Southern California Peaks > 10,000'

[Hikin_Jim]

That'd be really cool. That looks like a really neat area.

I still have so many "projects" on my list in and around the SGW:
-Dragon's Head
-Bighorn Mountain
-Allison Falls
-The "Navel"
-Old Lost Creek Camp
-Lower North Fork (below North Fork Meadows)
-The entire SE quadrante of the SGW

etc, etc, etc.

HJ

Now THOSE are the places we need some maps to!

The Dragon's Head and Bighorn Mountain are mapped above.
The lower North Fork of the WW River and the SE Quadrant of the SGW anyone can map.

Allison Falls is up Falls Creek from Dobbs Camp/Dobbs Cabin. It's modest but nice. Anyone can find it by simply going up canyon.
The Navel lies in the opposite direction from Dobbs. It's where Falls Creek takes an odd turn. I'm not sure there's anything to write home about there, but it's something to explore.

Lost Creek Camp is the one that interests me most. In 1971, Defenders of the San Gorgonio Wilderness published a map of the SGW. The original version listed many spots to camp that are no longer legal. Among those was Lost Creek Camp. Like all "camps" in the SGW, I'm sure that all it is was a flat spot big enough to pitch a tent or two, but I'm curious about it for whatever reason, some of that curiosity no doubt owing to the remoteness of the location. I'm sure there are entire years that go by without a visit (unless, God forbid, a pot farm has been established there). Lost Creek Camp is on Lost Creek east of Grinnell Ridge Camp. Unfortunately, that's about the best placement I've got for it.

HJ

[Hikin_Jim]

Uh-oh, don't give me any ideas, HJ! I've done 15 of those peaks, so I guess I only have 9 to go. Hmmmm... I wonder which one I can do next.

21 down, 3 to go for me.

Well, I've now completed my quest to climb all the peaks in Southern California over 10,000' in elevation. I've cleaned up my list a little bit and made an improved map link, if anyone is interested: Southern California Peaks above 10,000 Feet/3048 Meters in Elevation.

HJ

[HH8]

I've now completed my quest to climb all the peaks in Southern California over 10,000' in elevation.

Onward and upward! Congratulations Jim.

[Hikin_Jim]

Thanks. It's been a fun little quest that has taken me to some out of the way off trail spots that I might otherwise never have visited.

The San Jacintos have some of the most fun peaks actually: Folly, Jean, Marion, and Newton Drury. The route to each goes through some interesting terrain -- some of the nicest terrain in the area, terrain I would never have known about had I not gotten interested in doing the peaks.

The area between Jean and Marion is my favorite in the state park.

HJ

[GoPlayer]

....Well, I've now completed my quest to climb all the peaks in Southern California over 10,000' in elevation. I've cleaned up my list a little bit and made an improved map link, if anyone is interested: Southern California Peaks above 10,000 Feet/3048 Meters in Elevation.

HJ

The list is a nice resource. Bighorn and Dragon's Head are next for me, already studied your detailed blog entry.

[Hikin_Jim]

Both Bighorn and D'Head are interesting peaks. Neither is terribly hard (for hard, go to Iron Mountain in the San Gabriels or Antsell Rock in the San Jacintos on the Desert Divide), but they're far enough off trail to make them interesting. The drop off to the east of D'Head is "interesting." It sure gets your attention, to say the least.

HJ

[Wild]

A cool little anecdote passed on by a ranger I recently met about Bighorn Mountain and the Tarn...

He told me that about 15 years ago, he and his pals would sit on the sky high trail, facing the two peaks, and he would see bighorns come down from bighorn mtn into the tarn...and in the center of the arena the bighorns would compete for male dominance by clashing heads/horns.

That sounds absolutely amazing to witness, doesn't it? Epic setting and all... but he said he hasn't seen a bighorn in the area in many years now. He figures that little monkey people drove them away over the years

[Hikin_Jim]

Nothing to see here, folks. Now, just move along. Yep, the SG Wilderness is pretty boring these days...




HJ

[HH8]

Nothing to see here, folks.

When the trail gets steep, remember to look up.



Bighorn sheep like to keep watch from above.



Here's a committee consulting on the human issue



They are busy with their own lives.



(thanks Flickr)

[Ellen]

Howdy HH8, Arocknoid and Hikin' Jim

I am green with envy -- still haven't seen big horns on Baldy, in the Cucamonga wilderness or on San Jacinto

Miles of smiles,
Ellen