by mm65 » Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:56 pm
I spent Aug. 29 hiking to the peak of San Jacinto for the first time. My only previous experience with hiking at a high distance was the two times I've done Mt. Baldy So it was pleasant to find the San Jacinto hike was easier. I caugth the 8 a.m tram with all the other serious hikers and was on the trail to Round Valley by 8:30 a.m. There was a State Parks volunteer checking permits at Round Valley, and he told the next mile was the steepest of the hike. Getting to the top of Wellman's Divide did not feel like a mile. I had given myself four hours to get to the peak and made such good time I did it in just less than three hours. The views from the top were...okay, too much haze in the distance and smoke from the wildfires. Still, it was worth the climb. It took me just less than three hourse to make it back to the Long Valley ranger station. The walk back up to the tramway station was actually the toughest part of the whole day.