Mt San GorgonioMt San Gorgonio Peak, the highest point in the San Bernardino mountains, is 3,505 meters high. The hike to the summit is a strenuous 12km.Directions from the Bay AreaTake US-101 S. for 33 kmTake the CA-152 EAST exit and turn left Drive east 65 km Take the I-5 ramp south towards LOS ANGELES. Drive south on I-5 for 390 km Take I-210 EAST RAMP towards PASADENA Drive east 77 km Take I-10 ramp EAST towards SAN BERNARDINO/LOS ANGELES. Drive east 57 km Take the highway 38 exit in Redlands and proceed east about 20km Turn right into Valley of Falls drive and go till the end (about 7km) Total is about 600kms from San Jose to the parking lot. Trail descriptionThe shortest way to the top of Mt San Gorgonio is the Vivian Creek trail. The trailhead is at the end of Valley of Falls drive (turn east off hwy 38 to Forest Falls and continue to the end of the road). You start at a little less than 2000 meters. After a short while you cross the creek and start hiking vertical up the hill. The first stretch is very steep, to Vivian Creek Trail camp (2kms, 2300m). Halfway Camp is next (2kms, 2500m, 1.5 hours) Highcreek Camp is next (3kms, 3000m, 1hr). The summit is 5kms past Highcreek Camp. First you go up very long switchbacks on the shady side of the hill. At the top of these switchbacks, before you turn left to climb the other side of the same mountain, there is a stunning view of San Jacinto, Palm Springs, etc. You don't see the summit until almost the very end, but now you see the general direction where the summit is. Then you start ascending straight along a gravely and rocky trail on the south side. This takes you to the junction with the trail that comes from Dollar Lake. When you reach that junction, you are 0.5 km from the summit. At the junction with the trail from Dollar Lake, bear right. The total elevation gain is 1650 meters. Coming down is not easy, as the trail is steep and rocky; very hard on your muscles and knees.The trail is fairly uneventful. There are no lakes or major creeks or waterfalls, and almost no fauna. Contrary to what your favorite guidebooks says, the view from the top is only so so. The hike is not difficult. What makes it difficult is the bureaucracy. As of 2010, you need a permit to hike (yes, even for a day hike) and you need an "adventure pass" to park your car. The latter is relatively easy to obtain (unless you arrive really late) because it is sold in sport stores, markets, etc. The permit is the usual national-forest nightmare: you have to print a form, mail it and wait for a reply (that might take up to seven days). In the process a few trees have to be cut to make all this paper, and a few kgs of carbon dioxide are produced to deliver your form to them and their reply to you (and to run the A/C in the offices where your form is processed, stored and eventually burned). All paid with your tax money. All in the interest of "protecting the forest" :-)
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Links:San Gorgonio websiteNational Parks California State Parks Weather forecast Trail conditions CampingBarton Flats campground is the first campground on highway 38 that you find coming from highway 10. It is very far from the ranger station and from the Valley of the Falls turnoff that leads to Vivian Creek trail, but it is close to the South Fork trailhead. It is very expensive ($25 in 2010). Near the Vivian Creek trailhead (on Valley of the Falls drive) there are motels, but no campground.Forest camping PermitsPermits are required for one-day hiking. You can get them from the ranger station at 34701 Mill Creek Rd (i.e., highway 38) when they open at 6:30 (summer hours). To get there, drive east on I-10, take the Alabama exit, turn left, turn tight into Lugonia, drive approximately 18 kms to the ranger station. The ranger station is a few kms before the turnoff to Valley of the Falls, the road for Vivian Creek Trail. Another trail to the top is the South Fork (much longer), in which case it is better to get the permit from the visitor information center near the Barton Flats campground, about 20 kms further up highway 38 . |