Momyer/Vivian creek loop

[Florian]

I now only do it as a loop -- Momyer > trace trail > ridge > Dollar Lake saddle > down Momyer (or is it called Alger creek?) > trace trail > Mill creek.

What do you mean by "trace trail"? The section that goes up to San Bernarino east peak?

-Florian

[Hikin_Jim]

What do you mean by "trace trail"? The section that goes up to San Bernarino east peak?

Yes.

A lot of the time in the SGW, "trace trail" is used to refer to trails that are no longer maintained. In the case of the upper section of the Momyer Creek Trail, "trace trail" is fairly accurate. On the other hand, there are some unmaintained trails in the SGW that are in better shape than the maintained trails.

Personally, I think it's a bit of a shame to abandon any of the trails in the SGW, but I guess that there's only so much funding and volunteer help to go around. Some the unmaintained trails are pretty handy. I've used the trail from Lodgepole Spring to Fish Creek Saddle many times. The trail from Johns Meadow to Manzanita Spring makes a really nice loop. Etc. Etc. Etc.

HJ

[Ellen]

Howdy HJ

Thanks so much for the clarification -- I really admire your knowledge of our local mountains. Whenever I do the Momyer/Alger loop, I come down the old Falls Creek trail. My very first hike in the San Gorgonio wilderness in 1972 was up the Falls Creek trail to Dobbs cabin.

Howdy Z

Whenever I get my butt kicked on a particular hike, my immediate reaction is to go back and do it again I'll be headed back up the Forsee-John's meadow-San Bernardino loop pretty soon -- I want to nail down where we lost the trace trail.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Hikin_Jim]

I'll be headed back up the Forsee-John's meadow-San Bernardino loop pretty soon -- I want to nail down where we lost the trace trail.

Was it practically right before you hit the trail coming up from Angelus Oaks? The trick is that the trail suddenly turns up a creek bed. You'd think it would continue on the other side of the litte creek bed, but no, it turns from it's course and goes right up the creek bed. Go figure. Here's what it looks like looking back down the little creek bed.

And see that litle pine tree? You kind of have to squeeze past that tree as I recall. The tree has gotten bigger since I took that photo.

Shortly thereafter you should go through some manzanita and see this:

You should come out right at the sign post.

HJ

[Sally]

Yep, HJ, we were REALLY close to the sign post when we went astray on the trace trail from John's meadow and wound up in the manzanita. We pondered going up the little creekbed but mistakenly crossed over to the right.

We found the route-finding to be easier when we went DOWN the trail last year than when we went UP it last week. [/i]

[Hikin_Jim]

We found the route-finding to be easier when we went DOWN the trail last year than when we went UP it last week.

That's the secret when tracing out old trails that have gone unmaintained for a period of years -- go downhill the first time. It's almost always easier to suss out a trail from above than below.

HJ