Mt. San Jacinto Outdoor Recreation

Howdy All

Sally and I started up Vivian about 6 AM. We crossed the creek, then headed up the ridge to Dobbs. As we gained the ridge, we saw alpineglow on the San Gorgonio ridge. After reaching Dobbs, we dropped down into the gulley, then headed up the side to meet the trail. Won't be doing this again -- the descent off the ridge was quite steep with unstable footing. Plus, you drop 300 feet which you have to regain. Next time, we'll do what we usually do -- stay on the Dobbs ridge until it meets the San Gorgonio ridge.

After the steep ascent, the trail up to San Gorgonio felt relatively flat. Neither Sally nor I have been above 8.5 K since the High Sierra Trail and were happy that the altitude presented no problems. From the Vivian junction sign, it got breezy and actually felt like fall. We met Bill and Sam on the summit (two really nice firemen). Some bozo left a large broken mirror under the register box In addition, the box was full of trash. It was impossible to sign in. We shared our pistachios with a particularly tame field squirrel/chipmunk before heading down.

Descending the swtichbacks into High Creek, we met several people who asked us if they were close to the summit. As it was after 1 PM, I recommended that they go to the nice outlook at the top of the switchbacks, then turn around and head back down. The descent to Halfway camp seemed to take forever, but at least I wasn't getting attacked by mosquitoes and biting flies. We survived the final nose-bleed drop into Mill Creek and had a great dinner at El Mexicano before heading home.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen
AKA Cactus Ass

Ellen wrote:AKA Cactus Ass

Does that mean you've got a "prickly pair?"

Nice hike, but what possessed you to drop down from Dobbs Ridge? Ugh. Kind of interesting flatish area down in there though.

HJ

Howdy Jim,

Hikin_Jim wrote:

Ellen wrote:AKA Cactus Ass

Does that mean you've got a "prickly pair?" HJ

OK, I walked right into that one. Now I am really BUMmed

You're right, we (well I) wanted to check out the little gulley/flat area. Almost like a narrow tarn. Curiosity is satisfied, back to doing it the "easy way."

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

Ellen wrote: OK, I walked right into that one.

More backed into it, I think.

Ellen wrote:Now I am really BUMmed

Hey, lady, don't get cheeky with me.

Anything interesting down there (Uh, in the tarn like area I mean)?

HJ

Hikin_Jim wrote: Anything interesting down there (Uh, in the tarn like area I mean)? HJ

Uh oh...this thread is going down hill more quickly than the steep chutes on the Baldy Bowl.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

Ellen wrote:

Hikin_Jim wrote: Anything interesting down there (Uh, in the tarn like area I mean)? HJ

Uh oh...this thread is going down hill more quickly than the steep chutes on the Baldy Bowl.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

Just because I asked about that valley down there, er, I mean the space between, er, OH NEVER MIND. Some people just have a dirty mind. Sheesh.

HJ

P.S. You're darned lucky I'm not the moderator on this forum, you'd have a new nickname, "prickly pair".

10Q
It was a good day for a chuckle

I was thinking today about how brilliantly we attained the ridge to Dobbs, without getting stuck in the buckthorn, scrub oak, or fallen trees that usually plague us. Going down the side of Dobb's ridge into the gully, not so brilliant! But as I always tell Ellen, it's more fun and interesting when we get into something unexpected (well, maybe with the exception of our Forsee Creek thing last year.)

Well, my prickly-paired friend, I had a blast, gully and all!