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Momyer to San Bernardino East Peak

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:15 pm
by lilbitmo
Pictures added now, thanks.

Sometimes a hike is for fun, sometimes it's for a purpose and sometimes it beats the hell out of you. We got all three out of this hike.

We hit the trial shortly after six from the Momyer trial head. Easy going for the two mile or so then you hit some sections that are truly in need of repair, in the last mile or so before the split with Alger Creek/Falls Creek Trail. We turned left at this signed junction and headed up the ridge line.

For those of you who have not done this trail the next mile is a graveyard of fallen trees. Must have been 100 or more trees that have fallen over the years from the bark beetle. Some fell down in clusters of five or six together. The biggest tree stricking others near by and they all came down together - obliteration most of the trail section below them. It was not extremely difficult to pick up the trail but you had to use your trail finding skills in at least three of four spots where tracks went in two ways over these downed trees. But for the most part the trail is up and to the left staying on that shoulder that is above the big bowl on the south side of San Bernadino Peak East, Anderson and Shields.

Once we gain another 600 or so feet over a ridge line (after the trees at the 7,600 to 8,200 ft elevation section) we started up that section that everyone warned me about that has nothing but manzanita/thickets with thorns for 1,200 feet and covers most of the trail and not very well maintained at all. Two of the five of us went with shorts even though I made it clear to everyone to wear pants and boy did they pay the price.

Once we reached the 9,600 foot ridge line it was back to normal trail, just a touch of boulder scrambling but mostly easy tread all the way to the junction of the San Bernardino Peak Divide Trail and the Momyer trail we came up on. Surprisingly we ran into a couple (Patrick ? and his girl partner) who were doing a loop of the Forsee Creek Trial to the Summit of SB East, Anderson, Shields, Alto Diablo and one other if they had the strength to keep going. They showed up at the summit of SB East a mere 5 minutes after we did.

It took us just under 6 hours to summit as we carried a double load of water of which we stashed half of it for the 9 Peaks attempt we are doing on the 8th of Nov., that combined with all the obsticles made for slow going but we had a great time. When we finally reached the trailhead back at Forest Falls the tempeture was 85 degrees, dry and hot, just what you would expect for the south side of the Bernardino's - we finished at 3:20 PM.

I'll try to post pictures tomorrow as I'm in the middle of five things right now and do not have time.

Lilbitmo :D

On the way up, past all the dead fall we come upon the thick Buckthorn and Manzanita.
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Looking up the from the trail at the last 800 feet of the bowl between SB East Peak and Anderson Peak, trail is real clear in this area.
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Not to hard to figure out where Trial Fork Springs is located with these signs
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Views from the top looking down at Forest Falls
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Views from the top looking at Saddle Back and Lake Perris and Valleys
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More of the same
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Looking due East towards Charlton, Jepson and Gorgonio behind those
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Scott the new guy logging in on the trail register at Summit of SB East Peak
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Re: Momyer to San Bernardino East Peak

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:19 pm
by Hikin_Jim
lilbitmo wrote:Easy going for the two mile or so then you hit some sections that are truly in need of repair, in the last mile or so before the split with Alger Creek/Falls Creek Trail.
Yeah, that's about what I remember from my April trip.
lilbitmo wrote:We turned left at this signed junction and headed up the ridge line. For those of you who have not done this trail the next mile is a graveyard of fallen trees. Must have been 100 or more trees that have fallen over the years from the bark beetle. Some fell down in clusters of five or six together. The biggest tree stricking others near by and they all came down together - obliteration most of the trail section below them.
Yep. There's downed wood all over. That's where the unmaintained factor really gets you. You can press through encroaching brush, even buckthorn, but having to scramble over downed wood really can take some time and effort.
lilbitmo wrote:Once we gain another 600 or so feet over a ridge line (after the trees at the 7,600 to 8,200 ft elevation section) we started up that section that everyone warned me about that has nothing but manzanita/thickets with thorns for 1,200 feet and covers most of the trail and not very well maintained at all. Two of the five of us went with shorts even though I made it clear to everyone to wear pants and boy did they pay the price.
:shock:
lilbitmo wrote:Once we reached the 9,600 foot ridge line it was back to normal trail, just a touch of boulder scrambling but mostly easy tread all the way to the junction of the San Bernardino Peak Divide Trail and the Momyer trail we came up on.
Nice to know the last, upper section is still in good shape. Thanks for the update.
lilbitmo wrote:It took us just under 6 hours to summit as we carried a double load of water of which we stashed half of it for the 9 Peaks attempt we are doing on the 8th of Nov., that combined with all the obsticles made for slow going but we had a great time. When we finally reached the trailhead back at Forest Falls the tempeture was 85 degrees, dry and hot, just what you would expect for the south side of the Bernardino's - we finished at 3:20 PM.
All things considered, you guys made good time. You should do fine on your Nine Peaks adventure.
lilbitmo wrote:I'll try to post pictures tomorrow as I'm in the middle of five things right now and do not have time.
I'll look forward to them -- and your Nov 8 TR.

Re: Momyer to San Bernardino East Peak

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:35 pm
by Hikin_Jim
Rats. The pics are there now, but they're on Flickr which I can't see from my work machine. I'll check 'em out when I get home.

Re: Momyer to San Bernardino East Peak

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:38 pm
by Melito Irpino
lilbitmo wrote:
Surprisingly we ran into a couple (Patrick ? and his girl partner) who were doing a loop of the Forsee Creek Trial to the Summit of SB East, Anderson, Shields, Alto Diablo and one other if they had the strength to keep going. They showed up at the summit of SB East a mere 5 minutes after we did.
Hey liblitmo - That was me (Patrick) and my friend Mamiko. We ended up doing all 5 peaks from S.B. to Alto Diablo but in a weird sequence. We left the Forsee Creek Trailhead at about 7:40 and there were a lot of great views to the north of Jenks Lake and eventually of Big Bear Lake. I agree that the signs were kind of confusing so we ended up taking the fork that lead to the east of Anderson Peak by about 10:45. We then summited Anderson at about 11:15 then headed west to the S.B. peaks.

We next hit S.B. East where we saw you and your crew. I'd like to ask you to tag along on your 9 peaks hike next week but I think I have to work. Anyways from there we hit S.B. peak and stopped for lunch.

From there we backtracked east and were able to stay on the trail and follow the signs correctly this time. We hit Shields at about 2:30 and it was a fun scramble to the top. We left our backpacks part way up Shields and did a quick pace to Alto Diablo, signed in, took a few last pics and hurried back to Shields to get the backpacks. By then it was about 3:30 and we made good time to the car by 6:00.

I think this hike would be about 22 miles but with our wrong turn it might have been 23. After the inital 4000 gain, it was just small (maybe 100-200 ft. each) up and downs to each peak so I would imagine the total was not much more than 5000 ft. total.

I would definitely recommend the Forsee Trail and was quite happy to get in all 5 10,000 peaks.

Buona fortuna on your 9 Peak hike.

Re: Momyer to San Bernardino East Peak

Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:03 pm
by lilbitmo
Melito Irpino wrote
I agree that the signs were kind of confusing so we ended up taking the fork that lead to the east of Anderson Peak by about 10:45. We then summited Anderson at about 11:15 then headed west to the S.B. peaks.
That area is a triangle with two choices at each corner of those triangle and if you have not been up there before it can be confusing. You figured it out and it looked like you were having fun.

We are absolutely going on Saturday the 8th. I have room for one more person on the permit. We are meeting at the trialhead for a 4 AM start time. I think we can cover from Angelus Oaks to Alto Diablo in 6 hours or less, everyone is going light weight - I'll explian if you send me an email privately. From Alto Diablo we will take on the last four peaks in two hours maybe three at the most. That will leave us 4 hours to get out before it's dark.

Let me know if you want to go.

lilbitmo

Re: Momyer to San Bernardino East Peak

Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:02 pm
by Hikin_Jim
lilbitmo wrote: Views from the top looking down at Forest Falls
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Cool pix. I'm always impressed when I'm up there just how steep of a drop it is straight down to Mill Creek Canyon.

Good wishes for this Saturday...