San Rafael Peak - Los Padres National Forest

34.62387, -119.00156

Submitted Reports

San Rafael Peak Survey - 06-10-2021 - by Michael Sallwasser

Link:	San Rafael Peak
Date:	06-10-2021
Surveyor Name:	Michael Sallwasser
Camp Description:	Please Update with correct stats: Latitude: 34.62387 Longitude: -119.00156 Elevation: 6634'
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

San Rafael Peak Survey - 11-28-2020 - by Antonio Calderon

Link:	San Rafael Peak
Date:	11-28-2020
Surveyor Name:	Antonio Calderon
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	Sunny 50F
Images:

San Rafael Peak Survey - 08-11-2019 - by Christopher P. Lord

Link:	San Rafael Peak
Date:	08-11-2019
Surveyor Name:	Christopher P. Lord
Camp Description:	Definitely some of the best views in the Southern Los Padres. HPS register can on the Summit. Started at Johnston Ridge Trailhead after visiting the Peak descended the North slope to Little mutau Trail Camp before returning back to the car. More details at the link below. https://christopherplord.blogspot.com/2019/08/san-rafael-peak-to-little-mutau-camp.html
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:
Images:	Summit register (HPS) Me on the Summit San Rafael Peak Views More Views

San Rafael Peak Survey - 11-08-2018 - by Dave Burnett

Link:	San Rafael Peak
Date:	11-08-2018
Surveyor Name:	Dave Burnett
Camp Description:	            San Rafael Peak is a nearly 6,600 foot peak in a remote portion of the Sespe Wilderness in the Los Padres Forest.   Trailhead is near the end of the Mutau Flat Road just before a locked gate and about 15 miles from Lockwood Valley Road.   Mutau Flat Road is mostly unpaved.  The gate just off Lockwood Valley Road is locked from approximately 1 December through 1 May.             Four of us completed this 5.3 mile hike to the Peak and return for a total distance of 10.6 miles.  A fifth hiker turned around at the saddle on the Little Mutau Trail before we began the use trail portion of the hike as was planned.  He is recovering from open heart surgery a year ago and this was not a bad performance at all for him.  The saddle is 3.3 miles of the total one-way distance with a net elevation gain of 822 feet.  Net gain to the Peak is 1,650 feet with lots of up and down, especially past the saddle.  An interesting feature near the beginning of the hike is the rock outcropping near the edge of the Flat.  It is said to have Indian petroglyphs painted on it.  It is on private land so it is not accessible.             Driving time to the trailhead from the Santa Clarita area is about 2 hours due to the slow travel required on Mutau Flat Road.  We arrived at TH about 8 am and started as soon as we got our boots on.  Ascent to the Peak took just over 4 hours.  After a brief rest to sign the summit log, eat some lunch and take photos we headed back down, completing the return to the TH in just over 2.5 hours.             An excellent hike on portions of the Johnson Ridge and Little Mutau Trails then along fairly easy to follow use trails to the summit.  The established trails we followed were in very good shape and the use trails were in remarkably good shape as well.  The route we followed is posted in the Hundred Peaks website.  On the map accompanying this survey our track is shown in blue, Hundred Peaks Route 1 is shown in green (with numbered pins denoting steps of the Route 1 directions) and the red track shows a portion of Hundred Peaks Route 2. Our track profile is also included in the survey post.             There was zero water along our route this time of year.  Temps were cool to start and finish with very pleasant temps in the 60’s much of the day.  Sun was bright with no clouds in the sky during the entire hike.  We experienced very little wind on the hike although it was quite breezy at the saddle and on the Peak.  More about wind later.             Jubilant over having bagged San Rafael Peak we started home, anticipating pizza and cold beer at Mike’s Pizza in Lake of the Woods.  Just a mile or so down the road we were surprised and dismayed to see a large tree across the road!  Needless to say it was not there 8 hours before when we drove in.  With no tools anywhere near the capability to remove the tree, we proceeded with clearing a path that we hoped at least the Jeep could use to get around.  During this process we heard the sweet sound of a chainsaw!  It was coming from about 200 yards away, around a bend and out of our sight.  One of our group investigated and found a Forest Service Crew cutting another tree that was blocking the road.  We celebrated and waited a few minutes for them to get to “our” tree.  They removed the tree in short order and we were on our way again after learning that they had removed about 10 large trees along a 2 mile or so stretch on the way in!  The downed trees were apparently blown down in a brief and mostly localized wind storm and reported earlier in the day by someone who had tried to get to the Mutau Flat area after us.  MANY THANKS to the Forest Service Crew and to the unknown person who reported the downed trees.             In retrospect, we were not as well prepared as we should have been for a trip this far into the wilderness, especially knowing there was limited to no cell service.  On the other hand, there is no way we would have brought the necessary equipment to remove one of these large trees, much less 10 of them.  We were fortunate that the downed trees were reported and that the Forest Service Crew got right on them.             All-in-all an excellent day filled with its share of ups and downs, both literally and figuratively.  All’s well that ends well!
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	Part of hike was along or crossing a creek, but was bone dry this time.
Weather Conditions:	Cool at start and finish. Very pleasant during entire hike. Sunny
Images:	Hikers at the Summit Signing the Log. All Five of Us. Our Track Hike Profile - One Way The Obstacle.

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