Cathedral Peak Hike

Tough tough tough, and not just saying that because I found it difficult. It is doable, just have the right gear and know what you are doing.
Parking: no passes required, side of the road, all the way up Tunnel Rd.
Bathrooms: none.
Gear: gloves might be helpful but not necessary. The correct footwear definite.
Water: ~2−4L I packed about ready for a 10 mile hike, thank God.
From the parking: take the path to the right, and then through the gates.
The trail is not as clear as other trails, and it is easy to head off onto the Inspiration trail. The key is staying to the right at the river (dried out) crossing. The Inspiration trail will clearly go off on your left. Just go a bit to the right and then look up the mountain and you’ll see a small path sort of beaten down.
Follow the trail up, use your god-​given smarts, and you should eventually find yourself to the major boulders. This first path up is not marked, although there are some markers left by previous hikers. Once you are up in the boulders though, you want to keep an eye out for some red dots, and stacked rocks. They can be faint, and they are easier seen going down than going up.
The hike is short in length, but the amount of climbing stretches out the time significantly. You are exposed to the elements, will get scratched, and might rip something, but its all comes with the territory, and is totally worth it.
Happy Hiking!
Helpful:

Grueling journey in the sense that it’s difficult to find the correct trail but if you read around there are decent instructions online. You have to finagle your way through parts of the hike because there are breaks in the rocks that are either too difficult to summit or too narrow to climb through. Expect to get cut, it definitely happens. Once you reach the peak you’ll see everything and it’s really special coming back down because you realize how high up you reached.
Getting back is tricky but if you hop a few boulders you’ll find a trail of some sorts. I stumbled upon a dirt trail that led eventually to the real trail. There is significant confusion after the exhaustion.
It’s a good time.

Moved to the area a month ago from Pasadena and thought the area would be a move down in trail and peak areas and accessibility, couldn’t have been more wrong. I’ve climbed a lot of peaks in the San Gabriels, the Sierras, the Cascades, Colorado and all over and this is one of the most testing outside of pure rock climbing.
Went with three guys from work and wanted a workout and some exposure to my new area, got it in spades. Not a long hike but HARD! You will know you have done something with your day after you get done tagging this one. Go forward and conquer… with pants and lots of hydration and a good head because you will backtrack a few times unless you are super lucky or just driven to always move forward regardless.
4 – 5 miles, 3 hrs+ You have been given your assignment should you choose to accept it.

I hiked this today and have to say that Cathedral Peak is an exhilarating experience and a true mental and physical challenge. Like the other Mission Canyon hikes, the terrain is gorgeous – like walking through a lesson book on the geological and botanical history of this area. There are grand sandstone formations and plenty of Manzanita trees here (one of the rarest trees in the world). The peak is just over 3300 vertical feet and you climb this in about 2 – 3 miles. That is to say, you gain elevation quickly, mostly on steep primitive single track trails and by climbing straight up boulders.
This trail is totally unmarked, fragmented and easy to get lost on. You’ll be on a trail and then have to know to look for a vertical wall of rocks to climb instead of continuing up the path. Most people recommend doing this with someone who’s hiked it before on your first attempt. Here’s how to find it: begin at the end of Tunnel Road. Walk up the paved road about a mile until you get to the dirt trail head. Proceed uphill for a few minutes and take the trail junction on your left. It drops you down into mission creek. Cross the water, head right. Climb a few rocks and look for a small, steep trail on your left hand side. You take this all the way up, veering left at every junction.
Eventually the trail opens up in a bouldering area and you’ll be scrambling all the way up to the peak over rocks that are sometimes 6 feet high. This hike is strenuous, but very manageable. Just be sure to bring an equally fit buddy with you. Slips are absolutely consequential and if you make a misstep, you could very well injure yourself. If you hike in shorts like me, you probably won’t get through this one without some bloodshed. So prepare yourself for cuts and bruises. It’s easy to sustain minor injuries and if you lose your footing on a rock, you’ll be paying the price. You just can’t let it happen at all! The way down is challenging too, since you’re bouldering much of the way back on possibly tired legs. It’s easy to get clumsy. The mental challenge here is staying sharp and focused throughout the hike.
Supply yourself with adequately tractioned shoes, plenty of water, and maybe even a few band aids. Otherwise, this is an absolutely awesome hike and you’ll really feel a sense of accomplishment for completing it.