San Gorgonio Peak is in the bag! 19 miles round trip for peak 4/6 @ 11,503ft, the highest peak in SoCal!

Our one night backpacking trip was a success! Since we were already doing the #SixPackofPeaks Challenge, I figured the Vivian Creek trail to San Gorgonio peak was the perfect opportunity to test our gear for Mt. Whitney. We secured a permit, stuffed our packs, and hiked 30+ lbs of gear 6.5 miles up the mountain to High Creek Camp. About an hour before sunset, we made it to camp, set up our tents, filtered water, ate dinner, and rested our feet. Although we were tired, sleep did not come easy.

The next morning, we left our less essential gear at camp and set off on the last 3.6 miles to the summit. It was grueling, hot, exposed, and took a lot longer than expected. Halfway up, we ditched our packs behind some rocks and only took our summit bags with just water and fuel (except for Jewel, he took his pack up like a champ). It still took us a bit, but we made it! We posed for tons of pictures, made friends with the chipmunks, and ate the obligatory WB cheeseburger. Yay!

We enjoyed the last views at the summit, then gathered our stuff and set off downhill. This last portion was brutal on the joints and tiring given that we had full packs again, but stepping off the mountain and watching the sun set as we were crossing Mill Creek riverbed made each step worth it. Best 4th of July Ever.

Lessons were learned and I'm glad. We need to plan food more precisely, keep to our timelines, and lower our pack weights. That wraps up 31 miles in 4 days. I was beat, but enjoying every moment of this journey!