Source and Summit Hikes: Mount San Jacinto (10,834') via Aerial Tram

"The Most Sublime Spectacle to be Found Anywhere on this Earth"

, were the words uttered by John Muir looking down from from the summit of San Jacinto Peak. The Pacific Ocean glistens softly in the south, while to the north, the barren shoulders of Mount San Gorgonio rise high and mightily above its namesake pass, 10,000' above. In the west lies the megalopolis of the Inland Empire and the Los Angeles Basin, towered over by Mount San Antonio, and in the east the long trench of the Coachella Valley stretches to the Salton Sea and Mexico. All around the boulder-strewn summit lies a vast expanse of pristine forests and sky-scrapping peaks nearing 11,000'. Indeed, this view deserves that eloquent and lofty quotation which Muir has forever attached to it.

Mount San Jacinto boasts a number of claims: it is the highest peak in the 1000 mile-long Peninsular Range, stretching from the tip of Baja California to the San Gorgonio Pass. It is also the highpoint of Riverside County, one of the nation's most populated. In addition to these privileges, San Jacinto Peak is also the tallest mountain in the desert-surrounded San Jacinto Mountains, which stretches from near Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to Banning. It also claims for itself being in the category of one of the 'Three Saints" of Southern California, the others being San Antonio and San Gorgonio. It is both the thirty-second most prominent peak in North America, and the fourth highest peak in Southern California (after San Gorgonio Mtn., Jepson Peak, and Anderson Peak)

"No Southern California hiker worth his salt would miss climbing 'San Jack' at least once.", affirms legendary Southern California Hiking author John Robinson. It is a climb, indeed even I have pushed too far. This hike is one of, if not my favorite hike in Southern California. There are multiple routes to its exquisite summit, ranging from the Cactus to Clouds Trail starting in Palm Springs, gaining nearly 11,000' in 22 miles (5th single hardest hike in the United States), to the 2500' gain hike from the Mountain Station of the Palm Springs Ariel Tram...and any other combination in between. Choose the starting point: Marion, Seven Pines, Fuller Ridge, Deer Springs, Humber Park? Any trail will be worth the reward found at the zenith of this mountain (a good metaphor for our spiritual battles).

Although the trail I decided to take gets a 8,516' head start, it did not make the ascent of the mountain easy. I did this wondrous hike in two days, spending one night in beautiful Round Valley. All other trails up to the the summit require at least a 4000' gain, and many hours of alpine hiking. Because of my upcoming High Sierra trek and a limited time schedule, I needed a trail which could give me both some more high altitude backpacking experience and a moderately short trail, close to home. Well, what was the one "Saint" in California had I not yet conquered? San Jacinto! So we boarded the Palm Springs Ariel Tram ($22 RT....) and took off from the desert floor to the pine-graced tableland known as Long Valley, which is where the hike formally begins.

Stats:

Category: Strenuous (1 Day), Moderate (2 Days)

Miles: 12

Elevation Gain: 2,500'

Location: San Jacinto State Wilderness, San Jacinto State Park, San Bernardino National Forest, San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains National Monument.

Directions: http://goo.gl/maps/VLcPF

The Trail: From the restaurants, gift shops, and general chaos of a tourist attraction, you immediately descend along a paved walkway 100' into Long Valley and its State Park Ranger Station (get a Wilderness Permit, Day or Overnight, here or get an overnight reserved by mailing in a form found on the state park website). You enter into the State Wilderness and meander about seasonal Long Valley Creek, passing Sugar, Ponderosa and Jeffery Pines as you go. Soon, you will cross the creekbed and climb up some shaded slopes above the canyon and stay on this route for a while. After about 2 miles, the trail's grade lessens and the gurgling water of Long Valley Creek, the song of the Mountain Chickadee and the gentle sways of the White Fir and Lodgepole Pine can all be felt more intently. You pass by a summer-time Corn Lily meadow and some unpleasant State Park bathrooms, until you reach the gentle grasses of Round Valley (9,100'). Here is a small year-long spring (needs filtering) a seasonal Ranger Station (where you must check in if you are camping) and about 30 different campsites. If you go on a weekend, good luck finding one. We took remote Lower Chiquapin Flats.

Whether you are on day one or two at this point, you will return back to the main trail and follow the signage to Wellman Divide, one mile away and 600' higher. After this section, the steepest part of this hike is complete, and you can gaze to the lonely Santa Rosa Mountains and granite-crowned Tahquitz Peak to the south. After taking in your view, take the trail right as it begins a moderate, but long switchback up the eastern side of the San Jacinto Ridge. You pass through bountiful forests, brushy chaparral, and obtain glorious views of the burning desert thousands of feet below you. After about 2 miles on this switchback, you turn at around 10,200', and follow the trail south before it ends at the San Jacinto Divide (10,550'), where you take the Summit Spur Trail 0.3 miles up to the top. On this small part of the hike, a Stone Cabin can be seen, built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930's. From the cabin the trail ends and you turn west and make a few Class 2/3 moves over impressive (and slippery) boulders to the 10,834' summit. Take extreme caution on this final section, as there is highly dangerous possibility of seriously injuring yourself. From the summit, the view is...well...what can I say better than John Muir's? Ah, yes there is a better one...."The view highlights the Creation of Our Lord to every degree! From the riveting summits around , to diversity of alpine tundra and desert scrub, to the achievements He has granted to man in his habitation below, to the smallest bird that chirps, singing praise: I am in awe of Your Love Lord."

Return the way you came. Last tram down is 9:45pm. Don't be late.

Saint Hycinth, Pray for Us!

Hiked 5-30/31-2014. Riverside County Highpoint. Wilderness Permit Required ($5 overnight).