Peak from Deer Springs Trail ?'s

[Rumpled]

So, there's a geocaching event hike up to the summit of SanJ on Sat. The goal is for people to meet at midnite of the full moon.
I'm giving a little thought to trying that.

Turns out my family is going to be camping in Idyllwild (actually Pine Cove?) at Thousand Trails. Looking at the campground map
http://www.1000trails.com/maps_pdf/idyllwild.pdf
shows access to trails at the northeast.

The state park map doesn't show a trail there; but it appears to me that as it is on Marion Ridge, I could maybe take that to Strawberry Junction.
From there it looks like I'd have two options, skirting Marion Mt to either the south and east or north and west thru Little Round Valley. On my only foray to the peak I went the standard route from the tram, so going a different route (like not to Wellman's) might be more interesting.

Is one of these ways easier? Or one better for up or down than the other?

I know I'd need to snag a permit, but I should be able to do that in town on Saturday.

Now, I say I'm giving a little thought because I'll be ther with the family and may not be able to sneak off - and because I tore a ligament in my thumb and can't use that hand much. Certainly no poles for me; but hey, I can walk. I may not go all the way to the peak, jsut might get a nice full moon hike in.

So, any ideas? Thoughts? Anyone got a .gpx of either option?

Since my name is Jim; I'll channel HJ and pull out my acme fu
(actually my acme fu is having problems with markers; have to use verbal descriptions)


Z (or maybe A)is the 1000 Trails CG NE end
K (or maybe B) is Strawberry Junction and decision time
Choices are
Camp>Strawberry>Wellman's>Peak seems to be 6.0 miles from point Strawberry
or
Camp>Strawberry>LRV>Peak seems to be 5.10 miles from point Strawberry

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=33.79313,-116.69626&z=14&t=T&marker0=33.81474%2C-116.67944%2CSan%20Jacinto%20Peak%20CA&marker1=33.80094%2C-116.70502%2CDeer%20Springs%20Camp%2FJunction%3F&marker2=33.78261%2C-116.70433%2CStrawberry%20Junction&marker3=33.79937%2C-116.67455%2CWellman's%20Divide&marker4=33.77258%2C-116.72523%2CThousand%20Trails%20CG

[Rumpled]

Wow, the silence is deafening!
82 views and noone has any Beta
Oh well; we'll see what I do and if I have anything to report.

Not sure why that link is soo bad, I'll try again
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=33.79313,-116.69626&z=14&t=T&marker0=33.80094%2C-116.70502%2CDeer%20Springs%20Camp%2FJunction%3F&marker1=33.79937%2C-116.67455%2CWellman's%20Divide&marker2=33.81474%2C-116.67944%2CSan%20Jacinto%20Peak%20CA&marker3=33.77258%2C-116.72523%2CThousand%20Trails%20CG&marker4=33.78261%2C-116.70433%2CStrawberry%20Junction

Didn't work, but if you cut and paste it shows up, just my markers seem to be lettered differently? Guess I need to bone up on my acmefu

[Sally]

Hi Rumpled,
Sorry about the silence, but your post leaves me a little befuddled as I'm not sure where this campground is. Could it be up there with Stone Creek, Fern Basin, Dark Canyon, etc. campgrounds? I know that Seven Pines Trail starts up there at Dark Canyon campground, and it will take you to Deer Springs Trail. Hmmm... Maybe you could call the campground and find out which trails their trailhead accesses. Moonlight hikes are cool. Hope you can get away. Have fun!

[Rumpled]

Here's a link to the SJ State Park map that shows the Thousand Trails CG
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/636/files/MtSanJacintoSPmap.pdf

It's on Marion Ridge, but no trail shown on the map.
The map of the CG itself shows access to the NE to trails, but no trails shown on the map.

Guess I'll find out this weekend.

[RichMcG]

Looking at my topo map of the area, I see your campground, but there are no trails You are past the Deer Springs trailhead, and the next trailhead is just before the turnoff for Stone Creek, which would lead you to the Marion Mountin trail. You either have to drive to the traihead or hike back down the road a bit.

[lilbitmo]

Here's a link to the SJ State Park map that shows the Thousand Trails CG
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/636/files/MtSanJacintoSPmap.pdf

It's on Marion Ridge, but no trail shown on the map.
The map of the CG itself shows access to the NE to trails, but no trails shown on the map.

Guess I'll find out this weekend.

Rumpled, call the ranger station number on the map of the campground but I'm not aware of any trail that goes directly out of that campground to Deer Springs, Marion Mountain, or the PCT which is up on that ridge.

You might be better off getting someone to drop you at the trail head (Humber Park on the backside of Idyllwild) - it's 8 miles one way from that spot to the summit by way of Wellman's Divide - that's about 4 hours of uphill hiking to make it by midnight, you could make a loop out of it by going back by way of Little Round Valley to where the PCT and Marion Mountain Trail connect but keep going south on the PCT, past the turn off to Suicide Rock until you come back to Strawberry Junction and then turn back down Devils Slide and back to Humber Park. With a stay on top you are talking about getting back to Humber Park around 4 AM, then it's a long walk into town and around to your campground, so you might want to park a car at the trailhead, just a suggestion. Have fun, full moon hikes in that area are great, enjoy.

[drndr]

I'd say head up that ridge at the end of your campground where it shows there is a trail (on 1000 trail map). Looks like it leads right to PCT. Hang a left and do your route through LRV. Of course I haven't gone this route so may be "blind leading the blind". Have fun.

Dan

[Rumpled]

Yeah,
I basically plan on doing Dan's plan. Maybe I'll recon in the afternoon. If it works, great; if not oh well.
Not set on the peak necessarily, just some moonlight hiking.

[Florian]

So, there's a geocaching event hike up to the summit of SanJ on Sat. The goal is for people to meet at midnite of the full moon.

Hi Jim,

Do you have a link to the geocaching event? I worry sometimes about events like this if the planners don't know the area. A nighttime off-trail hike, full moon or not, going over 10,000' elevation would be difficult.

-Florian

[Rumpled]

Florian,
I believe they've stated enough info; maybe not dire enough for some, but we all do need to be responsible enough for ourselves.
You can disregard Hazzmatt posts - he likes to joke.

Anyways, here it is
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=695ff768-cc59-4e96-98b4-1fa0f73b811f