Accessing the Gordon Trail....NOT!

[halhiker]

That's the Abe Lincoln peak right?. If so, then does this trail drop down considerably into Tahquitz? It does sound like a good challenge to find and am sure much of it has eroded away. Must take a keen eye to see the remnants that i'm sure of. I'm just wondering if this trail was a switchback fashion or mountain goat straight up/straight down fashion

That would be Abe Lincoln Peak. I heard that this trail is still there but haven't been able to verify it myself. If anyone knows for sure, please let us know.

[Ken7]

Thanks, Hal.

The 33 16 25.60 N confuses me. Could that be 33 46 25.60 N?

If the 46 is correct, and if the datum is NAD 83 / WGS 84 then it looks like Eagle Rock shows up as a peak or high point on the USGS map (I am looking at TOPO) at an elevation of 2829 feet.

[halhiker]

Thanks, Hal.

The 33 16 25.60 N confuses me. Could that be 33 46 25.60 N?

If the 46 is correct, and if the datum is NAD 83 / WGS 84 then it looks like Eagle Rock shows up as a peak or high point on the USGS map (I am looking at TOPO) at an elevation of 2829 feet.

That's correct. I copied the coordinates wrong. It's 46. Eagle's Rest is a big rock on the ridge and it's on the left side of the canyon. The Gordon Trail goes to south of this rock. It's the easiest thing to see in describing how to get to the trail. The canyon is north of this ridge.

This is a picture of the rock.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Pwq43DzlxXY/SUIFvtSYm-I/AAAAAAAAADQ/gE8JaOfq1-4/s1600-h/IMG_1429.JPG

[Ken7]

Thanks, Hal.

The photo is a great help. I suppose I have seen it many times but never imagined it had a name.

[WOLFDOG]

OK, finally reached the famed Gordon Trail at about 2,400 ft. The only way I first knew I was on it was from all the rock cairns individually placed on boulders along the trail. Then I noticed the swithbacks and rows of placed rocks used to shore up the trail when it was constructed. However, most of the trail is a haven for brush to grow in, so there is no way of hiking precisely on the trail. The only way to do that would be to clear the trail of all brush meaning you would have to get permission approval from Agua Caliente, BLM and USFS to do so. So basically skirting the trail is the only option. I hiked up Gordon for a half mile to 2,875 ft. before I had to head back due to darkness falling. Basically made a gradual downward lateral traverse hiking 0.27 mile northeastward over to the Eagle's Rest Saddle (2,600 ft.) and dropped down into Os Wit and back to trailhead amid darkness. Think the best way to connect up with Gordon is to head up to the Saddle and then climb along the ridge directly west up to 3,500 ft. That way one would only have to traverse southward over to Gordon for just a few hundred feet. No doubt if i do this second plan, I'll have to spend atleast 8 hours and get conditioned since I am so unconditioned now after this hike.