Hog Mountain, Edison Point and Hacker Mountain

Hog Mountain 3120′, Edison Point 1524′, and Hacker Mountain 2331′
Sierra Nevada
Total Time: 3:20
Distance: 6.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 3300′
Crux: Class 1
Trailhead: Edison Point, no services

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Due to a combination of historic winter storms and a new puppy, I had done little to no adventuring in 2023. But after over 2 months, the stars finally seemed to align with a day off, child care, puppy care and sunny skies. I really only had a half day since I needed to drop off and pick up Avery from Grandmas, but had been meaning to explore the foothills around Pine Flat Lake for some time, a number of summits offering good half day objectives. I settled on the near trail less climb of Hog Mountain, with over 1,000′ of prominence and likely to be just below snowline. Driving around the western shore, it was late morning by the time I parked at the Edison Point trailhead, the steep, green slopes of Hog Mountain rising sharply to the northwest.

A forest road is actually at the very start of the ridge and I walked around the shut gate and started up the road as it curved around to the northeast. I quickly hit a spur road that would put me on the ridgeline directly, but was a bit surprised to find a Utility Vehicle parked at the top of the ridge. Every map I had showed this as National Forest Land, although it was still open pasture with many cows around. I had no interest in arguing with a rancher on who’s land I was or wasn’t on, knowing that there were plenty out West that could care less if the land is governmental or not- if they had cattle on it, it was their property. So in an effort to avoid confrontation, I dropped back to the main fire road, followed it another quarter mile, then scrambled up to the ridgeline directly, thinking I would avoid whoever drove the vehicle partway up. Once on the ridgeline, the views really started to open up, with the snowy peaks around Shaver Lake serving as a backdrop to the northern end of the lake.

As I reached a false summit on the ridge, I was surprised to see a group of four in neon vests hiking above, looking to be carrying heavy equipment. Soon after, I found a brand new survey marker installed into a rock outcropping along with a boundary line marker- having obviously just been installed by the foursome up ahead. Realizing they were federal workers and not ranchers, I pressed on with less worry, catching up to them about 15 minutes later. 

“Boy I feel like a sucker hiking up here for fun while you four are getting paid for it!” I said with the confidence of someone who was 95% sure he wasn’t doing anything wrong.

“You’re welcome to help us carry some of this gear,” one responded with a smile. We chatted a bit about the beautiful weather before parting ways as I continued past.

Crossing over another false summit, I reached a barbed wire fence, the summit now in view directly above. Emboldened by the workers heading up the ridge behind me, I went through a gate in the fence and pressed on, now following a ranch road that did look somewhat regularly traveled. A single bald eagle was soaring directly over the summit rocks as I drew closer, the road traversing just west of the summit slopes near a small pond. I left the road and aimed for a high point, hitting the ridgeline a touch too far east necessitating a small amount of bushwacking in just enough snow to get my boots wet. The summit cairn was mostly buried in snow and I poked around briefly for a register before quickly losing interest, wanting to sit down and enjoy the view. To the north and north east were the summits around Shaver Lake, extending from Kaiser Peak to the furthest north to Spanish Mountain over the north fork of the Kings River. From this angle, I could see portions of the North, Middle and South Forks of the Kings River drainage, including the Monarch Divide with Goat Mountain at the far end. Mount Brewer was just high enough to poke above some of the nearer, lower summits, with the Mineral King summits laid out to the south.

After a late lunch, I started back down, dropping cross country to the road a bit more directly. The foursome had dropped their gear on the far side of the barbed wire fence although they were nowhere in sight, probably taking a lunch break themselves. Once on the ridgeline proper I made quick work of the grassy slopes, dropping down all the way to the UTV directly now knowing it belonged to workers above.

Back at the car, it seemed like a no brainer to add on Edison Point. Although no maintained trails went to the summit of the small peak, it was easy cross country through the high grass, taking about 10 minutes from the car and offering fantastic views back up Hog Mountain and the ridgeline I had just climbed.

I was running low on time before I needed to pick up Avery, but thought nearby Hacker Mountain would make for a final quick peak to bag. The legality of this one was a bit murkier- my map also shows it on forest land, although there’s a fence that ends directly at the parking area at the saddle along Maxson road. Keeping well south of the fence, I picked up a fantastic game trail along the ridgeline, which ultimately went to the highpoint. Strangely, I passed another sole hiker, this one wearing Bulwark Pest Control work clothes and carrying a shovel, although telling me he was just out for a hike with the nice weather as well. Odd.

The summit was partially forested although still offered great views of Pine Flat Lake below. It was a bit after 3 PM when I reached the car, taking a series of winding back roads through the foothills back to Highway 168 and to Clovis to pick up Avery before heading home.