SG Wilderness Loop Hikes

[Hikin_Jim]

The topic has occasionally come up on the SGWA board about good loop hikes in the SG Wilderness. Now they say that free advice is often worth just what you paid for it, but for those to whom this may be of interest, here goes:

First a definition: A loop hike is a hike that starts and ends at the same trail head or at two trail heads within walking distance (a couple of miles) of each other.

Now the list:
SG Wilderness Loop Hikes
1. Momyer Creek Loop. From the Momyer Cr TH proceed straight up the Momyer Cr Tr to SB Peak Divide Trail to Dollar Lake Saddle to Saxton to Alger Cr, returning via the Momyer Cr trail to Momyer Cr TH.
2. Vivian-Momyer Loop. 2a. (short option) Vivian Cr TH to High Cr to Jct w/ trail to SG Mtn to Dry Lake View to Dollar Lake Saddle to Saxton to Alger Cr to Momyer Cr TH, walk back on road to Vivian Cr TH. 2b (long option) Vivian Cr TH to High Cr to Jct w/ trail to SG Mtn to Dry Lake View to Dollar Lake Saddle to High Meadow Spgs to Momyer Cr Trail junction then drop straight down Momyer Cr Tr directly to Momyer Cr TH, walk back on road to Vivian Cr TH.
3. Forsee Creek Loop. Forsee Cr TH to Johns Meadow to SB Pk Tr to Trail Fork Spgs to Jackstraw Spgs Jct to Forsee Cr TH.
4. Nine Peaks "Grand Tour" Loop. The grand daddy of them all. This loop covers a great deal of the SG Wilderness and allows one to climb all of the "Nine Peaks" (San Gorgonio, Jepson, Little Charlton, Charlton, Alto Diablo, Shields, Anderson, E SB PK, and SB Pk). Route: S Fork TH to Dry Lake to Sky High Trail to SG Mtn to Dry Lake View to Dollar Lake Saddle to High Meadow Spgs to 1st Jct with Forsee Cr Ridge Trail to 2nd Jct with Forsee Cr Ridge Trail to Momyer Cr Tr Jct to SB Pk Tr/Forsee Creek Basin Tr Jct to Johns Meadow to Forsee Cr TH, walk back to S Fork TH (significant mileage savings can be had by going cross country). All of the peaks can be reached by relatively short and easy XC side trips.
5. Dry-Dollar Loop. S Fork TH to Dry Lake to Sky High Trail to SG Mtn to Dry Lake View to Dollar Lake Saddle to Dollar Lake Jct to S Fork Meadows to S Fork TH.
6. Grinnell-Fish Creek Loop. From S Fork CG (not S Fork TH) Hike up the Santa Ana River Trail ( a bit difficult to find in spots) to the east side of Fish Creek near the confluence of the Santa Ana River and Fish Cr, XC to the NW section of Aspen Grove (some trace trails, some just plain XC; better know your land nav!), pick up the trail in Aspen Grove to Fish Cr Camp to Fish Cr Saddle, XC to Lodgepole, to S Fork Meadows to Lost Cr Trail Jct to Grinnell Ridge Camp to S Fork CG.
7. Seven Peaks Loop. This is just like the nine peaks loop described above except that one does not ascend E SB Pk and SB Pk but rather one drops down the Forsee Creek Ridge Trail to Trail Fork Spgs, Jackstraw Spgs Jct, and then the Forsee Cr TH.
8. S Fork-Forsee Loop. S Fork Th to S Fork Mdws to Dollar Lake jct to Dollar Lake Saddle to High Meadow Spgs jct to Trail Fork Spgs to Jackstraw Spgs jct to Forsee Cr TH, , walk back to S Fork TH (significant mileage savings can be had by going cross country).

Of course all of these loops can be done either clockwise or counter clockwise as suits your particular need.

There you have it. Of course there many alternatives and variants, particularly if you're willing to do XC travel, but these loops should be good starters that will put you on most of the trails of the SG Wilderness. Obviously the closed trails in the SE portion of the SGW are not covered here since a) they are closed and b) there are no good loops that I'm aware of.

[Rob]

HJ, great list! Thank you for typing it.