for the lot was completely full except for one last spot that I was fortunate to nab before the other folks right behind me could.

I didn't really have an objective in mind other than to see and experience this place. So with that non-plan as a starting point, I began up the dirt road the leads to the junction of the Burkhart and High Desert Trails. Along the way I passed crimson-barked mazanita that was as beautiful, healthy-looking, full, and luxuriant as any I have ever seen in the San Gabriels.  

About 0.9 miles up the road, the path split, the east branch going to the Devil's Chair and beyond, the west branch ascending to Burkhart Saddle and then, ultimately, to Buckhorn Campground along the ACH. Here, my natural, sinful state took over and I instinctively went east along the High Desert Trail toward El Diablo's throne.

From the trail junction to the spur to the Devil's Chair is about 2.6 miles along a very scenic, well-maintained, easy-to-navigate, and relatively flat trail. To the north are expansive views of the high desert; to the immediate south, is the oftentimes dramatic northern escarpment of the San Gabriel Range. Of particular note is rugged Holcomb Canyon which climbs steeply and dramatically up the back side of Mt. Williamson.

I'll refrain from giving a further blow-by-blow and just let the images speak for themselves. But I will say this about about the whole area. Going in, I had preconceived ideas about what this side of the San Gabriel range was and wasn't. Those preconceived ideas involved mostly juniper, sage, and other assorted lowland scrub. They did not include much in the way of flora and geography that is typical of a more mountainous, higher-alpine environment. And while the area does have many of the attributes of a transition zone between desert and mountains, it also offers snow-dusted peaks, fragrant evergreens, narrow, shaded canyons, and streams playing lovely water music. It's enough to make me want to drink from Satan's punchbowl again and again. And I will.

Ascending the Burkhart Trail

High Desert Views from the High Desert Trail

Looking Toward Big Pines from the High Desert Trail

View North Across the High Desert

Rugged Holcomb Canyon

Fenced Devil's Chair

Sitting on the Devil's Throne

Light, Shadows, Color

Alpine Scenery

Water Trickling Down Punchbowl Canyon

Contrast

The Devil's Funhouse

Last Look