
Starting up Pinyon Well Canyon.

Some nice rock formations before Pinyon Well.

Mine shaft at Pinyon Well.

Pinyon Well cement water tanks.

Past Pinyon Well, more cool rock formations.

View back toward Pinyon Well.

The remains of an old paved road bypassing a slickrock section within the wash.

View back farther up Pinyon Well Canyon.

A couple of miles walking up the canyon.

A junction, keeping right leads up to Pushawalla Pass, leaving the wash.

View back down Pinyon Well Canyon after taking the old road/trail.

At Pushawalla Pass, a switchback continues south.

Pretty terrain above Pushawalla Pass.

View back as the views get nicer.

Ascending the trail up to the Pushawalla Plateau.


Some lumps of dirt marked on topo maps as Prospects. I didn't find much to see here, but this was where the road/trail ended.

A view toward Little Berdoo Peak in the distance.

Peak 5240, views into the Imperial Valley and some cool clusters of surrounding granite.


Starting along the rim, excellent views around me.

Close-up toward the biggest obstacle of the day, a lump with lots of boulders. I kept to its left to avoid the rockier crest.

View back toward Peak 5240 and the rocky lump.

View back along the rim.

Along the rim, navigating the lumpy terrain. Little Berdoo Peak ahead.

A shot toward the canyons draining away from the Little San Bernardino Mountains into the Imperial Valley.

Looking back along the rim at the interesting landscape.

The dip in the rim, followed by a minor hill along the rim.

View back along the rim.

Little Berdoo Peak ahead.

Another shot back along the rim.


Nearing the summit of Little Berdoo Peak.

Little Berdoo Peak, view back along the rim.

Little Berdoo Peak, view toward the Salton Sea.

Onward to Bernard Peak and Peak 5425, the two darker lumps on the right.

A social trail led most of the way to both peaks.

View back toward Little Berdoo Peak.

Approaching Bernard Peak.

Bernard Peak, view toward Peak 5425.

Peak 5425, view back toward Bernard Peak (left) and Little Berdoo Peak (right).

A view down at the ridge descent I chose.

View back up at the initial drop along the ridgeline.

Close-up at the descent to come.

View back again, farther down. It's a pleasant enough descent, but much steeper than the ascent earlier using the trail.

Continuing my descent along the ridge crest.

Another shot back, Peak 5425 top left.

The final drop from the ridge into the wash below.

This section was more steep and rocky, but only lasted a few hundred feet and then I was in the wash below.

Within the wash, view back toward the descent slope. From here I exited the wash and hiked along the foothills to return to the Geology Tour Road.
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