48 min
Overview
The fact that San Gorgonio Mountain is the tallest peak in Southern California (11,502 feet) is reason enough to hike it – the breathtaking 360 degree vistas and stunning alpine scenery along the way are icing on the cake. This trip follows the South Fork Trail, approaching the peak from the north. It is longer than other approaches, but has a relatively gradual elevation gain. This trail also passes through Dry Lake, which is a great place to camp if you want to make this into a 2-day backpack (highly recommended). *** Additional Red Tape *** This hike is almost completely within the boundaries of the San Gorgonio Wilderness, and a Wilderness Permit is required. Wilderness Permits are free, and can be obtained at the Mill Creek Ranger Station on the way in. Day Hike and Overnight Permits can be found here, and should be faxed in no later than 72 hours before your trip (the office is closed holidays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays). Some trails and camps do reach their quotas, especially in the summer, so plan ahead. The Mill Creek Ranger Station accepts permit requests up to 90 days before the trip. If you are camping (or just planning to filter creek water), it is also wise to check the snow and water levels and bear activities along the various trails in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. The San Gorgonio Wilderness Association maintains a well-updated web site for all of this information. San Gorgonio Mountain was the site of my first backpacking experience. That trip, ascending on the Fish Creek Trail, was ill-fated for many reasons – mostly due to our lack of general preparedness and a bout of altitude sickness. We didn’t get to summit then, so I was determined to correct that on this try. On this trip, I was accompanied by Kolby from 100 Hikes and the very entertaining new hiking-blogging team behind What Would Ed Do, and after getting all of our gear into the car, driving up, and hanging out at Jenks Lake for a bit to get used to the higher elevation, we hoisted our packs on at the South Fork Station and started th
Trail Stats
39.4 km
1404 m
3508 m
2074 m
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