Top Of Saddleback Mount (Santiago Peak)

This by weekend, I had the adventure to larn to the top of Saddleback Mountain amongst a buddy from piece of occupation who wanted to hike to the top of Saddleback Mountain. The autumn weather condition was perfect as well as at the top of Saddleback Mountain (Santiago Peak) at that spot was visibility for to a greater extent than than lx miles inwards all directions. Santiago Peak sits at an elevation of 5,687 feet as well as is the tallest signal inwards the Santa Ana Mountains. I own got hiked to the top of Saddleback Mountain a full of v times as well as it remains ane of Orange County's must produce hikes. For to a greater extent than pictures of the hike brand certain to cheque out our Facebook Page.

Directions to Trailhead: Via the Holy Jim route to the top of Saddleback: From Cooks corner accept Live Oak Canyon Road heading toward O'Neil Regional Park. Keep going until yous overstep Trabuco Creek, later which brand a left as well as caput upward Trabuco Canyon Road (a bumpy dirt road), if yous give-up the ghost on going on Live Oak Canyon Road yous volition come across the dorsum of Rancho Santa Margarita as well as own got gone likewise far. You volition gain the parking lot as well as trailhead inwards unopen to 4.5 miles on the dirt route (You volition cross Trabuco Creek several times), the trailhead parking expanse is but by the volunteer dismiss house. I would recommend a truck amongst proficient clearance equally some parts of the route are a piddling fossil oil as well as I would non utilization this route anytime later heavy rains. H5N1 Forest Adventure Pass is needed to green at the trailhead equally it is located inwards the Cleveland National Forest.

Holy Jim Falls). Make certain to select enough of H2O as well as sunscreen equally this hike tin larn deceptively hot, specially during the summertime months. The trail is good maintained as well as most probable when yous larn yous volition reckon person on the trail. From the split it volition live on almost four miles to the principal separate route where yous brand a left as well as follow the route all the means to the top as well as bask the views. This hike volition live on almost an 8 lx minutes hike for most. It all depends on how long yous bask the views at the top.

Further Thoughts: This hike to the top of Saddleback Mountain was a peachy autumn hike inwards Orange County. There were a fair pose out of people out enjoying the trail as well as heading to the top of Saddleback Mountain. The canyon piece of occupation of the Holy Jim Trail is awesome as well as is a welcomed escape from the urban landscape of Orange County. The canyon is covered inwards dense woodlands (mostly oak trees) as well as fifty-fifty inwards the belatedly autumn at that spot was soundless portions of the flow amongst puddles of water.  On the means upward the mountain, several of the springs also had H2O inwards them equally well.

During moisture years, these springs mightiness live on a house to filter H2O from, nonetheless they should live on considered unreliable sources of water. Bear Springs is located at an elevation of almost 3,900 feet as well as volition live on located on the rights side of the trail earlier yous gain the principal separate road. During the autumn months yous volition discovery a large pose out of acorns inwards this area. Bottom-line is it was overnice to reckon all of the greenish works that was soundless at that spot on the mountain. One of the cool things almost this hike is seeing the sections of pino wood that be inwards the Santa Ana Mountains.

The ane neat affair almost this hike is that for the bulk of the hike yous tin reckon your goal, the top of the mountain. The antennas at the top are visible for most of the hike. Once yous striking the principal separate route as well as yous caput upward the dorsum side of saddleback, yous are rewarded amongst peachy views of the Inland Empire. You tin clearly reckon Mt. San Jacinto, Mt. San Antonio (Mt. Baldy), as well as Mt San Gorgonio (Which is the tallest mount inwards Southern California at 11,501 ft).

On the means upward Saddleback Mountain, nosotros saw a lot of trail runners who were participating inwards a xxx mile race inwards the dorsum country.  Needless to state these long distance runners were inwards amazing shape. Once at the top nosotros enjoyed a celebratory tiffin taking inwards the views of Southern California. There are multiple proficient locations to sit down at the top as well as bask the views. It was a beautiful 24-hour interval amongst peachy visibility for miles inwards all directions. The solely bad affair almost the hike was the large pose out of bugs at the top (lots of gnats).  Make certain to select some type of insect repellent. It took us a full of 8 hours to produce our hike which included stops along the means equally good equally a 45 infinitesimal tiffin at the top of Saddleback Mountain. As ever select your photographic goggle box camera equally the views are breathtaking as well as yous also own got a proficient adventure at seeing wildlife.

Rating: Elevation Gain: 4,000 ft. (Strenuous), Distance: xvi Miles Roundtrip (Strenuous).

Time to Complete Hike: 6.5 - 8.5 hours.

MORE TRAIL WRITE-UPS ON SADDLEBACK MOUNTAIN

July 20, 2008

Oct 20, 2013 (This Post)

View Top of Saddleback Mountain Trail Map (Cleveland National Forest) inwards a larger map
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Memorial Twenty-Four Hr Menstruum Sitton Superlative Hike

On memorial day, Brian together with I went out together with hiked to the overstep of Sitton Peak inwards the Cleveland National Forest. For a exceptional trail write-up on Sitton Peak, click Here.  In our opinion, the hike to Sitton Peak NEVER gets old! Every fourth dimension nosotros see Sitton Peak, nosotros are rewarded with amazing views.  Obviously, the clearer the atmospheric condition is, the amend the views are from upwardly there. This memorial twenty-four hours hike was actually cool, because Brian together with I watched the clouds/marine layer curlicue inwards over the hills during our drive out to the trailhead. From our car, nosotros were thinking that it would probable misting during our our hike because the peak looked similar it was only floating inwards a cloud.  

We started our hike yesteryear the coveted Candy Store (it's a MUST every fourth dimension nosotros hike), only off of Ortega Highway. We proceeded upwardly the Bear Canyon trail together with saw the beautiful trammel flowers that were aligning the trail, which is typical during the trammel inwards this area. Conditions on the hiking trail were only right. We had a skillful bargain of cloud embrace for the bulk of our hike, with the Sun playing peek-a-boo during most of the hike. It was also pretty breezy this twenty-four hours equally well, which is prissy equally y'all brand your means upwards on the trail. The breeze was prissy to maintain the bugs away. After almost three miles of straightaway hiking, Brian together with I arrived at Four Corners together with the decided to kept going to the summit with out our commons halt at the Four Corners area. I intend this hike was i of our faster records, for our fourth dimension to the overstep of Sitton Peak. We reached the summit inwards almost an sixty minutes together with a half. The hike is an out together with dorsum hike that is 10.3 miles with the loop together with has 2,200 feet of elevation gain.

I actually wanted to receive got a minute to pay tribute to the lives lost yesteryear our service members who lay downward their lives for the freedoms nosotros enjoy. I had a scarf that looks similar an American flag, together with then I brought that with me on the hike together with Brian took roughly photographs of the flag beingness raised to a higher house the hilltops of Southern California. After all, nosotros would non move hiking if it weren't for the men together with women who fought for us. We are forever grateful, together with maintain to move grateful for the men together with women who currently serve together with receive got served.  

As Brian together with I finished our fourth dimension on the summit (which nosotros had all to ourselves) nosotros reflected on how many times nosotros receive got done this hike. Between the 2 of us, it's been over 20 times.  I dearest the lizards, the hummingbirds, tarantulas, deer, turkey vultures, together with the wild flowers that we've seen spell doing this hike over the years. This hike is my favorite local hike close Orange County. The hike may move steep, going upwardly that final fiddling flake to the summit, but it's together with then worth it. If y'all larn the direct a opportunity to hike this peak on a foggy/cloudy day, produce it. When y'all are at the summit, it feels similar y'all are flight alongside the clouds. There is something cleansing to the person when the breeze comes over y'all afterward hiking uphill for an hour. Brian together with I receive got ever recommended this equally a skillful hike for those inwards Southern California to do!