Started just after 5:00 am with my friend Ken, who I met on my hike of Cucamonga, Ontario, and Bighorn. No issues on the Vivian Creek crossing, plenty of stepping stones to use. Vivian Creek has the coolest rocks, some have almost a wood grain pattern.

The first two miles are pretty steep no trouble on the way up, but certainly felt the grade on the way down. Love the vegetation changes as we gained elevation. There are some impressive cedars, pines and firs all along the valley. Plenty of water flowing in the creeks.  Vivian, Halfway, and High Creek all look like great camp sites.

Trail is dry and mostly clear till about two miles from the summit of San G.  The snow was firm and grippy enough with our early start, so we skipped the micro spikes on the way up. Surprisingly windless and sunny on the top with clear views of San Jacinto, the Baldy area, San B., and all they way to Santiago and Modjeska.

The next bit was the highlight of this trek for me. Getting to Dragon’s Head involved cross country navigation, traversing intermittent sections of loose rock and snow fields, ice axe, spikes, and a slippery climb up the ridge to the peak. The summit has a great view of the Tarn, San Jacinto, and sheer drop looking down the east side.

From the saddle between San Gorgonio and the Dragon we navigated cross country again, traversing on more intermittent loose rock and snow-fields, to meet back up with the trail about two miles before High Creek. We stopped at High Creek to fill my water bottles and it  was all down hill from there.

19+ miles, 5600’ of elevation gain.