| Peak | San Gorgonio |
|---|---|
| Group | N/A |
| Trailhead | Vivian Creek |
San Gorgonio was a rough one for me. I was SO unprepared for this hike… my friend and I started this hike at 4:30 am because we wanted to get a jump on the day and not finish super late, knowing this hike was 18 miles. However I did NOT dress appropriately… all the other hikes on the six peak challenge were quite warm… and I did not think this one through. I wore shorts and a workout half zip Nike for a jacket… and when we started out it was below freezing weather. At the time I didn’t know that though, I only knew that it was VERY cold, but I figured I would warm up shortly after we started. Boy was I wrong… my legs were pretty much icicles the entire way up… my fingers and my head were also freezing the whole way up… to the point where my friend and I were getting a little nervous about getting sick. My joints were so stiff and never warmed up, and later this would my downfall. Thankfully in the beginning it was so dark and so cold that I didn’t suffer too much because I couldn’t tell how steep it was. Then there were some really pleasant and mellow parts with nice long grass and pretty trees… I’d say the last two miles were some of the most difficult because we could really feel the altitude and it was quite exhausting. Meanwhile, I had never really gotten warm from the hike. On the way down my muscles and joints really started to ache, which I think was partly because they never warmed up in the first half of the hike. Unfortunately, the last 2 miles of the hike going downhill was some of the worst moments ever for me. My knee joints were aching SO terribly bad that it took me an hour to get down the last mile of the hike. I had to stop and wrap my legs with my jacket to add some pressure in hopes that it would help. I learned some valuable lessons about dressing appropriately and also to always be prepared with an ace bandage and medical tape. By the time I reached the car I couldn’t wait to go home and ice my knees. But I felt so accomplished finishing the 6 peak challenge!
Amber, oh I feel for you! I did Gorgonio a week before I ended up summiting a day before you did, and even though I prepared best I could, I got sick on the way, started late, took too many breaks cause me and fellow hiker felt so bad at elev. We had to turn back after most of the upper switchbacks did us in and it was 3 pm. I started earlier and went as fast as I could this 2nd time, being sure to top off liquids at High Creek on the way up.
I have tips regarding clothing, gear, and other tips for success at the end of my Gorgonio hike log which should be posted soon (look for the obnoxious day-glo orange hiking chic). Tried and true things for me and gear and tips I got after suggestions from someone who has done Whitney 15 times and the Himalayas twice, my female friend who did Ironman Hawai’i, a guy we met on Cucu who was a guide and was training for the 8000 meter challenge – serious athletes with serious xp! I have had someone on a short day hike in OC in our group wear dark clothes on a hot day last summer and not drink water and collapse with cardiac issues. He had to get Med-Evac’d out and luckily had heart meds on him and a fellow group member who was a dr and could triage him. It took sheriff chopper 10-15 min to find us as cell phone triangulation put them 8 mi away facing the wrong way. After that, I bought the most obnoxious day-glo hiking clothes, a personal locator beacon, always check the weather forecast and pack my fleece if a chance of cold, and people think I am crazy but the SAR guy doing trail maintenance when I did Baldy 2 weeks ago thought my gear and prep rocked. I also wear knee supports and shin compression sleeves, and for Vivian as I had done it a week before, I K-taped both tibias and both knees under the sleeves, as well as my low back for my pack. And I wear toe caps and got heel caps too to prevent blisters. And lastly, gaiters rock! I forgot mine when helping a friend do Marion on Saturday, and I totally regretted it! Dirty Girl Gaiters has awesome affordable ones for non-snow hikes and running.
I SOOOO feel for you in your shorts – I had on leggings but I still was cold too even with my fleece! I am so, so glad you got out safely, and huge congrats on completing a very challenging hike!