San Bernardino National Forest – Mount San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek
This hike was a bear, literally and figuratively. Tougher than Mt San Bernardino, I was surprised at how this peak taxed my sister and I. We were, at points, just putting one foot in front of the other (don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about). I remember both of us being in less than stellar shape, but we were prepared to take it on and it still shocked.
There were many great things to see along the route, but I still remember this one ridge a mile or two before the summit that had breathtaking views of the valleys below. That, and the chipmunks living around the peak. They were a great source of entertainment for us as well as our fellow hikers. You can see them in the video below.
We saw two brown bears on this hike, a mother and baby. This prompted us to wait for hikers behind us to catch up so we could have a bigger party and make more noise. There were some big guys with us, but I lead the way, all the while thinking about how cool it would be to successfully fight off a bear (talk about a bar story!). What can I say…I think positively. Thankfully they weren’t interested in us.
This peak is the highest point in Southern California, 7th among the 48 contiguous states and 18th overall. Can’t wait to hike it in Winter.
Miles covered: ~16 round trip
Elevation Gain: ~5,600
Rating: Strenuous
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