asmrz - Jun 22, 2023 3:20 pm Date Climbed: Apr 2, 2023
Nice spring hike
My wife Penelope and I were camping at Blair Valley dispersed camping. There is great biking, flower watching and a few good scrambles on desert peaks there. We did The Whale Peak on April 02, 2023 biking to the Pictographs TH, hiking to the Pictographs and up the Smuggler Canyon to the peak. Very nice spring hike.
davidsanger - Jan 1, 2017 9:46 pm Date Climbed: Dec 19, 2016
Crowded !
The two days before we hiked Signal Peak in Arizona and Eagle Benchmark in the Fish Creek Mountains and didn't see a single person. On Whale we saw five people so it was relatively crowded! But a lovely hike nonetheless, through high desert and granite boulders. Great views at the top. Did Pinyon as a bonus peak afterwards,
gimpilator - Dec 25, 2014 12:01 am Date Climbed: Dec 24, 2014
Pictograph route
Heather and I hiked up the longer route because it seemed more interesting. Afterward we hiked up Ghost Mountain and nearby Quake BM.
Climbed this many years ago with my dad when I was a kid. Fun desert hike.
gavinfischer - Feb 21, 2012 10:32 pm Date Climbed: Feb 18, 2012
Pinyon Mtn Trail
Nice hike. I missed the turn at the top of the first gully so did some "bonus" climbing up the hummock to the north. Nice view from there too though...
bajaandy - Jan 29, 2012 12:33 pm Date Climbed: Jan 28, 2012
Pinyon Mt. TH
Nice hike in the desert. Definitely need high clearance to bypass some large rocks on the way to the Pinyon Mt TH., but 4X4 was not needed. About 1:20 going up and just under an hour down. Some great looking boulders on the flatish bench just below the final summit slope. Would be a fun place to spend a day.
cab - Feb 22, 2011 10:38 am Date Climbed: Feb 20, 2011
Pinyon Mtn. Trail
Snowy & cloudy all the way to the top. I was glad to have my GPS. Climbed Granite Mtn. # 2 in the afternoon.
Wild - Jan 18, 2011 4:32 pm Date Climbed: Jan 12, 2011
Unknown Peak
Climbed down and up Smuggler Canyon then scrambled up the western ridge and camped just below the peak. Great sunset and morning view!
superdaddy - Dec 1, 2010 8:53 pm Date Climbed: Nov 26, 2010
Pinyon Mountain Road Rt
I made it but just barely. I parked at 3.6mi along the road rather than the true trailhead and I took numerous inadvertent detours on the way up and the way down. 5 1/2 hours total.
bechtt - Feb 20, 2010 6:59 pm Date Climbed: Feb 20, 2010
From Pinyon Road
Nice warm down hike after several days in AB.
HeyItsBen - Feb 16, 2010 5:52 pm Date Climbed: Feb 13, 2009
Via pictographs
Fun hike w/some fun scrambling and great views.
harryquach - Feb 5, 2010 6:08 pm Date Climbed: Jan 30, 2010
Pinyon Mountain Rd Route
Great hike fine scrambling near the summit
Iron Hiker - Jan 29, 2010 2:07 am Date Climbed: Jan 5, 2010
Great morning exercise from the Pictographs
Hiked up in the morning, after spending the night at the trailhead - a very nice and quiet mountain. Great views and a sense of being "out there" in the desert. Hike took about 4 1/2 hours up and back - not bad.
SierraSunrise85 - Jan 21, 2010 5:10 pm Date Climbed: Nov 15, 2009
From Blair Valley to Top
Climbed Whale Peak while I was doing some car camping in the Blair Valley. This is one of the funnest hikes I have done in Anza Borrego, I enjoyed starting out in Blair Valley and hiking to the top from the west. Awesome panoramic views of Palomar Mountain, Mt Laguna and the Salton Sea. Great spot for bouldering and the Pinyon pines make lots of shady spots. Would consider returning for an overnighter.
sdhager - Dec 9, 2009 9:32 pm Date Climbed: Feb 11, 2009
Pictograph Trail
Nice day, after a recent snow.
ADK - Feb 14, 2009 5:26 am Date Climbed: Jan 19, 2009
Picto TH
Guided a group of co-workers up this one. 4th time up, this is a fav.
surgent - Mar 26, 2008 6:43 pm Date Climbed: Mar 12, 2008
Wife injured herself... :(
Coming down the top she wrenched her back - took over 4 hours just to get down a mile. We were hiking into the night down the canyons. A nearby camper gave us a lift to our truck. What a day. We'll be back, probably try the pictograph route instead. see Whale Peak, March 2008.
Bob Burd - Feb 29, 2008 11:36 pm Date Climbed: Nov 23, 2007
bigbendbetty - Feb 18, 2008 1:30 pm Date Climbed: Feb 17, 2008
From Pictographs
I went a little crazy at the sight of snow on the way up and the ensuing snowball fight caused my friend to run into a cactus.
NavySeabee - Oct 22, 2007 10:35 pm Date Climbed: Oct 20, 2007
Pinyon Mtn Trail
Great way to start the desert hiking season with favorable weather and fantastic views. They weren't kidding about the boulders in the road. My Honda Pilot was no match (or maybe it was my driving) and I was treated to an extra 4.5 miles of road walking.
asmrz - Jun 22, 2023 3:20 pm Date Climbed: Apr 2, 2023
Nice spring hikeMy wife Penelope and I were camping at Blair Valley dispersed camping. There is great biking, flower watching and a few good scrambles on desert peaks there. We did The Whale Peak on April 02, 2023 biking to the Pictographs TH, hiking to the Pictographs and up the Smuggler Canyon to the peak. Very nice spring hike.
davidsanger - Jan 1, 2017 9:46 pm Date Climbed: Dec 19, 2016
Crowded !The two days before we hiked Signal Peak in Arizona and Eagle Benchmark in the Fish Creek Mountains and didn't see a single person. On Whale we saw five people so it was relatively crowded! But a lovely hike nonetheless, through high desert and granite boulders. Great views at the top. Did Pinyon as a bonus peak afterwards,
gimpilator - Dec 25, 2014 12:01 am Date Climbed: Dec 24, 2014
Pictograph routeHeather and I hiked up the longer route because it seemed more interesting. Afterward we hiked up Ghost Mountain and nearby Quake BM.
Trailboss88 - Aug 26, 2012 4:24 pm
with my dadClimbed this many years ago with my dad when I was a kid. Fun desert hike.
gavinfischer - Feb 21, 2012 10:32 pm Date Climbed: Feb 18, 2012
Pinyon Mtn TrailNice hike. I missed the turn at the top of the first gully so did some "bonus" climbing up the hummock to the north. Nice view from there too though...
bajaandy - Jan 29, 2012 12:33 pm Date Climbed: Jan 28, 2012
Pinyon Mt. THNice hike in the desert. Definitely need high clearance to bypass some large rocks on the way to the Pinyon Mt TH., but 4X4 was not needed. About 1:20 going up and just under an hour down. Some great looking boulders on the flatish bench just below the final summit slope. Would be a fun place to spend a day.
cab - Feb 22, 2011 10:38 am Date Climbed: Feb 20, 2011
Pinyon Mtn. TrailSnowy & cloudy all the way to the top. I was glad to have my GPS. Climbed Granite Mtn. # 2 in the afternoon.
Wild - Jan 18, 2011 4:32 pm Date Climbed: Jan 12, 2011
Unknown PeakClimbed down and up Smuggler Canyon then scrambled up the western ridge and camped just below the peak. Great sunset and morning view!
superdaddy - Dec 1, 2010 8:53 pm Date Climbed: Nov 26, 2010
Pinyon Mountain Road RtI made it but just barely. I parked at 3.6mi along the road rather than the true trailhead and I took numerous inadvertent detours on the way up and the way down. 5 1/2 hours total.
bechtt - Feb 20, 2010 6:59 pm Date Climbed: Feb 20, 2010
From Pinyon RoadNice warm down hike after several days in AB.
HeyItsBen - Feb 16, 2010 5:52 pm Date Climbed: Feb 13, 2009
Via pictographsFun hike w/some fun scrambling and great views.
harryquach - Feb 5, 2010 6:08 pm Date Climbed: Jan 30, 2010
Pinyon Mountain Rd RouteGreat hike fine scrambling near the summit
Iron Hiker - Jan 29, 2010 2:07 am Date Climbed: Jan 5, 2010
Great morning exercise from the PictographsHiked up in the morning, after spending the night at the trailhead - a very nice and quiet mountain. Great views and a sense of being "out there" in the desert. Hike took about 4 1/2 hours up and back - not bad.
SierraSunrise85 - Jan 21, 2010 5:10 pm Date Climbed: Nov 15, 2009
From Blair Valley to TopClimbed Whale Peak while I was doing some car camping in the Blair Valley. This is one of the funnest hikes I have done in Anza Borrego, I enjoyed starting out in Blair Valley and hiking to the top from the west. Awesome panoramic views of Palomar Mountain, Mt Laguna and the Salton Sea. Great spot for bouldering and the Pinyon pines make lots of shady spots. Would consider returning for an overnighter.
sdhager - Dec 9, 2009 9:32 pm Date Climbed: Feb 11, 2009
Pictograph TrailNice day, after a recent snow.
ADK - Feb 14, 2009 5:26 am Date Climbed: Jan 19, 2009
Picto THGuided a group of co-workers up this one. 4th time up, this is a fav.
surgent - Mar 26, 2008 6:43 pm Date Climbed: Mar 12, 2008
Wife injured herself... :(Coming down the top she wrenched her back - took over 4 hours just to get down a mile. We were hiking into the night down the canyons. A nearby camper gave us a lift to our truck. What a day. We'll be back, probably try the pictograph route instead. see Whale Peak, March 2008.
Bob Burd - Feb 29, 2008 11:36 pm Date Climbed: Nov 23, 2007
From the westNice desert hike. Beautiful weather. Trip Report
bigbendbetty - Feb 18, 2008 1:30 pm Date Climbed: Feb 17, 2008
From PictographsI went a little crazy at the sight of snow on the way up and the ensuing snowball fight caused my friend to run into a cactus.
NavySeabee - Oct 22, 2007 10:35 pm Date Climbed: Oct 20, 2007
Pinyon Mtn TrailGreat way to start the desert hiking season with favorable weather and fantastic views. They weren't kidding about the boulders in the road. My Honda Pilot was no match (or maybe it was my driving) and I was treated to an extra 4.5 miles of road walking.