Rabbit Peak v. C2C/Skyline

[63ChevyII]

My father-in-law will be here for Christmas and New Years. Whenever he visits, I try to plan a hike. In the past, we've hiked Mt. Whitney (overnight via snow chute), C2C, 'just' Skyline and San G.

I am wondering how much time we should allow for Rabbit Peak (via Villager) if we decide to do it. I am also looking at Wonderland of Rocks Traverse. For comparison sake, I would plan on 12-13 hrs if we were hiking C2C or 6-7 hours if we were hiking Skyline. Does anyone have a guesstimate on how much time we'll need?

Thanks!

[drndr]

Don't know about Rabbit but if you were also wanting info on Wonderland Traverse a good loop option is starting in Indian Cove and going up Gunsight Notch, follow that through to Boy Scout Trail for a bit, connect with Willow Hole Trail, do the traverse. You pop out on the east side of Indian Cove and walk through campground to west side unless you do car shuttle.

With no GPS I estimated it at about 9 miles with lots of rock scrambling. A friend and I moved quickly and did it in 4.5 hours and that is when I was able to do a 5 hr Skyline. Didn't see a soul out there until the end of Rattlesnake Canyon. I liked it because of the no need for car shuttle.

Dan

[Robert Hunt]

That's awesome 2600fromatari! 63chevell, if I push the pace on all three, Rabbit takes me 3/5ths the time of C2C and is about the same as Skyline. The terraine can get pretty rough to Rabbit. That's a good time of year for Rabbit, except for the shorter days. Good hiking.
-Robert

[bluerail]

I would also allow the same time as a c2c, obviously stashing water on the way up for the return trip and if not using a GPS maybe placing a beacon on your car incase you do come down in the dark.

The better trip is definitely wonderland traverse, doing it from south end of boy scout trail to Indian cove and back to car via boy scout trail is also my favorite.

Rabbits a foot killer for sure

[63ChevyII]

Thanks for the input everyone.

bluerail - is that route a loop, or returning the same way? I am reading about a loop in 'afoot & afield.' You start at the Indian Cove Backcountry Board, follow Boy Scout Trail west and then south until it meets up with Will Hole Trail. Then you take Willow Hole Trail through the WT until you get to the Rattlesnake Canyon Picnic area. From there is about a 2.7 mile walk back to the car at Indian Cove. I like the idea of a loop, but not so excited about walking the road.

Robert Hunt - the short days are definitely a concern

drndr - I haven't heard of Gunsight Notch - I will look it up

2600fromatari - thanks for the info. looking at some old info I had compiled, I estimated 15-17 hrs for the hike. That most likely means starting and finishing in the dark.

Speaking of foot killers, have any of you done Iron Mtn in the San Gabriels? Looking at both Rabbit and Iron, the biggest 'deterrent' for me is the downhill/foot pain.

[Florian]

maybe placing a beacon on your car incase you do come down in the dark.

Bluerail, what do you mean by a beacon? Sounds interesting!

-Florian

[bluerail]

chevy, David Harris has the best description of working through the wonderland, and finding oh bay yo yo. The only thing i do differently allows you to elimnate the section from north boy scout board to indian cove, its just flat uninteresting slog through open desert. it also puts you into rattlesnake earlier in the day and then walking back on the boy scout trail and possibly getting to watch a beautiful jtree sunset as you head back through open desert late in the day. I park at South boy scout trailhead ( in the park ) and head to willow hole, you get into the wonderland and youre doing all the route finding and scrambling in the early day while youre fresh, get into rattlesnake canyon and then Indian cove,once in the campground, head through the campground to the west end, ( i dont go down to the boy scout th ) from the western most campsite you can find a use trail that keeps going west and intersects the boy scout trail, turn left and follow it back to your car, this section of trail is beautiful in late day.

Florian, i have seen people using a strobe beacon placed on their roof that activates at night, helping them find the car across open terrain, im sure a search will find them, if not maybe contact Mars Bonfire.

[Ed]

A little hard to follow a discussion on Rabbit Peak, when it's not clear everybody is talking about the same side.

[bluerail]

I'm referring to the start off 22, not the north ridge or Clark dry lake

[Ed]

That's clear. But perhaps the original question was from somebody not interested in Villager, and driviing from somewhere closer to Indio than Borrego Springs. Was not clear to me.