Couldn't Find The Trail To Villager Peak

[cab]

I had the same problem as you, MACgyver when I was there a couple of months ago. I ended up just going up Rattlesnake Canyon a short ways and then going left up the somewhat steep (but not rocky) slope to the top of the ridge. From there, the trail was easy to find and follow.

On the way down, as long as you keep following the trail, you will easily find the switchbacks that lead down the foot of the ridge back to the flat desert.

[asabat]

For instance, rather than just a one-dimensional point, a rudimentary direction/arrow thingy would be very helpful. Maybe you just toss a few extra rocks on one side kind of like the tail of an arrow...

Actually, this is the opposite of what trail signs should be. I learned years ago a turn was marked with a cairn of several rocks and then a single rock pointing the way to go.

For example: (O = 2 rocks stacked, o = single rock)

Oo

means turn right.

I have never seen this in the field, well, maybe once, other than at scouting events and the like.

[MACgyver]

Hi 2600fromatari,
Thanks for the post and the good advice. I'm not anticipating any problems in finding the start of the trail up the ridge anymore.
Thanks also for the heads-up about the 4 mile mark and the last mile. I do use MotionX GPS on my iPhone 4. I already have the Peak as a waypoint, and I have seen a photo of the Cairn at the summit of Villager. I already added 5 or 6 waypoints at the beginning of the switchbacks leading out of the wash. Now that I know that the last mile could be a little difficult to follow, I am planning on adding a few more waypoints for the last mile to the top. Thanks again!

[KathyW]

Just head to to the ridge on the left side of Rattlesnake Canyon:

http://kathywing.smugmug.com/California ... j4gCv-A-LB

Get on the ridge and go - not much to it from there.

Use trails are sometimes obvious and sometimes they are not. As you spend more time off the beaten path in the wilderness, use trails get easier to spot.

[bluerail]

Once you get to villager..there is a nice place to rest at the camping area north of the summit.

[Zé]

there's also many nice places to get stung by cholla!

[DaddyLongLegs]

It's best not to find that trail. Hiking back down it was about the thirstiest I've ever been.

[Andy]

Actually, this is the opposite of what trail signs should be. I learned years ago a turn was marked with a cairn of several rocks and then a single rock pointing the way to go.

For example: (O = 2 rocks stacked, o = single rock)

Oo

means turn right.

I have never seen this in the field, well, maybe once, other than at scouting events and the like.

Interesting. I'll have to keep that in mind next time I'm trekking through "cairn country"

[MACgyver]

Just to put this topic to bed...I'd like to report that I made my second attempt on the Villager Peak trail yesterday without any problems. I hiked directly over to the switchbacks leading up the ridge thanks to those of you that pointed out where they were in my pictures. I actually saw the trail leading up when I was about a quarter of a mile away this time. What had happened the first attempt was that in following the trail from the end of the Lute to the ridge which crosses all the washes along the way, I went astray following a cairn off to my right that actually went directly up one of the washes instead of crossing it. Eventually I ended up in the final wash along the ridge, but I was way to the right of where the actual trail enters. From now on I am pledging to not follow any cairns that aren't in the direction of my next waypoint. It is so easy to just follow them like an animal following bits of discarded food!!
Anyway, thanks again to all of you who straightened me out. Having the actual waypoint in the wash area helped, too. I didn't plan on doing the entire hike yesterday...just a little exploration. I hiked out 3.75 miles to an elevation of 3,400 ft. Now I am sitting back waiting for another cold front passage to happen (won't be this week it looks like with this strong high sitting on us), then I will do the entire thing. I'll post some pictures and share my experiences after that happens.

[lilbitmo]

Good job MACgyver, glad you were able to find it, have to get out there in the fall myself