San Jack

simonov · Post by **simonov** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:18 am

I spent the weekend in Idywild. I am thinking about buying a cabin up there and anyway I literally haven't visited the place since 1982. Idylwild got a dumping of Schnee last week like everywhere else, and so on Saturday I did a snow hike on the Ernie Maxwell Trail, while on Sunday I climbed up the Devil's Slide Trail to Saddle Junction (beyond which snowshoes would have been required).

I'd never before seen as many animal tracks as I saw on the Ernie Maxwell Trail, and on both days, every time I stopped I saw birds or squirrels no matter which direction I looked. I have noticed before how spectacular the scenery is on San Jacinto, so different in character from the craggy San Gabriels or the arid glacier-carved San Berdoos (it's a bit of a mystery to me why geologists and geographers consider San Jacinto to be part of the San Berdoos). It was a magical weekend.

Anyway, the southwestern approaches to Mt San Jacinto are relatively new to me, and I resolved to explore them in more detail this year.

To that end, I tried to work out some hike itineraries. I am used to the San Gorgonio USFS Trail Mileage Handout which, while not strictly accurate in all particulars, remains invaluable for planning hikes. I have not seen a similar document for Mt San Jacinto, I guess due to the overlapping jurisdictions (state park and National Forest). So this week I pulled out my Tom Harrison map of Mt San Jacinto and opened up Microsoft Excel and started working on my own personal trail mileage document. It's not formatted the same as the San Gorgonio one, but it captures a lot of the information needed to plan hikes. A spreadsheet and PDF can be found at this link (expires on 6 April).

The second page of the PDF includes a few hike itineraries.

I know some of the folks here have a lot more experience with San Jacinto than I do. I'd like to produce something more comprehensive, with all the trail camps listed as well as their access to water. If anyone has any ideas about how to improve this document, I'd love to hear it. I enjoy few things more than noodling around with Excel spreadsheets. When we finally arrive at a useful product, maybe the PDF version could be posted on one of the local hiking blogs.

Edit: Always get the latest from this link: http://www.mitchbarrie.net/files/san_ja ... leages.pdf

Burchey · Post by **Burchey** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:15 am

If you could somehow work which stoves work best in which valleys - HJ would be all over this.

Seriously though - I'm always thankful for and amazed by some of the resources folks take the time to create for hiking/mountaineering. I've gleaned so much from searching the web for trip reports/gear advice/etc, I think often the creator of such materials doesn't realize the impact it has on fellow outdoorsmen.

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 11:34 am

Mitch, can you add these numbers into your spreadsheet as Humber Park tends to be one of the most used entrances to the area and Strawberry Saddle is the 5 way split for junctions - here's the numbers directly off the San J state park map

Humber Park to Strawberry Saddle - Miles 2.5 Elevation 7,960

Strawberry Saddle to PCT turn off -Miles 1.8 Elevation 9,000

PCT Turn off to Wellman's Divide -Miles 1 Elevation 9,750

Wellmans Divide to sign below Summit Hut - Miles 2.4 Elevation 10,580

Sign below Summit Hut to Summit -Miles 0.3 Elevation 10,834

Total Miles 8

The elevation is the ending elevation, where one junction meets the other, not the starting elevation.

I'm sending you that map in PM as I tried to upload it but I do not have the software to convert a PDF to a GIF or JPEG.

Patrick

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 12:21 pm

Simonov,

Not sure what you're looking to update, but I've always found this map useful.

HJ

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 12:51 pm

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑Simonov,

Not sure what you're looking to update, but I've always found this map useful.

HJ

Couldn't get that to load or I would have included it in my post (show off

) just sent Simonov a copy of same by email

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 12:54 pm

Burchey wrote: ↑If you could somehow work which stoves work best in which valleys.

Don't know nuthin' 'bout no valleys, but I hear a Reactor works pretty good on Marion Mountain...

HJ

Burchey · Post by **Burchey** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 2:26 pm

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑
Burchey wrote: ↑If you could somehow work which stoves work best in which valleys.
Don't know nuthin' 'bout no valleys, but I hear a Reactor works pretty good on Marion Mountain...

HJ

It does if you bring enough gas.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 2:28 pm

Burchey wrote: ↑
Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑
Burchey wrote: ↑If you could somehow work which stoves work best in which valleys.
Don't know nuthin' 'bout no valleys, but I hear a Reactor works pretty good on Marion Mountain...

HJ
It does if you bring enough gas.

Eat more beans. Duh. Problem solved.

HJ

simonov · Post by **simonov** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 9:39 am

I just created a first version of a trail handout similar to the one the Forest Service provides for the San Gorgonio Wilderness. There is a little more information on it than with the San G version. I don't have all the trails and trail camps listed yet, but I am seeking feedback.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid= ... NjE1&hl=en

I am also experimenting with Google Docs, so lets see how this works. To download the original PDF, click on "File" in the viewer and select "Download original."

simonov · Post by **simonov** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:01 am

The document continues to evolve, including correcting errors.

Always get the latest from this link: http://www.mitchbarrie.net/files/san_ja ... leages.pdf

Wild · Post by **Wild** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 5:29 pm

Very cool simonov! This is really helpful and I for one will surely use it.

You could keep going with other big nearby peaks, and so on, then eventually make it into a small book/ebook!