KERNVILLE, Calif. (KERO) — A five mile trek to the top of Powers Peak is how some locals start the new year on a high note.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The morning of New Year's Day, several groups of residents met at the Cannel Meadows trailhead to start the year off with a ten mile hike.
Justin Powers is one of those residentsm, saying he picked up the tradition from other locals. And he has a unique connection with the hike.
“For my family it is fairly meaningful because the mountain was named after my grandfather so probably about 5 or six years ago we adopted that tradition so we started hiking Powers Peak every January first to just start out the new year, just get outside, get to enjoy the beautiful valley,” said Powers.
The mountain was officially named Powers Peak in 2008 in honor of Bob Powers.
Bob Powers was born in 1924 and is best known for writing nine books about distinct aspects of Kern Valley History.
“Oftentimes landmarks are named after people with a lot of land or a lot of wealth and that wasn’t the case with Bob. It was just that he had put his life’s work into preserving, maintaining and sharing the history of the valley.”
And in 2025 the mountain that now bears his name was summited for the first time by a new generation of Powers.
“In the past had to leave the kid at home.”
But for the first time Justin brought them along on the five mile hike to the top of Powers Peak.
“It’s been really great to let them come up here, and see the mountain and see the view. They can see the valley we live inf from a different perspective.”
Justin getting to show them the see the plaque helped installed at the summit honoring their great-grandfather.
And sign the registry at the top, already showing the signatures of several people from earlier that day
“It’s really great, every year we see more and more people coming up here and enjoying the view and enjoying the hike.”
And take a break after a long hike.
“It’s strenuous, it's all uphill.”
Yes it;s difficult, but for those who made the trek, were rewarded with quite view to start off new year
“There’s not really anyway you can see the valley from this type of perspective.”
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