Anza-Borrego Desert: Chariot mountain Pct loop

Rating *****
length 3.9 Mile - 2 hour, 30 minutes (Round trip), Easy/Moderate.
Elevation 4020 - 4677 feet
Access High clearance 4x4 only, see below.
At the parking, head up the road (that's already the PCT) and turn left (North) on the marked PCT trail.
Follow the PCT more or less level until point "Leave PCT", follow the narrow drainage for a while and gradually climb up the ridge.
There is just enough room to hike up towards the ridge, once on the ridge, more room to hike and head up to the not so prominent peak.

The first once marked peak may not even be the real peak as my GPS shows the next peak as slightly higher.

Follow the ridge and descent following a drainage West.
This is the rockiest part of the hike, try to follow the wildlife trails.

How to get here:

In Banner close to the Banner shop (mile 64.8) head east on a dirt road.
After a short while a gate with impressive locks, but the gate is actually always unlocked.
Follow the rough high clearance 4x4 only road for 5 mile (30 minutes) up to point Park or Park 2.
At Park there is plenty of room to park, just before a washed out steeper stretch of the road.
Park 2 has just enough room for one or two cars and room to turn around.

Warning: Do not follow the road any further unless you could easily make it this far and have ample ground clearance and good traction.
The road down is much much steeper and requires much more ground clearance.
Again it's a steep descent along really steep canyon walls.

Disclaimer: Read this first before you start your hike. Contact: info/at/borregohiking/./com (leave out the /)
Hiking the Borrego Springs Area (Anza-Borrego Desert SP, Cuyamaca Rancho SP, Imperial Sand Dunes (Algodones Dunes), Jacumba, Laguna Mountain, Warner Springs) California, Hike with gps, gpx and kml (Google Earth).

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