Mt. San Jacinto Outdoor Recreation

For our Wednesday outing this week, Ellen and I were trying to come up with a hike that was going to be epic and that didn’t involve Vivian Creek. The idea to climb Bighorn Mountain and the Dragon’s Head came from Hikin Jim and his recent adventure.

When I arrived at the Mill Creek ranger station there were plenty of permits to be had for all trails. I think the rangers are getting more generous with them lately. Also, there were 2 porta-potties available, which come in handy after a long drive. It was inside the stall that I had my first wildlife sighting of the day – a huge black widow spider!

We drove to the South Fork trailhead and Ellen and I were on the trail with headlamps at 5:45 AM. We stayed with the trail until we passed Dry Lake. Here we went up the gully that we use with snowshoes in winter, and it wasn’t too bad. We rejoined the trail and continued up to Mine Shaft Saddle, speculating that there might be a more direct route that would bypass the switch-backed trail for our return back to Dry Lake.

As we were approaching the switchbacks on the east side of San Gorgonio we passed a gentleman sitting on the side of the trail, not knowing if he was on his way up or down. Soon he caught up with us and hiked with us until we came to the spot where we chose to start heading down to The Tarn. The Tarn, which has a smooth, sandy appearance from afar has always held my curiosity, and I was stoked to finally get to walk down in it.

The climb up Bighorn Mountain took us up some loose rocky stuff, just as described by Hikin Jim. When we got on the ridge there were lots of stunted trees to maneuver around, and after reaching a couple of false tops we arrived at the actual peak. We ate lunch there, enjoying a great view of San Jacinto. Had it not been so hazy we would have seen the Salton Sea and much more. Then it was time to move on to our next destination, the Dragon’s Head.

The route is very straight-forward and soon we were on the trail that runs up the spine of the Dragon. As long as we didn’t look down we were fine. Hikin Jim wasn’t kidding about those drop-offs. Once we got to the top we wandered about looking for the register box which turned out to be in plain sight. The register book had some interesting stuff in it, including an entry by a guy suggesting doing the Dragon’s Head on “shrooms” and many entries by people we know, or know of. After lingering awhile we began the hike back.

When we got to Mine Shaft Saddle we hiked over the bump to the north (I told Ellen that we had just bagged another peak – I wonder if it has a name) and began a bee-line down the hill to Dry Lake, as per our musing about a more direct way on our way up. It turned out to be not much more direct, but it was fairly easy-going as far as cross-country travel goes. We were relieved to arrive at the Dry Lake campsites. We also ran into Ben, the fellow who had accompanied us for a way, and properly introduced ourselves.

As we made our way past the Lake we saw a variety of hoof and paw prints in the mud. It seemed as though ALL the animals go there to drink. Then, once on the trail again we saw a gorgeous big fuzzy caterpillar with a yellow band around the center and purple-black at the front and rear.

The rest of the hike was uneventful, but we did have some great conversations about what is right and wrong in the world. We got back to the car about 12 hours after we started. We wrapped the day up with a great Mexican dinner in Forest Falls.

Sally wrote:When we got to Mine Shaft Saddle we hiked over the bump to the north (I told Ellen that we had just bagged another peak – I wonder if it has a name)

Zahniser peak.

zahn is German for tooth

Howdy Sally

Thanks for the great trip report and for listening to me vent in the car and on the trail

Next objective -- the 10,000 foot ridge, Grinell and Lake peak from Fish Creek. Since both of us have low profile cars, we may have to hike into Aspen Grove.

Howdy HHB

Thanks -- I kept wondering about the location of Zahniser. It was pretty funny to discover that we'd accidently summited it

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

Sally wrote:The idea to climb Bighorn Mountain and the Dragon’s Head came from Hikin Jim and his recent adventure.

Hey, cool, someone actually read my trip report.

We stayed with the trail until we passed Dry Lake. Here we went up the gully that we use with snowshoes in winter, and it wasn’t too bad. We rejoined the trail and continued up to Mine Shaft Saddle, speculating that there might be a more direct route that would bypass the switch-backed trail for our return back to Dry Lake.

You've got a couple of choices here. Take a look at this map. The most direct approach is something like what you've already described. Take one of the drainages south of Dry Lake and head SSE up to the crest of Zahniser Ridge where you join the main trail heading to Mine Shaft Saddle. Reference points "P" through "Z". It's a bit steep, but if you've got the knees and you're in shape, why not?

If however you want water, Lodgepole Springs ("A") is a good spot. From Logepole Springs, I think going via Lodgepole Saddle (see the route described by points "B" through "O") is the logical route.

Since I'm super slow, one of my strategies is to drink at the trailhead and then carry little or no water until I get to Lodgepole Springs. The idea is to minimize the weight I carry gaining the 2000' from the trailhead to the Dry Lake area.

I don't see an advantage to going over the summit of Zahniser like you did on your return route (other than it's an interesting place to visit).



HJ

Hikin_Jim wrote: I don't see an advantage to going over the summit of Zahniser like you did on your return route (other than it's an interesting place to visit). HJ

Well, as I've heard AlanK say, I was trying to increase the FUN Seriosuly though, you're right, it added time and energy expenditure to an already long day.

Your trip report and pictures were a huge help. At the very least, we were forewarned about the exposure on Dragon's Head.

Sally left out the part where I commented that when I fell, I should fall to the west, not the east. Then, on the narrow backbone, we felt the wind blowing. Fortunately it was gusting east to west and not too strong.

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

Ellen wrote:Next objective -- the 10,000 foot ridge, Grinell and Lake peak from Fish Creek. Since both of us have low profile cars, we may have to hike into Aspen Grove.

Nothing wrong with going in from Aspen Grove. It's a nice hike through easy terrain on good trail. Time wise, it's about the same since that road back to the upper Fish Creek trailhead is such slow going. Reportedly, the road has been recently graded, but then again we've had a lot of monsoonal thunderstorms, so who knows what shape the road is in.

I kept wondering about the location of Zahniser. It was pretty funny to discover that we'd accidently summited it

Sally and Ellen: The accidental summiteers.

HJ

Ellen wrote: Since both of us have low profile cars, we may have to hike into Aspen Grove.

I like the Aspen Grove to Fish Creek trail much more than I like that twisting, rutted out road to Fish Creek. It's only a couple of miles, and if you recall it runs right beside the stream for much of the way. I think you'll really like 10,000 foot ridge. Remember last year when we all went together we were almost to the top of the ridge...once you're there it's really an interesting place. Kind of like Shield's Flat, it's this big, fairly open area way up on top of a mountain, seems rather incongruous when everywhere around it there is nothing but sloped mountain sides.

z

Sally wrote:...we came to the spot where we chose to start heading down to The Tarn. The Tarn, which has a smooth, sandy appearance from afar has always held my curiosity, and I was stoked to finally get to walk down in it.

That tarn is pretty interesting, isn't it? You loose a sense of perspective of just how big it is because it's so essentially featureless.

The climb up Bighorn Mountain took us up some loose rocky stuff, just as described by Hikin Jim. When we got on the ridge there were lots of stunted trees to maneuver around, and after reaching a couple of false tops we arrived at the actual peak. We ate lunch there, enjoying a great view of San Jacinto.

I had clouds obscuring things intermittently the whole time, but I had great views when the clouds would break for a minute. I think it's fair to say that the views to the South and SE are far better from Bighorn than from Greyback. When you're looking over toward's San G from I-10 and from the tram as it ascends, I think you're actually seeing Bighorn Mtn. I think Bighorn blocks your view from the SE.

The route is very straight-forward and soon we were on the trail that runs up the spine of the Dragon. As long as we didn’t look down we were fine. Hikin Jim wasn’t kidding about those drop-offs.

Those drop offs are nothing to sneeze at. The whole east face is just one big basically sheer drop off.


Looking down from the top of the drop off:


HJ