Old Trail to Castle Rocks?

[Andy]

While hiking Fuller Ridge on Sunday I noticed the remnants of an old trail on the south side of the ridge, just east of castle rocks. Does anyone happen to have any information on this and where it might end up or start downhill? Pine Wood area perhaps?

The upper 100' or so is non existent but once you head down hill its clear that it was a well built trail at one time. It looks to have tied into the main trail near the 8,500' mark just as it crosses from the north to the south side of the ridge.

The rock work is in pretty good shape but the overgrowth in sections makes me think it been ignored for a good 30 years or so.

[Ulysses]

A CCC crew was working on the Fuller Ridge trail a couple of years ago. I was told they were re-routing sections of the trail that hug the ridge top to make it safer. Sections of that trail can be pretty sketchy when there is snow/ice. Could it be you saw part of the old trail?

[Andy]

I doubt that would be the case here. These were obvious switchbacks heading down the south slope of the ridge and hasn't been used in what looks like decades.

[Ulysses]

Interesting. I'll check it out. I'm due for a Fuller Ridge hike. Love that area. Might be worth looking at an old topo.

[Andy]

Yeah, it looks like it would be a viable option for access to that section, especially if access up Black Mountain is limited.

I took your lead and found some circa 1950s Palm Springs Topos that show the Fuller Ridge Trail coming from the east and stopping near Castle Rocks. Whats strange is that it also shows Black Mountain camp but no connection.

I'm curious what you could find.

[halhiker]

The PCT used to head more toward Black Mountain and Boulder Basin and then dropped down near Brown Creek to Cabazon before it was routed to Snow Creek. I wonder if this could be it?