Six Backpacking Loops in the San Gorgonio Wilderness

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:15 pm

For some time now, I've been wanting to put together maps and descriptions for Six Backpacking Loop Trips in the San Gorgonio Wilderness.

This may be a little rough because I basically banged it out in one pass. I haven't done a lot of proof reading yet. I may at some later date add mileages and gain, but that's going to take some time that I don't have right now.

Even for those not interested in overnight trips, there's a lot of good information on water sources and map errors.

Please do give me your feedback,

HJ

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:33 pm

Wow, Jim! Very nice...

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 10:08 pm

Thanks, Mike.

It's got a lot of information that I wish that I'd had access to (fairly precise locations of trail camps example) when I first started planning trips.

It also has a lot of information on map errors. I hope to work with the USFS at some point. Maybe corrections will one day be passed back up the chain and the topo maps will get fixed?

HJ

Phil B · Post by **Phil B** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:25 pm

Wow, nice work Jim, I particularly like trips 1 and 6, but 6 takes it because, it allows you to bag the summits of the 9 peak challenge. How many days/nights as a backpack trip do you have in mind for this one, would you say a three nighter.
Phil

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 2:31 pm

Phil B wrote: ↑Wow, nice work Jim, I particularly like trips 1 and 6, but 6 takes it because, it allows you to bag the summits of the 9 peak challenge. How many days/nights as a backpack trip do you have in mind for this one, would you say a three nighter.

Phil,

I think three nights would be ideal for a lot of people. The faster and more aggressive can do it in two, but the water sources work out better with three.

Not only can you do the nine peaks with this route, but, with a slight modification, you could do all 17 peaks over 10,000' in the SGW.

HJ

Post by **Uncle Rico** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 6:43 pm

Good stuff Jimbo. 6 new trips for me to put on the bucket list. Thx.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 8:44 pm

Uncle Rico wrote: ↑Good stuff Jimbo. 6 new trips for me to put on the bucket list. Thx.

You're welcome. Trips II and III are my top picks since they go through the least traveled parts of the wilderness.

HJ

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:00 am

I've now added a map for the N. Fork Whitewater River area to my Backpacking Loops in the San Gorgonio Wilderness blog post. I should now have listed the correct position of every active camp in the wilderness. The positions indicated by the USGS on the topo maps are grossly wrong in some cases.

I've added a sort of index to the trail camps in the appendix at the very end. The index shows which map to find each trail camp on.

I should now have covered all the major trails in the SGW in terms of errors, omissions, and trail camp locations.

Hope it's helpful,

HJ

Post by **JeffH** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 4:28 pm

Way cool Jim. Thanks for the work!

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 5:36 pm

Thanks, Jeff.

I've upgraded the first two maps. I've also added water sources. I hope to add a bit of description for each water source soon.

HJ

Teejate · Post by **Teejate** » Mon Nov 04, 2013 10:50 pm

Right ON.
This is awesome.
And what I appreciated is the mentioning of solitude. That really matters to me.
A big thanks man. This is helpful.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 8:07 am

Teejate wrote: ↑Right ON.
This is awesome.
And what I appreciated is the mentioning of solitude. That really matters to me.
A big thanks man. This is helpful.

Cool. 8) I'm glad it's helpful.

The information I'm posting is all out there (mostly), but hopefully I'm consolidating everything and putting it into one place where it's accessible.

This really is one of the best areas in So. Cal. to go backpacking. Enjoy!

By the way, I'm continuing to update my San Gorgonio Wilderness Trails post. I have upgraded the first four (out of seven) maps. I hope to finish the maps this week and then start writing up water sources. The water sources are listed on the upgraded maps, but I haven't yet written any text to accompany the water information on the maps.

HJ

Teejate · Post by **Teejate** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 9:51 am

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑
Teejate wrote: ↑Right ON.
This is awesome.
And what I appreciated is the mentioning of solitude. That really matters to me.
A big thanks man. This is helpful.
Cool. 8) I'm glad it's helpful.

The information I'm posting is all out there (mostly), but hopefully I'm consolidating everything and putting it into one place where it's accessible.

This really is one of the best areas in So. Cal. to go backpacking. Enjoy!

By the way, I'm continuing to update my San Gorgonio Wilderness Trails post. I have upgraded the first four (out of seven) maps. I hope to finish the maps this week and then start writing up water sources. The water sources are listed on the upgraded maps, but I haven't yet written any text to accompany the water information on the maps.

HJ

Well, you made it to my "Hiking" folder in my favorites list so keep those updates coming!

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 8:40 am

Teejate wrote: ↑Well, you made it to my "Hiking" folder in my favorites list so keep those updates coming!

I'm honored.

I've now got all six loops updated with new maps. The new maps are a lot clearer and now include water sources. I still need to update the map in the appendix, which hopefully I'll get to tonight.

Then I'll go back and add comments at to the reliability of the water sources. I was sort of thinking of a 5 level ratings system:
1 - Unreliable. Assume no water unless you have a current, reliable report to the contrary. Example: Columbine Spring in the SGW.
2 - Less reliable. Water typically in early season only. Example: the spring above Fish Creek Camp.
3 - More reliable. Water typically into late season in wet years. Example: Limber Pine Springs.
4 - Very reliable. Water typically into late season in normal years. Example: Trail Fork Springs.
5. Extremely reliable. Water typically into late season even in dry years. Example: Forsee Creek.

HJ