What Kokitac Saw, aka The God’s Eye Hike

This week’s journey takes us to the far away land of San Bernardino - ooh, aww - more specifically the San Bernardino forest, more more specifically, Big Bear. Here I am, on a quest you might say - a vision quest, which would be appropriate when you consider what I’m chasing. On this adventure I am looking for an outcropping of quartz crystal, but not just any outcropping: one shrouded in local legend and mystery, a true natural wonder, seldom seen and almost entirely forgotten except to those who seek it. Tantalizing, no? You bet your ass it is.

Our journey begins in the High Desert, Victorville to be exact. From here we jump on Bear Valley Road which can be accessed from the I15 freeway. We take Bear Valley Road  all the way until it ends at Highway 18. From here you want to turn right onto Highway 18 towards Big Bear. You will be on this road for a while. It’s a pretty straight shot through Lucerne, and on your left you will get a close-up of some pretty awesome rocks and ranches but not too much else. It’s not a long drive and the traffic is very light.

After a short while you will find yourself entering into the San Bernardino National Forest. If you’re not the type who enjoys a twisty turny drive through the mountain switchbacks, then screw you. No jk jk but there are quite a few that would turn the more sensitive stomach, so adventurer be warned.

I should also make one thing clear: there is no “God’s Eye” hike. If you try to google it, you will most likely find various blogs detailing a short drive down a forest access road. Blah blah blah - boring right? I have taken it upon myself to jazz it up, and believe me it’s much, much better.

So you’re twisting and turning through the San Bernardino Mountains when you come upon a sign informing you that you have reached an elevation of 6000 feet. This is your Almost There Indicator. As I mentioned before, this is not a real hike; I made it up. There won’t be any signs to tell you you are there, but just keep your eyes peeled. You are looking for a call box and a tree.

The call box will be on the right side of the road. 

The tree will be at the back of a big dirt lot on the left side of the road.

That’s where you want to park: near that tree in that big lot.

Yeah, that’s nice. Now it’s gonna look like just a field in front of you. Go into that field. If you have good eyes you will have already seen it. If you don't have good eyes, just walk straight forward. And get some glasses for gods sake.

This post is what you’re looking for. This little guy will confirm that you have just joined the thousands of adventure-bound hippies to have travelled on the Pacific Crest Trail, aka the PCT. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, the Pacific Crest Trail is the mother of all trails from the top of Mexico to the bottom of Canada. 

For our purposes this will be our road to Kokitat.

Before the gold rush that brought prospectors to the San Bernardinos, the valley found at the top of the mountain was home to the Serranos. 

Unfortunately, much of the Serrano culture has been lost since many of the Serrano died due to disease while others scattered into more remote areas to escape the settlers. As such, their rich oral tradition has dwindled almost into oblivion.this is the story of Kokitat as I have come to know it.

In the beginning there were twin gods: Pakroki-tat and Kokitat. Both were the creators of man, but they disagreed as to what form man should take. Pakroki-tat thought that man should have two faces - one in the front and one in the back. Pakroki-tat also thought that man should have webbed fingers so that the things he held would not slip through his hands. Kokitat disagreed and the brothers fought endlessly over which was the right way to create man.

Finally, Pakroki-tat grew tired of his brother and left the earth forever, leaving Kokitat to create man as he saw fit, so he created man as we exist today. ButKokitat was a mischevious god. He divided man up and created different language barriers, thus making it impossible for man to communicate, which ultimately resulted in war. 

The people that Kokitat created eventually grew tired of his mischief and decided that it was time for him to go. It is unclear who was tasked with killing Kokitat, some say that Frog was tasked to poison him; others say that it was Woodpecker who bewitched him. Whomever it was, Kokitac eventually fell ill and began to die.

Realizing that death was upon him, Kokitat gave instructions for his body to be cremated. And also to not let Coyote eat his body, ‘cause you know, fuck Coyote.

The people that Kokitac created brought his body to the top of a high hill overlooking the valley where he spent his final days and died. Per his instructions, his body was cremated, but not before Coyote snuck in and stole his heart to eat later. Fucking coyote.

As per their tradition, after three days had passed the men washed away the hillside, spreading his ashes throughout the valley. Legend tells us that that is why there is so much variety of plant life on this particular part of the mountain.

When all the ashes were washed away all that remained of Kokitat were the crystals that made up his eyes, set on the hill top to forever watch over the Serrano and the valley.

In the early 1800’s the gold rush caught up with the Serrano. Prospectors believed that certain formations of quartz crystal displaying particular veins of color were good indicators that there were gold deposits beneath the quartz, and when they happened upon the “Eye of Kokitat” they could not resist. They dynamited the deposit, in search of what may lay beneath.

The trail is beautiful, 

so full of color and variety. 

The legend of Kokitat and the story of the settlers spins through my mind over and over, until finally I turn a corner and see the road that I was supposed to take to get here.

My eyes scan the hillside and I see it peeking through the trees. It’s the eye of Kokitat.

I can’t see any direct path; the road curves around and disappears behind trees to the north. I could follow it, but I’m too excited. So I charge the hill.

The hillside is littered with quartz, some the size of pennies, some the size of my head. I start to trot; my footsteps are clumsy and hard. Could this be the way that the prospectors came?

The hillside becomes steeper and I test my balance and agility; I’m moving faster now. Is this the way coyote came?

Finally I reach the top.

It’s amazing.

No sign of gold, but a man could make his fortune with the quartz alone. God knows there is room enough in my pack, but I didn’t come here for treasure. I came to see how a God chose to spend his last days on the earth, to lay where he laid, and see what Kokitat saw:

The last sight seen by the God of man and mischief.

the end.