At 11,503 feet, San Gorgonio is higher and more rugged than Mt. Baldy. The trail from Vivian Creek to the summit was hard to follow in a few places, when scattered snow covered the route. That being said, the majority of the trail itself is more or less runnable, not too rocky and not too steep. The first two miles are probably the steepest. Permits are required, and the ranger checked ours half way up the trail. You can get your permit by fax here: http://www.sgwa.org/trails2.htm
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| Entering the National Park |
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| In the Forrest |
It was 47 degrees under a clear blue sky at 8am when we set off, and I decided not to bring anything other than a hydration pack -- no gloves and no jacket. That was probably a mistake. While we had excellent weather, the ranger pointed out that the low temperature at the summit had been 20 degrees the night before, and that the weather can change quickly at higher altitudes. The cold can combine with wind to make things very unpleasant. Next time, I will take my trash bag jacket, even if the weather seems perfect. But this time, we had no troubles at all.
All that being said, we had a great day in the mountains. The views were wonderful. We didn't push too hard, and it took just under four hours to get to the Summit, just over two hours to get back down to the car.
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| Dave looks way too fresh at 10,000 feet |
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| Snow Field at the Summit |
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| Summit Sign |
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| The Summit |
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| Looking East from the Summit |
