Climbing Mount Pinos from village of Pine Mountain Club in Southern California is a journey high into the serene Jeffrey pine and white fir forests of the Los Padres National Forest, culminating in panoramic views from near the region's highest paved point. After a short approach on Cuddy Valley Road, you'll turn onto Mount Pinos Road for the main ascent. Prepare for a challenging climb of approximately 10-11.5 miles, gaining around 3,300-3,500 ft to reach the road's end near the Condor Observation Site at about 8,550 ft (the actual summit of Mt. Pinos at 8,847 ft is a short hike beyond). You'll experience a steady and often relentless gradient averaging around 6%, with the steepest sustained mile pushing near 8.5% and ramps occasionally hitting 10%, demanding a solid effort at increasingly high altitude. Along the way you'll enjoy the peaceful forest environment with key challenges being the sustained climbing and the very high altitude.