First trip to SJ Peak via Fuller Ridge Trail - Suggestions?

[tom_c]

This will be my first time climbing San Jacinto Peak. I am planning on going up via Fuller Ridge Trail in late September. We are going to take it easy and make it an overnight trip and stay in Little Round Valley.

I would appreciate any useful information such as what the weather is like this time of year and what we can expect as far as finding water along this route. Any comments on tricky points in the trail, if any, would also be helpful.

Also, does anyone have suggestions on bear-bagging vs. bear canisters along this route?

Thanks in advance!

[zippetydude]

Hi tom_c. Haven't I seen your posts on another board somewhere? Anyway, welcome!

The Fuller Ridge trail is a real good choice, although the drive to the trailhead can take quite a while. Once you're at the trailhead, it starts out kind of mild. Then you pass a sign that says you must have a wilderness permit. You would have to turn around and drive back down to get one, so remember to get one in advance so it's not a problem.

The trail pops out at what I believe is Castle Rock, about 1/3 of the way to the top. You get a great view directly across a huge canyon, looking directly at San J. Great photo op, nice place to stop for a snack. When you resume your hike, you'll find yourself (oddly) going down very steeply. You'll have a couple of miles of ups and downs, and it always strikes me as odd to climb a mountain by going up and down, but that's how the trail is engineered, so there you go.

You'll probably cross a weakly flowing creek when you turn left onto the Marion Mountain trail heading up to Little Round Valley. Not tons of flow, but I drank from it freely a couple of weeks ago, and it was fine. There's water (or was two weeks ago) in LRV.

All in all, a very nice trail, and the weather at the end of September is generally very close to ideal.

To watch the forecast, I'd recommend this link:


http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... -116.67625

Hope you have some fun out there.

z

[zippetydude]

Hi tom_c. Haven't I seen your posts on another board somewhere? Anyway, welcome!

The Fuller Ridge trail is a real good choice, although the drive to the trailhead can take quite a while. Once you're at the trailhead, it starts out kind of mild. Then you pass a sign that says you must have a wilderness permit, You would have to turn around and drive back down to get one, so remember to get one in advance so it's not a problem.

The trail pops out at what I believe is Castle Rock, about 1/3 of the way to the top. You get a great view directly across a huge canyon, looking directly at San J. Great photo op, nice place to stop for a snack. When you resume your hike, you'll find yourself (oddly) going down very steeply. You'll have a couple of miles of ups and downs, and it always strikes me as odd to climb a mountain by going up and down, but that's how the trail is engineered, so there you go.

You'll probably cross a weakly flowing creek when you turn left onto the Marion Mountain trail heading up to Little Round Valley. Not tons of flow, but I drank from it freely a couple of weeks ago, and it was fine. There's water (or was two weeks ago) in LRV.

All in all, a very nice trail, and the weather at the end of September is generally very close to ideal.

To watch the forecast, I'd recommend this link:


http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... -116.67625

Hope you have some fun out there.

z

[tom_c]

Thanks for the info zippetydude! I'm relatively new to the area, so I am still in the process of discovering good trails. Your help and advice are greatly appreciated. I'll be sure to give a trip report when I get back.

Tom