Went up from Fish Creek. Not a huge gainer (3400') but a distance killer; about 22 miles round-trip. The incline of the trail is too moderate in my opinion; climb up a ridge as soon as you get a chance; it will shave off lots of distance! Other than that, a beautiful side of the wilderness. Go up early; thunderstorms tend to develop late morning.
395guy - Jul 2, 2006 4:26 am Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2006
San Bernardino mtns traverse
San Gorgonio was the first peak on my 26-mile trek across the San Bernadino mtns on Sat, July 1, 2006. I went from Vivian Creek TH to San G, then from San G across to San Bernadino, then from San B to Angelus Oaks TH, then I biked back to the Vivian Creek TH. 36 mile day: 8 miles up, 10 miles across, 8 miles down, 10 miles biking.
I did this 36-mile hiking/biking circuit in 2003 also. In 2003, I actually bagged all 9 peaks. Today, I was only concerned about hiking 26-miles in thin air and only bagged three (San G, San B East, San B). Great day. You can read my trip report about the bear on the trail.
johnm - Jun 25, 2006 5:45 pm Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2006
Route Climbed: Vivian Creek
Clear early morning with thunderheads in from the desert in the early afternoon. A bit of a hot muggy day so views of San Jacinto and the valley not the best. Trail is clear of snow to the summit with the water running well in Vivian creek.
My second backpacking trip at age 15--kind of a trial by fire. It was January of 1984. The weather was good but the snow was rock-solid and dangerous. My crampons kept coming off and sliding down whatever gully I was attempting to climb. I got within about 1500 feet of the summit and turned back due to blisters, intense fear, lack of confidence and those funky, faulty crampons.
I failed again the next year in January of 1985. I was a little more experienced this time but just couldn't make it due to severe shin bang from my Koflach Vivas and blisters on the balls of my feet. I chose to turn around about 1000 feet below the summit before things got worse. I still had a great time.
sierramtngoat - Jun 16, 2006 11:18 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 1994
Fish Creek Trail
I did a short backpacking trip via Fish Creek Trail with Sarah, summitting via the North. There is some interesting plane wreckage on the north side, right by the trail.
erock - Jun 10, 2006 8:14 am Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2006
apocalypse hike
hiked to summit via vivian creek trail on 6/6/6! made it to the top in 3 hours and 40 minutes. made friends with squirrels at summit.
kolbi2112 - Jun 6, 2006 1:43 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2006
Vivian Creek
Got a late start and didn't make it to High Creek until 5pm. Left for the summit at 6am the next day and was back at the car by 1pm. Great sunsets and lots of water. All in all a great 2 days.
kommish - May 22, 2006 5:11 pm Date Climbed: Oct 6, 2005
Vivian Creek
Summited via Vivian Creek Trail, on way to the 9 peaks challege in one day, made 7 when we decide to head down before darkness came.
Eleutheros - May 22, 2006 2:57 am Date Climbed: May 21, 2006
Drunk on Nature's Wonder
I summited via Vivian Creek Trail at about 10 am after camping at High Creek the previous night. Made the hike on a tender knee and full-out sprained it coming down a snowfield below the summit. So I had to walk back on a painful, bum knee... horrible ;) However, I was one of only 2 on the summit and the skies were remarkably clear.
Hike in summer 2001 with some co-workers when I in Los Angeles for the summer.
Dean - May 11, 2006 1:20 pm Date Climbed: May 8, 2006
all by my lonesome
Had the mountain all to myself on the vivian creek side. I had gps'd my route and that was huge in my effort. There was lots of snow above 8600 feet so at least carrying snowshoes, ice axe and crampons paid off. It was an exhausting day, a dawn to nearly dark menu and I almostbit off more than I could chew. However, weather wise, it was a perfect day but smoggy down below.
Quadaxial - Apr 16, 2006 6:52 pm Date Climbed: Nov 20, 2005
11/20/05
We headed up on a beautiful weekend in November via the Vivian Creek trail. Camped about 2500' below the summit on a cold Saturday night. The next morning we were completely alone on the summit. A great weekend!
EManBevHills - Mar 3, 2006 5:04 am Date Climbed: Mar 22, 2003
Ski Trip
Beauteous Day!
Augie Medina - Feb 16, 2006 8:58 pm Date Climbed: Oct 7, 2001
Summit via Vivian Creek Trail
I led a group of friends up the Vivian Creek Trail. When we summitted at 1 pm, it promptly started to snow. Not everyone was prepared; good thing I had carried extra warm clothes. On the return, we got hit by a good thunder storm. There was lots of lightning and seeing the lightning-charred trees along the trail wasn't too comforting. However, during the last hour of our hike the sun came out in force and so we were treated to some variable weather on this mountain today.
Route Climbed: Vivian Creek Trail Date Climbed: June 23, 2002
Very long day and I hated that damned Vivian Creek Trail. I even got altitude sickness when we got to camp. But the next day we got up and climbed up to the top and then all the way back out to the cars which was an even longer day than the day we hiked in. Great views on top though and the highest point in Southern California!
skotty - Jul 10, 2006 9:38 pm Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2006
Longer then you thinkGreat training hike without much of a drive.
Luciano136 - Jul 10, 2006 5:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2006
Fish Creek trailWent up from Fish Creek. Not a huge gainer (3400') but a distance killer; about 22 miles round-trip. The incline of the trail is too moderate in my opinion; climb up a ridge as soon as you get a chance; it will shave off lots of distance! Other than that, a beautiful side of the wilderness. Go up early; thunderstorms tend to develop late morning.
395guy - Jul 2, 2006 4:26 am Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2006
San Bernardino mtns traverseSan Gorgonio was the first peak on my 26-mile trek across the San Bernadino mtns on Sat, July 1, 2006. I went from Vivian Creek TH to San G, then from San G across to San Bernadino, then from San B to Angelus Oaks TH, then I biked back to the Vivian Creek TH. 36 mile day: 8 miles up, 10 miles across, 8 miles down, 10 miles biking.
I did this 36-mile hiking/biking circuit in 2003 also. In 2003, I actually bagged all 9 peaks. Today, I was only concerned about hiking 26-miles in thin air and only bagged three (San G, San B East, San B). Great day. You can read my trip report about the bear on the trail.
johnm - Jun 25, 2006 5:45 pm Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2006
Route Climbed: Vivian CreekClear early morning with thunderheads in from the desert in the early afternoon. A bit of a hot muggy day so views of San Jacinto and the valley not the best. Trail is clear of snow to the summit with the water running well in Vivian creek.
Kerstin - Jun 19, 2006 4:12 am
Vivian Creek trailMy second backpacking trip at age 15--kind of a trial by fire. It was January of 1984. The weather was good but the snow was rock-solid and dangerous. My crampons kept coming off and sliding down whatever gully I was attempting to climb. I got within about 1500 feet of the summit and turned back due to blisters, intense fear, lack of confidence and those funky, faulty crampons.
I failed again the next year in January of 1985. I was a little more experienced this time but just couldn't make it due to severe shin bang from my Koflach Vivas and blisters on the balls of my feet. I chose to turn around about 1000 feet below the summit before things got worse. I still had a great time.
sierramtngoat - Jun 16, 2006 11:18 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 1994
Fish Creek TrailI did a short backpacking trip via Fish Creek Trail with Sarah, summitting via the North. There is some interesting plane wreckage on the north side, right by the trail.
erock - Jun 10, 2006 8:14 am Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2006
apocalypse hikehiked to summit via vivian creek trail on 6/6/6! made it to the top in 3 hours and 40 minutes. made friends with squirrels at summit.
kolbi2112 - Jun 6, 2006 1:43 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2006
Vivian CreekGot a late start and didn't make it to High Creek until 5pm. Left for the summit at 6am the next day and was back at the car by 1pm. Great sunsets and lots of water. All in all a great 2 days.
kommish - May 22, 2006 5:11 pm Date Climbed: Oct 6, 2005
Vivian CreekSummited via Vivian Creek Trail, on way to the 9 peaks challege in one day, made 7 when we decide to head down before darkness came.
Eleutheros - May 22, 2006 2:57 am Date Climbed: May 21, 2006
Drunk on Nature's WonderI summited via Vivian Creek Trail at about 10 am after camping at High Creek the previous night. Made the hike on a tender knee and full-out sprained it coming down a snowfield below the summit. So I had to walk back on a painful, bum knee... horrible ;) However, I was one of only 2 on the summit and the skies were remarkably clear.
lakenyon - May 14, 2006 10:07 pm
Vivian Creek Trail.Hike in summer 2001 with some co-workers when I in Los Angeles for the summer.
Dean - May 11, 2006 1:20 pm Date Climbed: May 8, 2006
all by my lonesomeHad the mountain all to myself on the vivian creek side. I had gps'd my route and that was huge in my effort. There was lots of snow above 8600 feet so at least carrying snowshoes, ice axe and crampons paid off. It was an exhausting day, a dawn to nearly dark menu and I almostbit off more than I could chew. However, weather wise, it was a perfect day but smoggy down below.
Quadaxial - Apr 16, 2006 6:52 pm Date Climbed: Nov 20, 2005
11/20/05We headed up on a beautiful weekend in November via the Vivian Creek trail. Camped about 2500' below the summit on a cold Saturday night. The next morning we were completely alone on the summit. A great weekend!
Cookie Addict - Apr 3, 2006 7:47 pm Date Climbed: Apr 2, 2006
Great climb!Had a great time. I and a buddy traversed 4 peaks to get to summit. Snowboarded down to well past High Creek. A great weekend!
drewcmf - Mar 28, 2006 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Mar 25, 2006
An attempt on GreybackPostholing w/ Jskills...ugly weather...turned back.
EManBevHills - Mar 3, 2006 5:04 am Date Climbed: Mar 22, 2003
Ski TripBeauteous Day!
Augie Medina - Feb 16, 2006 8:58 pm Date Climbed: Oct 7, 2001
Summit via Vivian Creek TrailI led a group of friends up the Vivian Creek Trail. When we summitted at 1 pm, it promptly started to snow. Not everyone was prepared; good thing I had carried extra warm clothes. On the return, we got hit by a good thunder storm. There was lots of lightning and seeing the lightning-charred trees along the trail wasn't too comforting. However, during the last hour of our hike the sun came out in force and so we were treated to some variable weather on this mountain today.
kabernicola - Jan 31, 2006 3:01 pm
Route Climbed: South fork Date Climbed: may first 2005Icredible amount of snow on the mountain, altough it was may. We overnight at dollar lake completly frozen. We were alone over there, It was magic
peakbager - Jan 19, 2006 10:09 pm
Route Climbed: Vivian Creek Date Climbed: June 1998It is a steep climb up this trail, But it is worth it .
Climbed it in 11 hours.
Smith93 - Jan 2, 2006 3:50 am
Route Climbed: Vivian Creek Trail Date Climbed: June 23, 2002Very long day and I hated that damned Vivian Creek Trail. I even got altitude sickness when we got to camp. But the next day we got up and climbed up to the top and then all the way back out to the cars which was an even longer day than the day we hiked in. Great views on top though and the highest point in Southern California!