San Bernardino Peak is the start my early morning wake-ups for the Six Pack. Due to the length of the hikes and travel time, I need to wake by 4a and be on the road to start my hikes around 7a. This accommodates me so I can get up and back before the end of the day. This is my second time completing Bernardino, so I know what to expect from the hike. In 2022, I pushed myself on the switch back which resulted in me not having much of an appetite at the summit and I needed to come down a bit in elevation before I wanted to stop for a snack. This year, I'm adjusting my pre-hike routine to see how it impacts my hikes. These are small things but hoping they improve my physical well-being. First, I'm focusing on drinking 80 ounces of water during the previous day, to help ensure complete hydration before starting my hike. Second, instead of bringing only a home-made smoothie, I'm buying one from the store to drink on the drive out and adding a banana and protein bar to eat while I hike. Third, I understand that a mix of anxiety and excitement means that I don't sleep well the night before a big hike, regardless of how early I go to bed, so I'm trying to not to worry about many hours of sleep I get and focus on just resting for the night.

I implemented all these changes the night before I left for this hike, which I am glad I did, because the noise from a party in the neighborhood kept me up later than I wanted, and I never really fell into a good sleep. So waking at 4a, I knew I just needed to start my morning routine and get out the door. The drive out that morning was easy, and I forgot how pretty to drive in to the Bernardino mountains is from Highway 38. Getting to the trailhead it was still cold but an extra jacket is all I needed to start the hike. I was on my way by 7:20a, psychically feeling good with only a slight twinge on nervousness. The trail route came quickly back to me from the previous year, so I was moving quickly through my mental snapshots of bends and boulders. Excited to see if there were any changes to the fire barren landscape due to the additional rains this past winter. Though the under-brush was thicker, the hike is still a reminder of the power a forest fire has to alter a landscape for multiple generations. As I continued on my way, the long switchbacks were the last real push to the summit. I realized by this time the addition of more calories and early hydration, eased the strain of this hike and by the time I reached the summit, the previous year's nausea was not present. I was able to enjoy to summit, eat a full bag of snacks, and chat with a fellow hiker. I ended up hiking down with the guy, doing a little trail running along the trail before we parted ways at a trail crossing. I got back to the car just after 6hr of total moving time, logging a personal best along the way.

With the improvements to my diet regimen, I've got a pretty positive outlook for last 2 hikes of the Six Pack. I'm over a month ahead of last years timing, so I'm hoping to avoid any slow downs from rains or snow storms.