Many would argue that San Gorgonio Mountain offers the finest backcountry skiing in Southern California. The skiing, however, does not come without substantial effort. An already long approach hike was recently lengthened due to the relocation of a trailhead, resulting in a total trip length of approximately 21 miles.
We began our approach at approximately 1:00 pm. The hike up the South Fork of the Santa Ana river is in most places quite gentle, but with packs of 50 (Mark) and 50+ (Al) pounds, progress was slow. We arrived at Dry Lake, 7 miles and 4 hours later.
A photo collage of Dry Lake.
Despite the the fact that the calendar showed June 7, the snowline extended down to the lake, located at approximately 9,000 feet. We continued upward to camp at Trail Flats. However, due to a snowpack that increased rapidly with elevation, we soon lost the trail. Upon encountering mushy suncups ankle to knee high, progress slowed greatly, and the evening light was fading. It was time to find some shelter for the night.
Jepson Peak, San Gorgonio's nearest neighbor, in the early morning rays, as seen from near the campsite.
We continued our ascent early in the morning in an effort to take advantage of the firm morning snow. After leaving the shelter of our forested campsite, we soon entered a vast snowfield below a saddle connecting San Gorgonio and Jepson.
Al makes his way across the snowfield below Jepson.
Although the prospect of summiting San Gorgonio, at just over 11,500 feet the highest peak in Southern California, was appealing, the skiing on Jepson (much steeper with more demanding lines) was just too tempting. After a quick breather and a bite to eat at the saddle, we headed for the summit of Jepson. With a well defined layer of clouds at about 4,000 feet, the views were amazing.
Mt. San Jacinto as seen from the summit of Jepson.
Mark at the summit of Jepson, overlooking Dry Lake.
Mt. Baldy as seen from the summit of Jepson Peak.
Mark atop Jepson, with Mt. San Jacinto in the background.
Fortunately, the snow was not quite soft enough for skiing at the time of our summit arrival (11:00 am), so we had a good deal of time to rest and enjoy the scenery. Nonetheless, it was soon time to ski. Jepson offers an endless choise of fine entires into a dizzying array of chutes. After picking a winner, it was time to jump in.
Al's entry into one of Jepson's colouirs.
The clinomter put the first pitch of the chute at 45-50 degrees. The chute soon mellowed considerably, to a steady pitch of about 35 degrees, offering some easy turns in the soft, smooth corn.
Mark on the upper, open portion of the descent.
Upon returning to the snowfields below Jepson and San Gorgnio, Al was not yet satisfied. There was time, he reasonsed, for a "quick ascent of San Gorgino". This he did. I stayed behind, allowing me to grab this picture of Al's descent.
Al skiing on San Gorgoronio, in a section known as "The Hourglass".
As the early afternoon approached, it was time to begin the return hike. The hike was not unpleasant, with views like the one below. Not surprisingly, a deer was sighted shortly after. No, we did not slip in a photo from the Pacific Northwest...
A view of a lush forest on the return hike.
21 miles, and nearly 5,000 feet of vertical rise and fall... all of them worth it.