San Gorgonio Wilderness

Backpacking the San Gorgonio Wilderness

Backpacking is not a hobby for the faint of heart, and backpacking in the mountains, even more so.  In the last few days, I had the experience of taking my first backpacking trip: into the heart of the San Gorgonio Wilderness.  This post will be different than most in that it will give detailed information about my journey in the forest.    

Day 1:  Monday, August 27th, 2012   

6:20 am PST:  What! My alarm did not go off at 6!  I guess I forgot to turn it on.  My sister wakes me up, tells me the big day is here.  

6:45am: I put final things into pack, like water and food. 

7:10 am: Mom begins cooking breakfast for us. We eat a hearty meal of Spam, eggs, juice, fruit, milk, and bread.   

8:20 am: Say our morning prayer together, and pray for a safe journey. 

8:34 am: Leave home.

10:06 am: Arrive at South Fork Trailhead in the San Bernardino National Forest, only about four cars in the enormous parking lot, guess hiking on a weekday cuts down on crowds!   

10:35 am: Our friends who will be hiking with us arrive.  Some confusion between on directions, not a hard thing to do. 

10:46 am: Leave the trailhead (6,880), and begin our hike .  Sunny skies, not a cloud, with a small breeze, and a temperature at around 70F. 

11:30 am: Arrive at Horse Meadows (7,300'), 1.5 miles from the start.

12:30 pm: Arrive at Poop-out Hill (7,740'), 2.4 miles for the start. 

1:05 pm: I begin charging off about 1000' in front of my group alone, and hear some rustling in the bushes, I look and I see something running towards me.  What is it?   A BLACK BEAR CUB!   Wow! what a treat, but I stand almost paralyzed with the mantra ringing in my head: "Where the baby is, the mother will be close by."  I walkie-talkie our group leader:

"We have a bear sighting, repeat, we have a bear sighting, over"  

 He responds, " Are you safe?"  

I respond, " I think so, it was a baby cub, and I afraid the mother is close by."

He says: "Ok, why don't you slowly start making it back over towards out group"  

"Ok",  I say. 

I made it back to the group in one piece :-)  

2:02 pm: We make it to South Fork Meadows (8,200'), 4.5 miles from the start with a 1,500' gain.  All six of us begin eating our lunches. 

3:11 pm: after a long break and lunch, we begin our charge up the steep mountain side towards Dry Lake, and the part of the hike all are not looking forward to.  (FYI: This was everyone's 2nd time on this trail)

5:50 pm:  Dry Lake! (9,079')  7 miles from start and 2,300' of gain.   Mostly a marsh, nothing like last year, but I have seen much, much drier pictures of this little lake.  Boy, the 20 mallards are sure having fun!   No frogs seen today. 

 

5:55 pm: Arrive at Dry Lake Camp, only about 8 campers, them plus 2 other coming down near South Fork Meadows, make only 10 people seen all day.  We attempt to collect water at Lodgepole Spring, for our summit climb tomorrow morning, but we have trouble locating the spring, and after 20 minutes of searching, I ask the campers where they get their water.  They showed us the correct way to Lodgepole Spring. 

6:30 pm:  We begin collecting water from the small stream, fed by Lodgepole spring.  Our friends have two water filtration pumps, and we are using those and some tablets. 

7:00 pm: Finish collecting water, and begin hiking up the trail towards out destination: Trail Flats Campground.  We worry about hiking in the dark.  We figure we have about one hour of usable daylight left, but with 1.5 miles, a 600' gain, our backpacks filled with tomorrow's water, this altitude, and empty stomachs, we know we will be walking in the blackness. 

8:00 pm: A beautiful sunset at 9,350' in a classic sub-alpine region, in front of San Gorgonio Mountain, Jepson Peak, and Charlton  and Little Charlton peaks. Hikers (except me foolishly), put on sweaters, and zip up pant bottoms to cover legs.  Temperature is brisk at around 64 F, maybe as low at 60F.  Winds calm. 

8:30 pm.  Pitch black sky, only people since Dry Lake, winds are dead,  and the bouldery trail steepens as we bench 9,450'.  Our headlights and flashlights are on.  We check the map to see how much further we have to go.  

9:10pm: Fatigued and starved, we reach Trail Flats Campground at 9,600', 9 miles from the start and 2,900' of elevation gain.   We are the only campers there, a little scary....   

Weather:  Calm winds, 58F.   I put on pants, and put on my only other layer, a light flannel button-up. 

9:15 pm: We start setting up our campsite on the sandy ground, after that we prepare our dinner.... a cold baguette, bacon, Cup o' Noodles, and some cheese.   At this point, some are so hungry, they are not even hungry anymore, just nauseous and tired.   One or two mechanically eat, forcing food into their mouth.   

10:06 pm:  We hit the hay at Trail Flats.  Or should I say sand.   We say our night-time prayers together, and try to sleep. The beginning of a long night.....    

Winds up to 5 MPH, with a brisk temp at maybe 52F. 

10:45-11:20 pm:  I am in a bivvy sack which is only 8 oz heavy, (not a sleeping bag), and I turn over on my side and notice a chill in my leg.  So, I turn onto my back, and immediately the chill is sent throughout my body, and my entire body begins shaking uncontrollably.  My teeth are chattering, I feel colder than I ever have, as well as feeling very nauseous, and thirsty. It is hard to say things at one time.  I wake my dad, and he gives me one of his jackets.  My younger sister goes to wake our hiking leader.  He rushes over to see what the commotion is all about.  He gives me some encouraging words, and is an indispensable help! I layer up, take a sleeping bag liner, and open a space blanket to cover myself, and my family is praying for me.  I start feeling better.   

Day 2:  Tuesday, August 28th, 2012

1:10 am:  The man, who is sleeping outside of a tent, gave up his tarp to put over our tent, to retain our body heat, since we left our rainfly at home. I thank him and I try to get some rest. We have long way until morning.....

4:20 am:  After almost no sleep during the past few hours, I suddenly become extremely nauseated, and I leave the fragile warmth of my tent, to walk around in the dark forest.   Wow!  the stars are great, and the almost full moon is a gift from God.  I notice a small change in the temperature, it seems a bit warmer, we attribute this benefit to Our Lady.   As I try to feel better outside my sleepless family prays the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for me.  I feel better.

5:30 am: I awaken to see some purple light outside, but it was still too cold to go outside.

6: 15 am: Our food is taken down from the bear bag in the Lodgepole Pine and we discuss the day's plan.  After careful consideration, we agree that summiting San Gorgonio Mountain is too much for us, and we plan coming back next year, adding an extra night.  

7:20 am:  My family's campsite is taken down, and we pull out our breakfast, hard energy bars and some powdered milk. 

9:00 am: We begin our morning prayers, the readings, and daily meditation, then proceed out of our campsite.  Few clouds, light winds. Temp: high 50's/low 60's

  

10:00 am: Reach Dry Lake.  Only one frog to catch. We took our time, since we are now in no rush, and we had some first aid issues.  It was lots of fun!  

  

10:45 am:  Start the Dry Lake switchbacks down to South Fork Meadows.   30% thundercloud cover

11:30 am: Reach South Fork Meadows, and set up for lunch, for my family, a bagel, bacon, and cheese.  We spend our time eating, talking and exploring the river, then one of us gets terrible altitude sickness.  Temperature: 65 F with 50% cloud cover

12:45 pm: We leave the meadows and Santa Ana River, and proceed at a very slow pace for our sick friend.  

3:00 pm, reach Poop-out Hill, to take a break, and notice the wind is a bit stronger, and the sky is nearly all gray.  With gray skies, a light monsoon sprinkle falls on us for about 20 minutes.  A nice surprise! 

3:40 pm: My sister and I reach the Trailhead.  Temperature: 65 F, 90% cloud cover.   The sprinkles are over. Take video of a Woodpecker. 

3:53 pm: Get in car and drive down the mountain to eat at Sizzler in Redlands with our friends.   Temperature change?  110F and humid in Redlands!!       

6:30 pm: Get home. 

Total stats:

Miles: 14

Elevation Gain: 2,800' 

Highest Point reached: 9680' (Trail Flats Campground) 

Number of people in group: 6

All in all, an amazing sampler of backpacking in Southern California!   I certainly learned many lessons, such as to bring a rainfly, a sleeping bag, a portable stove, more clothing, and more importantly, to rely on God and prayer more, instead of myself and my strength, to get me through tough times.    

 We have already planned out next year's trip:   Day 1 to Trail Flats, Day 2 to summit and back to sleep, and Day 3 Trail Flats down to trailhead.         

Thanks to Almighty God for all the goodness He bears through His mighty hands, His comfort, and the people He sends in our lives as friends. Blessed be God Forever!    Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us!   Saint Monica, Saint Augustine, Blessed Junipero Serra, and Blessed John Paul II, Pray for us!!! 

This was a hike I shall certainly never forget.