San Gorgonio Wilderness

[Vtec44]

Has anyone been there? What's the main "attraction" as far as a day hike to the area? I'm planning to do a quick day hike with a couple of buddies, since it is about 20 minutes from my house in Fontana. The Mill Creek Ranger Station opens at 8am, but we'll get there earlier to get ourselves some self-issue permits. You'll also need an Adventure Pass to park your car at a trial head.

The San Gorgonio Wilderness Association's website.

MILL CREEK RANGER STATION
34701 Mill Creek Rd.
Mentone, CA 92359
(909) 382-2881

[NEJ]

Those high peaks you see south and above Big Bear? That's the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Mill Creek is the canyon that forms the south boundary and there is a trail up to the top of San Gorgonio (Grayback) from Mill Creek and Forest Falls. San Gorgonio is the highest peak in SoCal with San Jacinto 2 and Baldy (San Antonio) 3.

The better access to Grayback is from the north at Barton Flats, Jenks Lake and Poop-out Hill. It is a summer hiking area because of the elevation. I have backpacked in to Dollar Lake then done the summit as a day hike and back out, but summer day hikes from Mill Creek can be made for the young and healthy. It is 14 miles and 5,300' gain and loss. Very steep, but not as bad as some.

I recommend a great book called San Bernardino Mountain Trails by John Robinson. In this book he describes 100 hikes in the San Bernardino, San Jacinto, and Santa Rosa Mountains.

NJ

[Vtec44]

What do you know, the book is available on Amazon for $13.

[Cyanide41]

James, I have wanted to climb San G for some time. I like Nej's game plan. Obviously we would have to give it a few months. My parents live in East Berdoo/west highland.

[Vtec44]

Hmm... what do you have in mind?

[Cyanide41]

I like the idea of backpacking in, establishing a base camp and then doing a day hike to the top.

[Vtec44]

From what I heard, overnight permit is very popular so it may tough to get for everyone. Plus, I've never been there so I don't know what to expect. We can do a day hike(s) there to checkout the area before we make a trip to the top.

[NEJ]

Dollar Lake is a great camp spot. There are marked sites and places to camp. The lake itself is a good water source if you have a filter pump. It is seven miles? in to Dollar Lake. Then you get up early the next morning and go the top and back where you grab your packs and head out, all down hill.

NJ

[Vtec44]

Boundary map of the San Gorgonio Wilderness can be seen here

http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?...116.72&zoom=11

I may just take a quick hike in the area this weekend.

[NEJ]

Take your snow shoes, because post-holing around in the wilderness is a strenuous adventure. That is a great map. If the photo was recent it would be all white.

NJ