This is a beautiful route in the Pacific Coastal Range of California that is extremely popular locally and is in a reserve managed by the University of California, Davis. After a brief flat start there is a steep climb with switchbacks up the majority of the almost 1500 ft elevation gain to the ridge where there are excellent views of California's Sacramento Valley on one side, and Lake Berryessa and the Pacific Coastal Range on the other. The trail travels along the ridge with occasional rock scrambling as it goes up and down over small crests in the ridge.

This loop travels into the heart of the Ansel Adams Wilderness to almost the boundary of Yosemite National Park.  You will have impressive views of Mammoth the Eastern Sierra and the Lyell region of Yosemite.  Part of the loop requires traversing the saddle of Triple Divide Peak from Slab Lakes over to Turner Lake.  It is class 2 terrain and as long as you work your way down to Turner Lake, you can head directly up to the Post Peak Pass Trail where you will gradually descend back to the trailhead at Fernandez.  

**Adding in a description specifically for the Cholla Trail variation. Camelback Mountain is a classic and iconic short and steep summit with Cholla trail on the east side and a slightly shorter Echo trail on the west. Both sides have flatter runnable sections as well as scrambling sections- it’s technical either way. Being in the middle of metropolitan Phoenix you expect heavy traffic from trail users. The Cholla Trail on the east side is 1.4 miles from trailhead to summit with some fun scrambling moves in a few sections near the summit. It’s roughly 1450 ft from trailhead to summit.