Mt Whitney Zone Forums Trip Reports Quick trip to San Jacinto

BACK to San Jacinto! We have decided to go up via every trail this year. Since Mike's ears are AFU he couldn't go on his Scout Troop's scuba trip today so we went and knocked out Devil's Slide. We now have Seven Pines, Deer Springs and C2C2C left. The biggie out of Palm Springs is scheduled 09 Oct with a group so we won't get lost. We MIGHT go up the tram route and tag the peak, but I tell you, that feels dirty - like cheating. So maybe not.

Anyway we hit the road at 0400, pulled a permit and got to Humbler at 0515. We only had one headlamp between us so we dozed in the car until 0545. Got on the trail and had our permit checked in the 1st five minutes.

It was an easy push up to Saddle Junction, but my stomache was having problems. I was off my game and holding Mike back. He took the lead since he couldn't stand the smell behind. We were forced to break about every mile and half and I wanted to quit every time. Mike stayed positive and upbeat and I didn't want to waste this chance to get a check in the block.

Four painfull hours later we hit the summit. Only four people were there and I was glad we beat the tram herd again. Hung around about 30 minutes and headed down. I wasn't feeling any better and Mike frequently had to turn and wait for me. A half mile down the herds hit big time. I stopped counting at 45 people, but it was a PITA waiting for all of our new uphill friends to hike by. Pushed about 2.5 miles downhill and then I remembered I had some Pepto in my pack. Took some and kept chugging along. We weren't fast, but we got the job done.

Took one last rest stop at Saddle Junction and I felt good. Mike noticed I was hanging behind him and he set a brutal pace. We knocked out the last 2.5 miles in 38 minutes.

Afterwards we both feel great - a sign we might be getting into hiking shape................................DUG

You have a real hiker on your hands, DUG. Hope you have better luck keeping up with him on future hikes.

You eating bad saugage again Doug?

DUG, I will be going up Devils Slide this Sat for the first time. Is there any place to refill water along the trail or should I plan on taking a full supply from the start?

wazzu - there is a little water after you leave the PCT and head towards the summit. Probably 2 miles from the top where the brush gets thick. It's not a strong flow, but should get the job done for you. My son and I carried four litres each and had plenty left. Have a great hike - we might see you there - we are coming up via Deer Springs and looping around to the south and then coming down on the other side for a big circle........................................DUG

DUG...hope to see you and your son on the trail. You can't miss me. My trekking poles are bright dayglo yellow with LEKI in bright orange...what can I say I bought them almost 20 years ago...I get a lot of comments on the trail from other hikers...usally "WOW those poles really stand out"

wazzu - We plan on hitting the trail at 0545 or 0600. It's 6.4 miles to the spot we jump off the PCT and head towards Wellmans Divide - a spot thats 4.3 for you I think. What time are you starting?. We are coming back down through Little ROund Valley so if we don't see you on top or on the way, we won't see you at all. Look for an old fat man with an orange Camelbak and a tall young man with a blue Camelbak..........................DUG

DUG...should be on the trail between 5:30a - 6am. Since this is my first time to the trailhead, giving myself a little leeway for finding the parking lot and the trail. I usually try to be on the trail around 5:30am. I should be able to complete 4.3 miles around 2hrs. I'll keep a look out for you on the top if we don't see each other on the trail.

Have a great time guys. I tried to arrange my schedule to be on San Jacinto tomorrow also....but my buddy has a light knee injury and we'll be back to the flats of the Santa Rosa Plateau tomorrow.

I did something yesterday that I haven't done in many, many years. I gave up running after my new hip, but in the last few weeks, I've been putting in some small runs of 2 to 4 miles to change things up between the gym and hikes. Yesterday, I did 7 miles!!!!

Now, if you guys saw me running with my pack, ripped up shorts, long sleeve shirt and flappy sun protection hat, you would probably laugh at me......I don't run fast or with any style at all.

I'm contemplating entering the "Run to the Top" at Mt Baldy on Sept 6th. I haven't run that one in over 11 years, and I hated it back then. But, even though it says Run to the Top......I'm sure nobody will care when they see me walking and coming in last.

Just finish what you start!

wazzu - Just follow the signs and you won't have any trouble getting to Humbler. I'll be at the ranger station around 0500 pulling the permit...............................DUG

EPIC failure - The boy grabbed the wrong underware and said he was getting chaffed pretty bad so we turned back. We'll get it done in two weeks after Whitney...............DUG

DUG, Sorry to hear about the chafing. I made the SJ summit on Sat 8/14, but it wasn't the day I had planned either.

I mentioned my 'training' hikes at a get together over 4th of July wekend. A friend asked if she could tag along on the SJ hike. I said sure, without thinking. I forgot about the agreement until Friday, when she contacted me about the details of meeting for the hike. We had done Mt Wilson in May, when I was just getting into hiking shape, and we did ok together, but this was much higher altitude and I'm in much better hiking shape, as she hasn't been hiking since Mt Wilson. I knew I had to adjust my mental outlook/expectation of the day.

Anyway, it was still a great day, weather was good, nice people on the trail, enjoyed the summit. (Ran in to a group of 15 from San Diego that were training for Whitney. They will be up in a couple of weeks for a day hike) I now understand why Devils Slide is a popular trail. Great views, well maintained.

However, it was a later start than I like, 6:45am, slower pace than I like for a training hike (and I'm no speedster up the trail), took a little over 5.5 hrs to summit. (I orginally gave myself a target of 4 - 4.5 hrs.) And the return downhill was almost as slow. We decided to call the people comming up from the tram: trammers or trammies. I was really glad to get past that trail junction on the way down. It was close to a 10 hr day car-to-car, instead of a 8 hr day. On the car ride home we both agreed my training hikes probably should be solo or with someone else that is more of a morning person and has a little better pace.

Congrats on the hike. I think 8 hrs sounds about right for a training hike. I'm not too fast either. I'm sure it was beautiful up at the summit as it was a gorgeous day.

Wilson is under rated in my opinion. No altitude, but strong grades. My wife's knee had a tough time up there last year, and earlier this year, I forgot about an appt and had to run most of the way down it.

Any water on Devil's Slide?

There's no running creek/stream right now, there are a couple of stream crossings on the trail however they are dry, but there are 2 springs that cross the trail. Going uphill the 2nd spring has a small pool before it crosses the trail. Deep enough to filter, dip a naglene bottle, or use the trusty sierra cup. They are about 6 miles up the trail, past the Wellman divide. You know you are getting close when you see the grove of ferns or fern like plants. I have never seen such healthy, huge ferns that are in direct sun light. (At least they look like ferns to me, I'm not as good with the plants as I should be) The water flows on the trail, so just keep an eye out for the mud.

Before and after the springs, I could not find any water close to the trail. I carried 2.5 L of water and 1L of electrolyte replacement. Ended the day with less than .5L of water and a small amount of the electrolyte replacement.

Mt Wilson downhill did a number on my knees too. Took about 3 weeks for them to recover. Came down way too fast for the grade.

Bummer about the water at San Jacinto. My friends and I are training for Mt. Whitney and planned to hike San Jacinto starting from the tram over Labor Day weekend. Does your report cover the trail starting from the tram, or another trail?

Water report is for the Devils Slide trail, which joins the trail from the tram at the Wellman Divide juction. The springs are after this junction. I have no first hand experience from the tram to the Wellman Divide junction.

Hey - that water is right where I said it would be! LOL Except I said two miles from the top. Same thing though. Glad you found it. Coming up on the other Idylwild side (Marion Mountain, Fuller, etc) there is a bit more waer. I am told that there is water on the PCT about a 1/2 mile from Wellmans, but since we aboarted our last hike early I didn't see it for myself..................................................DUG

So after having a "wardrobe malfunction" two weeks ago on San J's Deer Springs Trail, we came back this morning. It actually worked out pretty well because one of my Boy Scouts who was one 20 mile hike away from finishing his badge asked to tag along. I ran the numbers by Tom Harrison and it was, well, close enough. The 1/2 mile or so it was short was made up for by the 5300 feet of UP we did throughout the day in my book.

So me, Mike and our new sidekick headed up the trail at 0605. Since this scout has stayed away from the trails lately I was unsure how he would perform. I put him in the lead so we wouldn't go to fast, but that backfired when he nervously set a much too fast pace. After two miles I sent Mike to releive him on point. Mike set an easy pace and we soon hit the PCT.

We decided to do Deer Springs as a loop so we headed south on the PCT until it hit the Wellman Juction. From there it was the same ole same ole for me and Mike, but it was all new to our buddy. Mike kept the pace slow and we took about 6 hours to hit the summit. We weren't trying to beat any records, just trying to help a scout finish his badge and get the check in the block for the trail head.

On the way down we headed towards Fuller/Marion Mountain which is a much steeper trail. We hit the PCT again which dropped us back at Deer Springs. A quick 4.3 miles later we were at the truck. A little over ten hours.

Talked to a lot of great people throughout the day, including group headed to Whitney in two weeks. Answered all their questions as best as I could. I'm no pro with just 16 summits. LOL..................................DUG