La Cumbre Peak via Cathedral Peak and Mission Ridge Loop in Los Padres National Forest, CA

Hike La Cumbre Peak via Cathedral Peak and Mission Ridge Loop Los Padres National Forest, CA

Class 2 10.8 miles 4500 gain 6-8 hrs Loop May 27, 2019
Effort
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Solitude
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Route Map
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Our route follows the Cathedral Peak Trail, passing Arlington Peak, Cathedral Peak, and La Cumbre Peak. We then did White Mountain and Mission Ridge, and followed the Tunnel Trail back. Our plans kept changing throughout the day as we added more peaks and changed our route choices.

There is no parking lot at the trailhead for this route, but there are lots of parking spaces on the side of the residential road. Austin and I headed up the Tunnel Trail, which starts off as a paved road until just after crossing Mission Creek. From here, we passed the start of the popular Seven Falls Trail and headed up the Cathedral Peak Trail, where we took a few wrong turns because of numerous social trails, so my recommendation would be that if the trail doesn't continue to ascend the ridge or gets too brushy, you're on the wrong one. Once on it, we were happily surprised to find that the trail was easy to follow and had some great, fun scrambling for its duration. Without researching, I honestly thought it was going to be just a walk up a ridge. Class 2+ was everywhere, with maybe a few very, very easy Class 3 moves here and there. The views got progressively more wonderful, looking out toward the Channel Islands and the basin beneath La Cumbre Peak. After a lot of fun and sweat, we made it to Arlington Peak's small summit block, and then continued to Cathedral Peak.

From the base of Cathedral Peak's short summit scramble, the social trail to head to La Cumbre Peak started north, avoiding cliffs. Social trails lead off to the right prematurely, so if you're doing anything harder than Class 2, you chose the wrong social trail. The trail leads steeply down to the saddle between Cathedral and La Cumbre, before heading back up steeply with some more fun scrambling to the summit of La Cumbre. We didn't know you could drive to the top, so were surprised when we saw cars. The views are really nice looking toward the Pacific Ocean.

After enjoying La Cumbre for a bit, we headed east along the ridge and joined the road for a couple of miles. Along the way, we passed the start of the Tunnel Trail, which would have cut quite some time off our day, but we wanted to get some more vertical gain in. We continued along the road to White Mountain's north slope, where a really nice social trail led to the summit. We first thought to go back to the Tunnel Trail's head that we passed earlier (visible as the Google Map dotted line on attached map), but instead decided to try finding the social trail leading south from White Mountain. Someone had mentioned its existence earlier in the day, and it was early enough to give it a go. The social trail was hard to follow in spots for sure, but it exists. We had to turn around a few times, but in general I recommend sticking as close to the ridge crest as possible. There was one particularly cryptic section about halfway down where the trail just seemed to end completely, but instead passes under a boulder and continues seamlessly along the ridge. I altered my attached map to be as claer as I could be. Eventually, the social trail joins with the Tunnel Trail, and we took a quick detour up to Mission Ridge before following the trail back to complete the loop.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Arlington Peak
3250 ft
75 rise
2
Cathedral Peak
3333 ft
383 rise
3
La Cumbre Peak
3985 ft
1010 rise
4
White Mountain
3804 ft
354 rise
5
Mission Ridge
2600 ft
100 rise

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Along the paved Tunnel Trail. You can see the Cathedral Peak Trail ridgeline leading up to Cathedral Peak in the distance.
Along the paved Tunnel Trail. You can see the Cathedral Peak Trail ridgeline leading up to Cathedral Peak in the distance.
The start of the popular Seven Falls Trail along Mission Creek. The Cathedral Peak Trail heads left.
The start of the popular Seven Falls Trail along Mission Creek. The Cathedral Peak Trail heads left.
Along the Cathedral Peak Trail.
Along the Cathedral Peak Trail.
Looking down into Mission Creek. Mission Ridge (we did it later) visible in the center.
Looking down into Mission Creek. Mission Ridge (we did it later) visible in the center.
The scrambling begins.
The scrambling begins.
La Cumbre Peak visible in the center.
La Cumbre Peak visible in the center.
Wide shot of La Cumbre (left), White Mountain (right), and Mission Creek below.
Wide shot of La Cumbre (left), White Mountain (right), and Mission Creek below.
More scrambling. It's sustained Class 2 fun stuff most of the way up.
More scrambling. It's sustained Class 2 fun stuff most of the way up.
The ridgeline to Cathedral Peak.
The ridgeline to Cathedral Peak.
Looking back toward the way we came, White Mountain left, Mission Ridge center.
Looking back toward the way we came, White Mountain left, Mission Ridge center.
Image 10 from gallery
Image 11 from gallery
Image 12 from gallery
Another shot looking back.
Another shot looking back.
Image 14 from gallery
Approaching the first sub-peak, Arlington Peak.
Approaching the first sub-peak, Arlington Peak.
Summit block of Arlington Peak.
Summit block of Arlington Peak.
View north from Arlington Peak. Cathedral Peak on the left, just a rock outcropping. La Cumbre Peak the high point on the right.
View north from Arlington Peak. Cathedral Peak on the left, just a rock outcropping. La Cumbre Peak the high point on the right.
Looking back the way we came, taken from Arlington Peak.
Looking back the way we came, taken from Arlington Peak.
View south toward Santa Barbara.
View south toward Santa Barbara.
Continuing toward Cathedral Peak, left.
Continuing toward Cathedral Peak, left.
Approaching Cathedral Peak.
Approaching Cathedral Peak.
Cathedral Peak summit, looking back toward Arlington Peak. White Mountain visible on the left.
Cathedral Peak summit, looking back toward Arlington Peak. White Mountain visible on the left.
Cathedral Peak summit, view north toward La Cumbre Peak. You can see people scrambling along the ridgeline on the bottom left. Onward!
Cathedral Peak summit, view north toward La Cumbre Peak. You can see people scrambling along the ridgeline on the bottom left. Onward!
On the way down from Cathedral Peak, looking back along the ridgeline toward Cathedral (right).
On the way down from Cathedral Peak, looking back along the ridgeline toward Cathedral (right).
Lots of shrubs on the way down from Cathedral and up to La cumbre, but the trail was well-maintained.
Lots of shrubs on the way down from Cathedral and up to La cumbre, but the trail was well-maintained.
La Cumbre ahead.
La Cumbre ahead.
Looking back as we head up to La Cumbre Peak, Cathedral Peak on the right behind us.
Looking back as we head up to La Cumbre Peak, Cathedral Peak on the right behind us.
Some more brush-encroached trail and some light scrambling, but not unpleasant at all.
Some more brush-encroached trail and some light scrambling, but not unpleasant at all.
Cathedral and Arlington in the distance, Santa Barbara behind them.
Cathedral and Arlington in the distance, Santa Barbara behind them.
Some more light scrambling on the way up to La Cumbre Peak.
Some more light scrambling on the way up to La Cumbre Peak.
La Cumbre Peak ahead.
La Cumbre Peak ahead.
Just below the summit of La Cumbre Peak, view southwest at the hills.
Just below the summit of La Cumbre Peak, view southwest at the hills.
La Cumbre Peak summit, view south toward Cathedral.
La Cumbre Peak summit, view south toward Cathedral.
La Cumbre Peak summit, view east toward White Mountain (right).
La Cumbre Peak summit, view east toward White Mountain (right).
Heading along the ridge from La Cumbre Peak.
Heading along the ridge from La Cumbre Peak.
Merge with the road for a couple of miles, White Mountain in the center.
Merge with the road for a couple of miles, White Mountain in the center.
Almost at the northern slope of White Mountain.
Almost at the northern slope of White Mountain.
A social trail leading up White Mountain. La Cumbre Peak visible in the center.
A social trail leading up White Mountain. La Cumbre Peak visible in the center.
Some decent views on White Mountain.
Some decent views on White Mountain.
Headed south from White Mountain. We decided to search for the social trail route along the ridge, rather than backtrack to the Tunnel Trail. The social trail would eventually meet back up with the Tunnel Trail.
Headed south from White Mountain. We decided to search for the social trail route along the ridge, rather than backtrack to the Tunnel Trail. The social trail would eventually meet back up with the Tunnel Trail.
Somewhat easy to follow at first.
Somewhat easy to follow at first.
Then we got into the rock garden and the trail went off in all sorts of directions.
Then we got into the rock garden and the trail went off in all sorts of directions.
Looking down the ridge once we relocated the social trail.
Looking down the ridge once we relocated the social trail.
Close-up of Mission Ridge in the center as we followed the social trail down.
Close-up of Mission Ridge in the center as we followed the social trail down.
Looking back up the way we came.
Looking back up the way we came.
Some light scrambling on the way down.
Some light scrambling on the way down.
One particularly cryptic section toward the middle of the descent, where we had to go through a rock squeeze. It took us a half hour to figure this one out. Sure enough, the trail continued just after it.
One particularly cryptic section toward the middle of the descent, where we had to go through a rock squeeze. It took us a half hour to figure this one out. Sure enough, the trail continued just after it.
Headed down the ridgeline, easy to follow all the way from here.
Headed down the ridgeline, easy to follow all the way from here.
Mission Ridge ahead.
Mission Ridge ahead.
Merge with the Tunnel Trail.
Merge with the Tunnel Trail.
View toward Cathedral Peak along the Tunnel Trail.
View toward Cathedral Peak along the Tunnel Trail.
Quick detour up to Mission Ridge.
Quick detour up to Mission Ridge.
Mission Ridge ahead.
Mission Ridge ahead.
Mission Ridge summit, view north toward White Mountain (right) and La Cumbre Peak (left).
Mission Ridge summit, view north toward White Mountain (right) and La Cumbre Peak (left).
View south, Tunnel Trail visible on the right.
View south, Tunnel Trail visible on the right.
Back on the Tunnel Trail, with great views of Arlington Peak on the left, and La Cumbre center.
Back on the Tunnel Trail, with great views of Arlington Peak on the left, and La Cumbre center.
Close-up of the ridge we took up, the Cathedral Peak Trail.
Close-up of the ridge we took up, the Cathedral Peak Trail.
Tunnel Trail leads back to complete the loop.
Tunnel Trail leads back to complete the loop.

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