Kristen Peak?

General Palm Springs area.

Kristen Peak?

Postby Hikin_Jim » Thu May 22, 2025 2:40 pm

Has anyone here done Kristen Peak? Is it worthwhile? It looks like a really steep descent from Miller Saddle to a knob and an equally steep ascent. I wonder if it's worthwhile.

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Re: Kristen Peak?

Postby RMRUpete » Sun May 25, 2025 3:13 pm

Did this Peak back in the 1970's as I believe our route was a first accent of the drainage that shows as a stream on the topo map and comes in right below Kristin Peak. We called it a North Face climb. We spent the night on Kristin Peak. Did it with RMRU member Mike Daugherty who named the peak after his Daughter, and several other RMRU members also on the accent. Also I know my Son has done it from Miller Peak and back, but he was in his 20's and a cross country runner at the time, he said it was easy.
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Re: Kristen Peak?

Postby guest » Mon May 26, 2025 8:48 am

Jim, sounds like an interesting trek, (is it NW of Miller)? Another good climb with terrific views, which you may have done, (imagine Pete has on a rescue or two), is what I call the east slope of Miller. From the meadow east & north of Round & Tamarack campgrounds, (just above Diorite campsite, I believe), go to the north side and up the drainage until you get to the edge of the mountain, (there's even a cool "window rock" up that 1st slope, like South Ridge trail has, just smaller).
Then stay along that ridgeline heading west, (if you don't, brush gets thick), up a cool, giant boulder field, and around the south side of Miller, going around the north side gets very steep and loose, with a vertical rock face to navigate around. This comes out at the flat area, (old boy-scout campsite), where the SJ peak trail switches back to the west to the summit. It's a lung-buster, being pretty steep, but a really cool cross-country with view to the south and north, with not much chinquapin and mt misery. Sometimes I'd take my break there instead of going to San Jac, watching the hikers cruise by, it's a very peaceful area. SS
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