| Peak | San Gorgonio |
|---|---|
| Group | N/A |
| Trailhead | Vivian Creek |
I MADE IT!! What can I say!! San G was the ONLY peak on my bucket list. From the time I was little, I would say, “One day, I’m going to hike that mountain!” And, guess what?!?!?! I DID IT!! I conquered this highest peak in Southern California!! Knowing this hike was over 17 miles (definitely think it’s more than 17.3), we started the hike around 5:30 am. Head lamps at the ready. It was amazing seeing the sunrise from the steep Vivian Creek incline. I felt amazing on this hike. I knew it was going to be a long one, but I was so excited to finally be attempting this HUGE mountain. We had friend that started a couple hours ahead of us. We all wanted to complete the six pack, or at least summit, together. This was not the easiest of hikes, but the reward was totally worth it. We started with a clear day, but unfortunately, as the hours continued on, the clouds began to roll in. By the time we reached the summit, it was covered in clouds. But you could still see the amazing views from above. Big Bear Lake in the distance, the Inland Empire below. This summit was the most emotional summit I have ever had. The hike down was LONG. We were chasing the sun and knew that we would probably have some hiking in the dark. Out of the group of 7, most people split up in twos. Luckily, when it got dark, my friend and I were passed by a man and his son. They were so kind and didn’t want to leave us to hike the last 3 mile in the dark by ourselves. We all hiked down together. And ended up having a backpacker join us too. It took us almost 15 hours total (was hoping for faster), but we did it. The six pack challenge is now complete.
The craziest thing happened as we were driving back the Redlands through Forest Fall. There was an animal that crossed the road. My boyfriend had to slam on the brakes. I scream….what was it?? A baby bear (teenager). Man, were we thankful to be off the mountain and in a car when we saw the bear!!
