I've looked at this Peak from the highway countless times and each time I've been terrified about it! So yesterday, despite having had one too many frothies at a Memorial Day BBQ I decided to tackle the beast. Boy oh Boy I was not disappointed. The Marion Mountain Trail onto the PCT and then the summit trail to San Jacinto has to easily be one of the best in SoCal. The pine tree are huge, rock formations off this planet and the trail has every challenge a good hiker desires and the summit, oh the summit! Well John Muir said it perfectly, the view is the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on this earth. Ok, perhaps he hadn't seen all of the planet, but this one will blow you away!

My real highlight though was walking through the pine forest, it really does something to me, that smell and those views. Even though it is a slog, there is something soothing about walking through a pine forest. I found myself regularly looking up and around taking in every inch of the trail. Took us 9 hours in total, but that did include almost 2 hours at the peak, we just didn't want to leave.

However caution to my social hikers. I was surprised at how hot it was and I think in a few weeks the lower levels of this trail, even some of the trail above 9,000ft will take it's toll on you if you don't hit the trailhead early. Lots of water, I failed to drink enough and avoid too many frothies the night before! The bugs were manageable, but as it gets hotter they'll only get more annoying!

Nonetheless, this is a peak of the ages – look forward to tackling it again. But for now my mate Luke and I are off to San Gorgonio next week. If you fancy following our journey as we get ready to do Mount Whitney in September jump on YouTube and follow “Fair Dinkum Hiking”.