Gooseneck Loop

[Sugar Pine]

Hiked Gooseneck Loop at Cottonwood Canyon. Took the shortcut as the Pinnacles area is closed.

We followed newish flags past the wooden arch, but the flags contoured around peak 1443 and not up and over. On the east side of peak 1443 we headed up a drainage to the fence as there was no longer much of a boot path along the flags. Eventually, the boot path along the fence descended into the "deep gully" and met up with the flags. Don't know which was a better route, more elevation gain and loss up peak 1443 and following the fence, or walking on a side slope with the flags but less elevation gain/loss.

View from below peak 1443

Deep gully

Views from ridge:

Pinnacle trail:

Walnut tree

We were not sure where to head down, but picked a ridge that looked like it would not cliff out, which worked out well for us. The descent was steep, but not as steep as at the deep gully, but longer.

Our path in red

It was a nice hike with expansive views. Too late for flowers. No one else on the ridge but us.

[johnspeth]

I did this loop in Dec 2019 on a very heavy fog/big frost day. There were no trail flags at that time but there was a trail for most of the loop. I visited 1443 (a big flat high point) and I can't understand why anyone would want to do otherwise. Then I followed the fence to its' end at the start of the Jeep road. Getting past that deep gully was tricky because I was never sure what the easiest way through it could be. I followed human and animal prints and got back to the fence again. It's a good alternative when the Pinnacles trail is closed.

I wonder if the new flagging might be a way to avoid private property.