As business office of our preparation to hike to the top of Mt. Whitney inwards 2015, nosotros climbed Mt. San Gorgonio via the Vivian Creek Trail. Myself in addition to 2 buddies from work, Bryan in addition to Dustin, made the climb the 2 weekends earlier the Lake Fire broke out inwards that area. H5N1 hike to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio, via the Vivian Creek Trail, is 1 of Southern California's monster hikes in addition to is cracking for preparation for a Mt. Whitney climb. Mt. San Gorgonio, at an elevation of 11,502 feet, is the tallest peak inwards Southern California in addition to is a must create hike for whatsoever Southern California Hiker.
Directions to Trailhead: To larn to the Vivian Creek Trailhead, from Orange County, direct hold the 91 superhighway eastward towards Riverside. Stay on the 91 superhighway which eventually becomes the 215 freeway. The 215 superhighway eventually intersects alongside Interstate 10. At the 215 superhighway in addition to Interstate 10 interchange, direct hold Interstate 10 heading East toward Palm Springs. Exit from interstate 10 on University which is inwards the urban meat of Redlands. Make a left on University in addition to follow University (You volition transcend through Redlands University) until yous run into Highway 38. Make a correct on Highway 38 going toward the San Bernardino Mountains. In several miles yous volition transcend the
Mill Creek Ranger Station (Where yous obtain the additional wilderness permit if yous direct hold non gotten it early), proceed on upwardly into the
San Bernardino National Forest. Several miles transcend the Mill Creek Ranger station, yous volition brand a correct at Forest Falls Road. At the really destination of Forest Falls Road is where the trailhead begins at 6,080 feet. There are several parking lots at the trailhead (A
Forest Adventure Pass is needed every bit good every bit a
Wilderness Permit for the San Gorgornio Wilderness).
Description of Hike: To twenty-four lx minutes menses hike or overnight backpack inwards the San Gorgonio Wilderness, yous must direct hold an additional wilderness permit (The Permit is Free), inwards add-on to the Forest Adventure Pass. You tin
Follow this link for the permit. The link volition straight yous to the wilderness permit application. You tin obtain the additional wilderness permit early on from the Mill Creek Ranger Station which is the easiest way, or yous volition direct hold to halt at the Mill Creek Ranger Station earlier yous move hiking. Each trail has a laid quota for the number of hikers allowed on each hiking trail inwards the San Gorgonio Wilderness in addition to 1 time the quota is reached the National Forest Service does non number to a greater extent than wilderness permits for the hiking trail. That is why nosotros recommend yous larn your wilderness permit early. You tin obtain a permit xc days earlier your hike inwards the San Gorgonio Wilderness. We did consider a ranger checking for permits when nosotros did 1 of our 2 hikes inwards June of 2015.
Mt. San Gorgonio is located inwards the San Gorgonio Wilderness (58,968 Acres). The Vivian Creek Trail is the shortest in addition to steepest road to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio. The full length of the hike is closed to xvi miles roundtrip alongside a 5,600 human foot elevation gain. We used this hike every bit a preparation hike for Mt. Whitney in addition to hiking to the summit inwards 1 day. For those hikers/backpackers looking to bask the sense more, backpacking is the definitely agency to go. Backpacking on the mount in addition to spending multiple days on the mount allows yous the fourth dimension to actually bask the beauty of this hike. Ashley in addition to I would recommend camping ground at the High Creek Camp or the Halfway Camp if yous are going to hold upwardly spending multiple nights on your hike to Mt. San Gorgonio via the Vivian Creek Trail.
One in addition to two-tenths miles from the trailhead is Vivian Creek Camp (7,100 ft.). Campsites are located upwardly gradient to the correct of the trail afterward reaching the stream: 1 is halfway upwardly the slope, in addition to the other is at the top of the gradient (There is no camping ground inside 200 feet of the trail or creek). One in addition to three-tenths miles from Vivian Creek Camp is Halfway Camp (8,100 ft.). Water is obtained from the creek closed to 200 yards earlier camp. Two in addition to three-tenths miles farther is High Creek Camp (9,200 ft.). Water is also available at the high creek camp. The summit of San Gorgonio (11,502 ft) is 3 miles beyond High Creek Camp. For Current Water Conditions on Mt. San Gorgonio in addition to H2O levels inwards the streams click
Here to move to the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association's website.
The Vivian Creek Trail is a really pop hiking trail to direct hold to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio in addition to yous volition probable consider other hikers on the trail every bit good every bit tents inwards the campsites. We saw multiple groups of hikers spell on our 2 hikes inwards June 2015. The trail is good maintained in addition to is unremarkably inwards skillful condition. This hike is really strenuous in addition to alone check hikers should hike to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio. It is a skillful thought to prepare on other hikes inwards preparation for Mt. San Gorgonio. H5N1 listing of skillful preparation hikes is below.
Further Thoughts: Our grouping used this every bit a preparation hike for our upcoming Mt. Whitney hike. We did this hike twice inwards June 2015, only alone made the summit 1 respite of the 2 hikes, due to height issues. Our grouping was amazing to consider how dry out this surface area was. I direct hold been hiking inwards this surface area for a number of years in addition to direct hold never seen the surface area in addition to hence dry, due to the continuing drought inwards Southern California. This is an amazing preparation hike for anyone looking to hike to the top of Mt. Whitney in addition to is 1 of the toughest hikes to create inwards 1 twenty-four lx minutes menses inwards all of Southern California.
We were prepared for the hike alongside enough of H2O in addition to supplies. During our hikes, nosotros had cracking weather, that fifty-fifty bordered on the border of beingness likewise warm on 1 of our 2 hikes. For a bulk of the hike nosotros were rewarded alongside sweeping views of Southern California. One of the steepest portions of the hike to the top of Mt. San Gorgonio on the Vivian Creek Trail is inwards the firstly mile in addition to a one-half afterward yous cross the river close the start of the trailhead. The actually steep subdivision ends 1 time yous attain Vivian Creek Camp. This is ever 1 of the most hard sections of the hike. If yous desire an thought of the electrical current weather condition in addition to conditions of the San Gorgonio Wilderness, click
Here for a alive webcam of Mt. San Gorgonio courtesy of
BigBearWeather.com. During the summertime months, ever hold upwardly on the lookout adult man for thunderstorms. June is unremarkably a fiddling early on for the summertime monsoon season, only anything tin direct identify inwards this area. While on our hikes nosotros had black clouds that developed, only they never turned into thunderstorms.
Most of the year, at that topographic point is enough of H2O to filter along sections of the Vivian Creek Trail. However, during some summertime in addition to autumn months, at that topographic point may non hold upwardly every bit much H2O inwards the springs/streams every bit compared to other years. Water data is provided past times the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association. We filtered our H2O from the creek at high creek camp. It is ever a cracking thought to convey your H2O filter alongside yous on this hike. Everyone from our grouping would attest, the most deceptive business office most this hike is the fake summit that is introduce on the hike. Just scream upwardly when yous appear to hold upwardly getting close the summit, yous direct hold a fiddling fight farther than yous think. Our entire grouping made the summit in addition to spent most an lx minutes at the top soaking inwards the views!
Rating: Elevation Gain: 5,600 ft. (Strenuous), Distance: xvi Miles Roundtrip (Strenuous), Note: hold upwardly on the lookout adult man for Altitude sickness since the meridian of Mt. San Gorgonio is 11,502 ft.
Time to Complete Hike: 7.5 - 10 hours.
Good Training Hikes:
Mt. Baden-Powell,
Mt. San Jacinto,
Saddleback Mountain,
Cucamonga Peak,
Mt. Baldy.
MORE TRAIL WRITE-UPS ON MT. SAN GORGONIO
Description of Hike: To solar daytime hike or overnight backpack inward the San Gorgonio Wilderness, you lot must receive got an additional wilderness permit (The Permit is Free), inward add-on to the Forest Adventure Pass. You can Follow this link for the permit. The link volition straight you lot to the wilderness permit application. You tin obtain the additional wilderness permit early on from the Mill Creek Ranger Station which is the easiest way, or you lot volition receive got to halt at the Mill Creek Ranger Station earlier you lot move hiking. Each trail inward the San Gorgonio Wilderness has a laid quota for the number of hikers allowed on each trail as well as 1 time the quota is reached the Forest Service doesn't number to a greater extent than wilderness permits for the trail. That is why I recommend you lot larn your wilderness permit early on for your hike to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio. You tin obtain a permit upward to ninety days earlier your hike.
From the South Fork Trailhead, you lot receive got the South Fork Hiking Trail which passes past times Horse Meadows as well as and thence crosses into the San Gorgonio Wilderness. The South Fork Trail goes to the South Fork Meadow, where you lot proceed on the South Fork the trail to Dollar Lake. Once you lot larn closed to Dollar Lake, you lot volition consider signs for the Dollar Lake Trail. You tin receive got a brusk side excursion of less than one-half a mile 1 agency to consider Dollar Lake which is located at some 9,300 feet. The side excursion is worth it during moisture years when H2O is inward Dollar Lake. After passing the turnout for Dollar Lake, proceed some other 0.7 miles on the South Fork Trail to Dollar Saddle. Dollar Lake Saddle is located at 9,960 feet as well as in that place is no camping ground or feasible H2O sources past times this point. From Dollar Saddle caput toward the Summit of Mt. San Gorgonio which is some v miles from Dollar Saddle. This department of the hike from Dollar Saddle to the Summit of Mt. San Gorgonio is a steady uphill hike.
Once you lot hike to the top of Mt. San Gorgonio you lot volition render via the Sky High Trail which volition receive got you lot to Dry Lake. From Dry Lake, you lot volition proceed all the agency downwardly dorsum to the South Fork Meadow as well as proceed all the agency dorsum to the Trailhead. There is camping ground available at Dry Lake (Water is available almost twelvemonth circular at Lodge Pole Springs, except during extreme drought years), Trail Flats (No H2O available), Dollar Lake (Water available seasonally from lake as well as a restrict to the extreme southward of the lake, both typically run dry out at some indicate during the year). The South Fork Loop is 1 of the most pop hiking routes to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio for hikers to use. In our sentiment this is the most scenic rout to the top of Mt. San Gorgonio.
It took our grouping merely nether 12 hours to consummate this loop inward 1 day. Our fourth dimension included a 1 sixty minutes remain at the top of Mt. San Gorgonio equally good equally multiple stops along the way. To actually taste this hike, it would hold upward recommended to dissever this hike upward into a twosome of days. Fit hikers volition hold upward able to create this hike inward 1 day, even thence it is to a greater extent than enjoyable dissever upward into multiple days.
There are several points of involvement along this hike where you lot tin receive got cracking pictures and/or views, notably Poop Out Hill merely earlier the wilderness entrance, Dollar Lake, the Summit, Dry Lake, as well as the plane wreckage along the Sky High Trail. On the Sky High Trail you lot volition notice an plane wreck from 1953, where a armed services story crashed into the side of Mt. San Gorgonio during a snowfall storm. Most of the wreckage is silent in that place as well as sadly everyone on the story was lost.