San Bernardino Peak was my fourth hike of the So Cal Six Pack of Peaks challenge. My son and I joined forces for this challenge, as with other hikes. Hiking up to San Bernardino Peak was one of the challenge's most enjoyable and beautiful hikes thus far. The trail was evident with pretty cool temperatures and a good stretch of flat land near the midway point, offering appreciated relief during the long hike. The scenery was also amazing. While the severely burned trees serve as standing monuments of the 2022 El Dorado fire, there is something oddly beautiful and uncanny about it all. The charred trees, surrounded by a colorful new bloom landscape, radiate a mysterious beauty. There was something breathtaking in seeing the convergence of new life and death. There was cloud cover when we reached the top so we couldn't see much from the summit. Nevertheless, we were grateful for the cool weather, and the view across the sea of clouds was incredible.

One thing we learned is to start earlier on our next trip. We started hiking at about 9:00 a.m., and it took us eleven-and-a-half hours to complete the hike. So, we ended up walking a couple of miles in the dark. Thankfully, I brought a headlamp, which helped us navigate the night back to the trailhead. Overall, my son and I agreed that San Bernardino Peak was the most enjoyable hike of the challenge so far.