2011-08-20 thru 21 San Jacinto Backpack Trip

[OLLIE]

Gon2Srf and I will be doing a trek to San Jacinto this coming weekend (Aug 20 & 21). It will be a two day trip exploring some San Jancinto trails. We can take up to six people on this trip due to camp location space constraints. It will be a grueling weekend but an epic one as well. Coming in at right around 11000 feet, San Jacinto offers some great views. Post up if you think you're up to it and want to tag along.

Day #1 will start at Humber Park at an elevation of 6500 ft (meeting time TBD) with full packs and hike to a little hidden camp site overlooking the amphitheatre (Elev 9054 ft). We'll drop our packs, set up camp, rest for a few hours then throw on our day packs and go find our water source to top off our water and get back to camp before dark (Day 1= 6.6 total hiking miles at 2600 ft elevation gain).

Day #2 we'll get up bright and early, eat some breakfast, suck in some energy from the awesome views and head for the summit with our day packs. The trip to the summit is about 3.5 miles with an elevation gain of about 1800 ft. We'll spend some time at the summit relaxing and enjoying the views. Once everyone is rested up a bit we'll throw our packs back on and head back to camp, pack all of our gear into our big packs and hike out to our trucks. (Day 2 = 12 miles hiking distance two thirds of which is mostly down hill.

Humber Park to Camp Site Profile

Trailhead to Camp.JPG (142.4 KiB) Viewed 4249 times

Camp to Summit Profile

Camp to Summit.JPG (144.24 KiB) Viewed 4249 times

San Jacinto 082011-Plan.gpx

(71.69 KiB) Downloaded 601 times

SOME IMAGES FROM OUR LAST TRIP

View from Camp:






In this image you can see a small green valley in the trees below. That's Round Valley, a popular camp area but it get pretty congested. It does, however, usually have water flowing 365 days of the year.


A view of Old Grayback (Gorgonio) from the summit of San Jacinto

[gon2srf]

Thanks for posting this hike Ollie. I would ideally like to be on the trail by 7:00-no later than 7:30 AM, I'll be at the ranger station by 6:00am and complete the permit request. What is the story with day packs, I don't plan to bring one because of the weight? I'll just empty my pack and bring it along for the summit and carry my Camelback bladder for the water recon. Do you want to share any meals? I just tried out the Mountain House Pro Pack Chicken Teriyaki and Rice last night, added some Cayenne Pepper and it was the bomb. 10 grams of protein and 220 calories. I'm bringing a Mountain House Breakfast Skillet and a tortilla for breaky. Otherwise I was going to bring my crossbow and hunt for food.

Scott

[OLLIE]

However you want to handle your daypack is up to you. My large pack is just too big to use for a day pack. I fold up my empty day pack and put it inside my large pack. I'm trying to go as light as possible on this one. The last time I did this route my large pack weighed right at 65 pounds. I'll have two hydration bladders with me and two Nalgene bottles. I'll have one bladder full for the trek to camp and maybe one bottle. I'll take both bladders and both bladders to top off at the water sources. That will cover my cooking needs, the trip to the summit, and the hike back to the Humber Park. If I feel I'm running low I'll top off a bladder on the way down from the summit. I always keep my filter system with me in my day pack.

As far as food goes, I think we'll probably have to fend for ourselves for the most part. I've tried the meal your talking about. It tastes good going down, all of them do actually, but the after affect is unsettling. I'll be bringing some stuff like I've mentioned before. Pringles is a must for the sodium. I know I'll feel like crap before I get back to the cars. I haven't acclimatized to the elevation. I felt good on the Tahquitz trip but we're going 2000' higher than that and after 9000' the elevation starts to get iffy on my system. That's one big reason for spending the night at 9000'. We'll start building up the red blood cells.

[gon2srf]

However you want to handle your daypack is up to you. My large pack is just too big to use for a day pack. I fold up my empty day pack and put it inside my large pack. I'm trying to go as light as possible on this one. The last time I did this route my large pack weighed right at 65 pounds. I'll have two hydration bladders with me and two Nalgene bottles. I'll have one bladder full for the trek to camp and maybe one bottle. I'll take both bladders and both bladders to top off at the water sources. That will cover my cooking needs, the trip to the summit, and the hike back to the Humber Park. If I feel I'm running low I'll top off a bladder on the way down from the summit. I always keep my filter system with me in my day pack.

As far as food goes, I think we'll probably have to fend for ourselves for the most part. I've tried the meal your talking about. It tastes good going down, all of them do actually, but the after affect is unsettling. I'll be bringing some stuff like I've mentioned before. Pringles is a must for the sodium. I know I'll feel like crap before I get back to the cars. I haven't acclimatized to the elevation. I felt good on the Tahquitz trip but we're going 2000' higher than that and after 9000' the elevation starts to get iffy on my system. That's one big reason for spending the night at 9000'. We'll start building up the red blood cells.

I ended up ordering a a lightweight day pack, it'll work great as a pillow case too. Don't think that extra day will help us much with the other 1800ft but I am really looking forward to camping and it will feel that much easier with a nights rest.

You should have seen the massive thunderheads moving in Saturday afternoon. By the time we left the mountain the weather had totally changed.

broadcast.jpg (131.61 KiB) Viewed 4214 times

[OLLIE]

I'm a wimp so the more acclimating I do the better.

Weather is a concern. Thunderstorms can roll in unexpectedly this time of year and we're camping on an exposed face.

[gon2srf]

I'm a wimp so the more acclimating I do the better.
No your not, you just have a lot of obligations and do the best with the limited time you have to train.

Weather is a concern. Thunderstorms can ro ll in unexpectedly this time of year and we're camping on an exposed face.

I heard two weeks ago a group on San Gorgonio got pounded by hail for over an hour, then it cleared and was 75' out!

Bring it on....Woohoo, I'll be snuggled up inside my bag and bivy.

I rank possible backcountry injury/illness into three categories:

You are going to die no matter what you brought
You are going to live no matter what you brought (though you might be VERY uncomfortable)
Something you brought will make the difference of you living or dying

Cool video of UltraLight Backpacker Steve Burgess.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mxAgniQ ... r_embedded

[OLLIE]

I'll take option three for 500 Alex.

Great video.

[gon2srf]

I'll take option three for 500 Alex.

Great video.

I thought this guy was very creative using several lightweight cameras in a way that gives you that "I'm along for the ride feeling". I'm going to try and rig up a pole end set up for my Go Pro.

Woohoo...4 more days.

[OLLIE]

Is G-Dog coming along?

Rig something up to one of your trekking poles for the camera.

[gon2srf]

Is G-Dog coming along?

Rig something up to one of your trekking poles for the camera.

His girlfriend just got back from Belize so he wants to hang with her and we don't have that kinda gear for both of us anyhow. He would make us hurt too much anyway. I hope you'll be mellow and I can enjoy this hike and the scenary a little.