My intro and trip report from 12-28..San J and Miller Peak

[Good News]

Hello everyone!
My name is Don and I am an avid hiker (almost everyday) and Geocacher from Riverside.

I have been stalking this board and the San Gabriel board for about a month now and it really got me interested in snow travel to my local highest peaks so I went out and bought some crampons and an ice axe..also learned as much as I possibly could about walking in crampons, use of the ice axe, self arrest..etc..etc
So yesterday, me and my buddy Danny set out to do San J peak and Miller peak..we pretty much cross country all day with many different kinds of snow conditions..crossed Tamarack Valley and went straight up the side of Miller to the peak and then came down into the saddle and up to San Jacinto..didnt see one person all day except for the helocopter that was asking us if we were ok cause they were looking for 3 lost hikers..kinda odd considering I was 200 ft from the hut..
I decided we would try a different descent and was headed to Wellmans divide..I had a map and GPS and had entered some marks back at Long Valley..but didn't completely save them and I dropped my GPS and it erased all of my marks..err..So I just used my map and somehow ended 2 valleys over from Long Valley and it was about 7 pm by then..got some new coordinates and did a straight line over one ridge and then up the side of another ridge and we were beat..it was probably 9 by now and realized we wouldn't make it back for the last tram..
about 200 ft from the top of this ridge we decided we will spend the night there..found an area clear of snow, with a bunch of pine needles..ate a bunch of food, put all of our clothes on and slept sporadically, cause of the cold and rocks and it wasnt a very flat area and just tried to stay warm as possible..at dawns early light, put on our frozen boots and icy crampons and went up and over the ridge which was super steep and icy and went down into Long Valley back to the tram...ahh

A very fun trek and thanks to all on this board for all the things I have learned

I have pictures, well my friend does..hopefully I will post them soon..

[AlanK]

Don -- Welcome to the board. It sounds like you had an interesting day -- and more! We were out yesterday too, but mostly on the other side of San Jacinto. We probably just missed you at the peak. We had not seen anyone all day but we heard the helicopter talking to someone near the top as we descended into Round Valley. That must have been you. I hope they found the three hikers. We're glad your forced bivy was not too awful. It serves as a reminder to have extra warm clothes along, even on a day hike. I suppose you'll also be able to give the speech about not relying too much on GPS.

Our TR

[Good News]

Thanks for the welcome

I seen from your other post about the lost hikers and that they had found them..glad to hear that, cause it didn't sound like they were too prepared.

as for the GPS, I should know better, I think it is time to really get my compass skills back in order..