Comments on: San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek

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By: Garret Lungin

Garret Lungin — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 20:10:31 +0000

HI, we are considering which trail to do for a one overnight backpack up to San Gorgonio.
Vivian Creek trail or the northern South Fork Trail (via Dollar Lake or Dry Lake). Which would you recommend for beauty and ease?

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 15:23:32 +0000

Hey Jeff…hope your well.Thanks for all your helpful info over the years. When we started hiking in California we headed straight for Whitney went to 12000 for a day hike..epic of course..really want to summit one day.Acclimated a bit in lone pine..drank some powder…no problem at the 12000 ft mark next day went to death valley…got a nose bleed..lol .After Mt baldy and half dome we hit gorgonio on our last Big hike there.Starting out with headlights no problem coming back down once we were on headlights again I found it difficult to navigate by traditional means.As a hiker I try to notice things along the way in the daylight so thankfully I finally came upon a tree root I had noticed water coming out of on the way up then I knew we wouldn’t have to wait out the night temporarily disoriented. We spent a lot of that day with some younger girls from San Pedro and they stayed at summit longer than Wendy and I so I always wondered how they made out cause they weren’t in too prepared.My girl was whimpering a few miles from the car ,first time ever,I was almost burned up too.My legs were sore for 3 days and that never happens.Great adventures, so grateful, were in our 50s now dont ever want to stop hiking out there,San Jacinto is next on the list.Jmt would be the dream.Best wishes to you and all the great people met in the socal wilderness….if there is such a thing anymore..lol..maybe a Tuesday?

By: Bill Mue

Bill Mue — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 05:39:14 +0000

Just finished the hike today, was a doozy! Maybe due to the altitude. Good thing was a beautiful day, but forgot it gets so dark early there and had to do two mile via flashlight, not the best hiking!

Also, please pay attention to route after tree line, the scree all but obscures trail and it’s easy (at least for me) to get off trail.

Thanks for all the info!!

By: Lee Duran

Lee Duran — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 19:16:39 +0000

Just hiked the trail as noted in this site. The weather was perfect. The summary was spot on; including the fact that the downhill was harder than first expected. It still took me 9 hours in total. My high regards to the kind people who have done such a wonderful job to maintain the trail. Even I could follow it and was moving steadily. I highly recommend this trail/climb.

By: Holy Jim

Holy Jim — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 17:34:15 +0000

fyi but permits are not required for day hikes on this trail any more. Overnight camping, yes. Day hikes, no. Happy trails!

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 15:15:37 +0000

Just completed this hike as part of the Six Pack Series, yesterday. I’m feeling it this morning. It was an amazing accomplishment. It feels great that I can say I hiked the tallest peak in Southern California. It was also my first 11K mountain. I liked what you said about it being anticlimactic at the top. This peak wasn’t my favorite looking trail out of the bunch. I’d have to award that one with San Jacinto.

By: A P

A P — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 04:02:40 +0000

Hi all! Backpacked up Vivian Creek trail and camped at the summit this weekend (Apr.28-Apr.29). Great conditions for the hike. Just a few patches of remaining snow/ice, (like 2-3 points in the trail). Windy summit. Water flowing at a number or points Vivian Creek and High Creek. I hope this helps!

By: Jeff Hester

Jeff Hester — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 22:29:20 +0000

In reply to rodney. Thanks for the kind words and the heads up, Rodney. I've fixed the link to the 10 Essentials. ;)

By: rodney

rodney — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 23:40:21 +0000

Thank you for the great info!!!

PS: In this section: San Gorgonio Wilderness Trail Tips
“Carry the 10 essentials.” The link does not work.

By: Stan Osborne

Stan Osborne — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 06:43:58 +0000

We did it cross country from Vivien Creek Trail head the first week of January 1972. Two friends and myself,. We were all 19 years old. We were members of a Sierra Club sponsored Explore post and had trained for more than a year in cross country wilderness hiking / camping. We drove up the night before and slept in the parking area. At early daylight we could see the peak. The weather forcast was clear for several days. There had bee some snow. Trails were covered with ~18: of coars snow. We decided to walk straight towards the peak. At one point along the way we decided it was to slippery and steep so we roped up and continued. we got to the top by early afternoon. The view in all directions was fantastic. Near the top the trail was easy to find so we followed it down. The last two hours were in the dark, but the moon was bright enough to see the trail. We were prepared, had extra water, clothing, food and a bit of experience. This method is not recommended for beginners.

By: Meredith

Meredith — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 00:52:37 +0000

Headed to hike to the summit in tje next couple weeks. We are local and way hing the weather. Anyone been up in the last two weeks? Hows the ice lookkng?

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 14:55:56 +0000

I’m going to be in L.A. for my sisters wedding in early/mid April and am thinking this would be a great overnight hike to do during my time there. Anyone know what I should expect for conditions during that time of year (I’m a year-round hiker in New England, so I have the gear and experience, just a matter of what to bring on the flight).

Also, should I expect to be able to get a permit this close to my hopeful hike date?

thanks!

By: Jeff Hester

Jeff Hester — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 16:40:36 +0000

In reply to Phoebe. Anything is possible, but I wouldn't attempt unless you are very familiar with the route and if the trail is free from snow. A second option would be to backpack to High Creek and camp for the night, then do a 2 or 3am start for the top in the morning.

By: Phoebe

Phoebe — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 16:44:35 +0000

Is it possible to start hiking at dark and try to reach the summit and watch sunrise?

By: SoCal Hiker

SoCal Hiker — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 02:11:33 +0000

In reply to long rider. You are correct! Thank for spotting our typo. We're using the "right" word now. ;)

By: long rider

long rider — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 06:51:18 +0000

Thanks for a great write-up. FYI, the phrase is “a rite of passage” 😉

By: SoCal Hiker

SoCal Hiker — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 06:14:18 +0000

Saed, all of your questions are answered in the “Additional San Gorgonio Resources” section near the bottom of the post. We have a link where you can apply for your permit, as well as a link to turn-by-turn driving directions via Google Maps.

By: Saed

Saed — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 04:57:54 +0000

Hello my name is Saed, I’m planning to go this Saturday with 6 other people! The longest hike I have done was mt. baldy! What advice do you have for us beside being early there? Whom do I call to get a permit? Can you please send me the specific address to get there (the beginning of the trial)?

By: Nicola

Nicola — Sat, 05 Nov 2016 00:20:56 +0000

Thinking about this hike for thanksgiving weekend! Any idea what the snow should be like, if it is manageable??

By: shelly

shelly — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 22:28:16 +0000

Sept 24th, 2016 on my hike with Peaks Up Adventures the water was flowing in two places… 1.5 miles up from Mill Creek and then again at High Creek about 3.6 miles from the first water. Great weather!

By: Jenny Schlick

Jenny Schlick — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 05:03:32 +0000

Any ideas on what the weather will be like in mid October? This is my second time hiking Vivian Creek trail, but my first was in the Spring.

By: surfridge

surfridge — Sun, 14 Aug 2016 06:19:13 +0000

For what it’s worth here’s what I got using the Gaia GPS app starting from the parking lot; 18.2 miles / 5625 ft

The creek was flowing at High Creek if that’s what you mean by the water situation

By: Robert Stegman

Robert Stegman — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 16:44:08 +0000

In reply to Alan M. How is the water situation on the trail?

By: Alan M

Alan M — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 16:33:39 +0000

Here is the distance my Garmin gave when we did this 6 years ago, 18.5 miles RT (elevation is not accurate though but close as this is a GPS only watch). , heading back on 9/16 to finish the Six-Pack! https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/48583491

By: surfridge

surfridge — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 02:17:17 +0000

Just curious while planning this hike.. and these details are not make or break… I’ve been thinking about this hike by the numbers listed here.. 17.3 miles / 5840 elevation gain. A hiker I met on a trail today said it was 20+ miles. The San G WIlderness website list the Vivian Trail as 18.6 miles / 5422 elevation gain. What’s with the differences? One of the above comments mentions it at 22 miles?

I’m not a gps pro but can they be that off from one another? I’ll see what my gps comes up with when I do it.

By: Damon

Damon — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 00:14:24 +0000

Can someone tell me of a nice campsite near the peak? Thinking of the summit but not sure of the conditions. We will be there towards the end of October. trying to get a permit for 12 and we have 4 going so far. If you want to join let me know. Broadbentlak@aol.com

Thanks

By: Travis Vliet

Travis Vliet — Sun, 08 May 2016 18:55:59 +0000

I love your page. San Gorgonio is the first mouton I summited it holds a special place in my heart. Keep up the good work with this page, it’s much appreciated.

Kathy,
Depending on which trail head you start out of you might start at 6,000+ elevation. The altitude will hit you but don’t be alarmed its normal and ok to feel short of breath and a slight burn in the muscles much sooner than you are used to. Trust me when I say the experience is well worth the uncomfortable first mile / mile and a half, but your body will adjust and you’ll find your groove. 1st off get a permit 2nd you can day hike it but its going to be a long day (not too long). Plan for roughly 9 hours on the trail, bring layers because the summit can get windy, but you’ll be ready for by it the you summit. If you have the time try and do an over night it allow for you to get to know the area a little better and there is nothing like spending a night on a mountain (camping on the summit isn’t permitted) I’ve stayed at High Creek, Dry Lake, and Dollar Lake campsites. You can call the ranger station and they’ll help you get situated with a place to camp based on you goals for that weekend.

Have fun…

By: Kathy Veilleux

Kathy Veilleux — Thu, 05 May 2016 12:15:48 +0000

Hey Jeff. I live in NH but will be in Southern Cal for Memorial Day. Thinking of taking this trail and even if we do not summit I will make it higher than 6288 (our state high point at Mt. Washington’s summit). Wondering about time. I know everyone is different, but I am a frequent hiker and in excellent hiking shape. Here over ice and snow and in spring/summer over roots/rocks/rivers I avg 2 mph. Any help or further guidance wicked appreciated. THANKS! ~ Kathy

By: Jeff Hester

Jeff Hester — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 22:19:59 +0000

@rob I was just up there two weekends ago and the water was still flowing.

By: rob

rob — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 22:11:46 +0000

Is there water available at high creek in November? Was wondering if the creeks are dry due to drought? Rob

By: Elizabeth Schirmer

Elizabeth Schirmer — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 14:17:12 +0000

What a fantastic hike! We hiked it on Sunday 10.25. We were lucky with the weather – there was a high cloud cover that kept us cool but allowed views that seem to go on forever. Very few people on the trail, so no problem with parking. We ran out of daylight on the way down, so our headlamps were appreciated. We started just before 8:00 a.m. and made it to the top around 2:00. At this time of year that’s probably too late to expect a daylight finish. A few other day hiker groups were also coming down in the dark.

Thank you for the great trail write up.

By: jazminortega

jazminortega — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 22:48:10 +0000

I have a day hike permit for next week, where can I camp near the trailhead? Thanks!

By: Jeff Hester

Jeff Hester — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 11:04:36 +0000

In reply to Stella adorable. @Stella Adorable-- Yes, it's paved all the way to the trailhead.

By: Stella adorable

Stella adorable — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 06:01:31 +0000

Hi Jeff! Is it a paved road to the parking lot? Thanks!

By: Jeff Hester

Jeff Hester — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 14:55:26 +0000

In reply to Michael.

Michael, check our Event Calendar (link in the top menu) for some of the Meetup groups I’ve hiked with. Right now, Hiking OC has a San Gorgonio hike planned for August 22nd: https://socalhiker.net//event/san-gorgonio-via-vivian-creek-levels-34-very-strenuous/

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:53:38 +0000

I would like to hike San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek trail in the next few weeks but I can’t find this hike on any of the area’s meetup groups. Does any one knowof one? I never have hiked this before and I don’t want to try it alone.
Thanks,
Michael

By: Editha

Editha — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 00:22:34 +0000

Summitted for the first time on Sunday 6/14! Great hike. Perfect weather! Definitely struggled on the way up, but made up time on the way down. Thanks so much for the write-up, it was very helpful! We skipped Peaks 4 and 5, but we are planning to complete them before our Whitney hike on 4th July weekend!

By: Matt Payne

Matt Payne — Thu, 14 May 2015 15:07:16 +0000

Summitted this past Saturday (5/9) and the snow was totally manageable. Ridge had moments of 6-8in where drifts had blown across the trail, but that was it. The rest was a steady inch or two in various parts; snowshoes definitely not necessary. However, according to the following link, heavy snow is projected for the mountain starting tomorrow morning (5/15), upwards of 1ft+ towards the summit:

http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/San-Gorgonio/forecasts/3505

By: Brooks

Brooks — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 23:51:50 +0000

My buddy and I are planning on doing an overnight trip within the next month and I’m wondering if there are any cheap/quality hotels close to Vivian Creek trailhead?

Thanks

By: chris wilson

chris wilson — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 16:02:53 +0000

Loved the hike. Our running Garmin showed 19 miles from car in lower parking lot. 13 hours for us. More irregular trail than the Mt. Baldy trail, which we did last week in 5.5 hours. 56,000 steps per our iphone (versus say 36,000 for a marathon run). Plenty of water on April 19, both at High Creek and down below. Hard to move fast up or down due to lots of small boulders and rocks on the trail. Not a design defect, just the way that mountain happens to be. It rewards patience. Used all our fatigue management tricks on the way down (listening to music in one ear, caffeine pill, aspirin, extra shot of salt, extra shot of dextrose, meditation, singing to self, shot of smelling salts). All worked out fine and had a grand time. Used iodine tablet in 1 bottle of High Creek water and had 2 bottles filled with pumped/filtered water (kind other hiker loaned her pump). All tasted fine and went down without incident. Got off trail coming back along the high traverse for about 30 minutes – trail is hard to find in that area. Quite calm and warm at top. Had a 20 minute snooze, then had nice photos taken by other kind hikers of us (wife plus me) hoisting the Mt. St. G sign. Wish they made patches to sew on to back pack for Mt. St. G, Baldy, Whitney, etc. Went pretty light, less than 10 lbs each, mostly 8 seventeen ounce bottles of fluids (frozen concoction of water, 100 calories of dextrose/glucose, 1/4 tsp each of koolaid powder, salt/potassium, baking soda). No mosquitos. Beautiful redwoods, hike along creeks. Tree line quite high, say 11,000 feet. Almost no snow. Stayed in Redlands night before, drove in 20 minutes. Launched at 6:10 AM. Summit at 12:45. Best we could do going down was around 35 minute miles (versus say 20 minute miles along fire roads and easy trails segments on Baldy). Thanks for the helpful write up and photos. Seems like a nice trainign route for Mt. Whitney, which we hope to try in 2 weeks or so.

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 20:40:29 +0000

Just tried this yesterday and made it until near the end of the ridgeline before giving up. Our feet were sinking to knee-deep in snow with every step, and that last 1.5 miles could’ve easily been 2-3 hours. Snowshoes are a must. When does the snow usually melt up there?

By: Jeff Hester

Jeff Hester — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 21:41:15 +0000

David, I did this trail two weeks ago and DID get stopped for my permit. Not sure what they would do if you didn’t have one. I also know that they reserve some portion of permits for walk-ins. If you’re first in line when they open, you have a good chance of scoring a permit. And if not for Vivian Creek… probably for one of the other trailheads.

By: David Lamondin

David Lamondin — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 21:22:19 +0000

I’m not one to break the rules but I have a free day this weekend and I would love to do this hike. I did Mount San Jacinto this last weekend and it gave me the itch. My questions is this. Do they check for a permit? I tried this morning to get one and it is not a shock that there are none available this close to my hike date. Any feedback would be welcome.

By: Patricia Oohlala

Patricia Oohlala — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 16:17:31 +0000

HI Everyone…I am looking to hike this mountain first weekend of September. Is there any tips you all have for me? It’s a friend and I that are doing it….we want to do it in one day. We hear you can overnight it but we’re not doing that….I’m not a camper, I’d like to get on that trail and conquer it! I’m super new at hiking, I’ve done a few small trails but nothing this long or this intense. I would appreciate any feedback, suggestions or tips you all might have for us. Patricia

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 05:48:03 +0000

Jeff,
Amazing site. Thank you so much for all the great information. We are beginner backpackers and will be visiting San Gorgonio in late May. Do you have suggestions for what kind of first aid to take? We see a lot of lightweight kits but feel we should have something more appropriate for each region we visit. Or do those generic kits supply enough for any region? Thank you again for sharing such great information for us all to succeed and enjoy nature.
-Andrew

By: Jeff Hester

Jeff Hester — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 23:30:32 +0000

In reply to Jason. @Jason not yet! Sounds like pretty strenuous hike.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 21:15:30 +0000

Jeff,
Have you done the Dollar Lake/Dry Lake loop hike? It’s about 24 miles/4500′ gain starting at South Fork TH, took us about 10 hrs to finish.

By: Jeff Hester

Jeff Hester — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 20:02:40 +0000

In reply to Simon. Way to go, Simon! Sounds like a good day. And yes, it does get windy and much more cold at the top.

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 02:51:12 +0000

done on 11/11/2013. 4h:20m up, 3h:20m down, 10m on top. total 7h:50m with several breaks to eat, and several other shorter breaks to rest. pack light, you don’t need anything other than shorts, shirt, water, food, salt and sun lotion. it gets a bit windy close to the top, but bearable.

By: Shane

Shane — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:15:08 +0000

Ha ha. You deserved that fine, and then some. Celebration calls for a healthy can of low sodium V8. Not the beverage of Lucifer. Good report. Keep hiking. Leave no trace.

By: Jeff Hester

Jeff Hester — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 04:43:54 +0000

In reply to Leslie/NoUglyOneYet. There is an option that has less elevation gain, but it's also longer (if you go for the summit). I'm going to post an alternate trail guide on June 18. Check back then!

By: Leslie/NoUglyOneYet

Leslie/NoUglyOneYet — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:49:51 +0000

Looks like a great hike! Thanks for the write-up. I hope we have time to bag Gorgonio before heading to Whitney in July, though it’s not looking likely. If we have to do it as a day trip (driving from San Diego), do you have any recommendations for shortening the hike but still getting the altitude?

By: Bob Adams

Bob Adams — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:43:06 +0000

Did the Vivian Trail many years ago in the dead of winter right after a big storm. Probably one of the most difficult things I have ever done. We went up with 16 well experience hikers all in preparation to take two groups (30 each) of high schoolers into the back county of the Sierra’s for a week. It took us three day. Out of the 16 people who attempted, only the leader and I made it to the top. Have not been back since but looking to give it a go here in a couple of weeks.

By: SoCal Hiker

SoCal Hiker — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 06:00:29 +0000

Someone asked me via Twitter when these photos were taken. This report and the accompanying photos are from a hike on Saturday, July 3, 2010. Both Vivian Creek and High Creek had a fair amount of water (as attested by the photos), but the snow was melting fast. As things heat up, YMMV.

By: SoCal Hiker

SoCal Hiker — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 21:08:53 +0000

In reply to Lemily.

Thanks Lemily! Glad you could join a couple of them, too! Hey can I add one of your photos to this write-up? You got some great shots!

And yeah, the “incident” with the Forest Service guys was unfortunate, but I still had a great time.

By: Lemily

Lemily — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:22:25 +0000

You have quite a grand display of photos from this one Jeff, nice shooting! Great write up as usual. I’m glad I could join in on a couple of your “six pack” hikes, this one especially…and even despite the extra “adventure” with the Park Rangers :p

By: SoCal Hiker

SoCal Hiker — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 05:16:33 +0000

In reply to socalmike.

Thanks for the comment, Mike! August would be a brutal time to do it — pretty hot I’d imagine. We were fortunate — the weather was cool the entire trip up, even though the sun was quite warm and the skies were clear. On the way back down, it was noticeably warmer, and I was really glad to be moving downhill.

22 miles seems too much long, but GPS devices can be less than perfect, particularly with heavy forestation and switchbacks. On the other hand… it did FEEL pretty long, especially on the way back. You reach that point toward the end of the hike when you start wondering if you’ll ever reach the trailhead (you know what I mean).

By: socalmike

socalmike — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 04:55:19 +0000

Hey Jeff, long time lurker, first time commenter.

That was one of the hardest day hikes I’d ever done when I did it 5 years ago this August. My gps had the round trip (without the detour) at 22 miles. I had a little trouble with the altitude as I approached the summit, but once I started down I was fine. That was a terrific hike. Nice job, Jeff. Loved the pix, too. Brought back some fine memories.

By: SoCal Hiker

SoCal Hiker — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:31:13 +0000

In reply to lily. Thanks, Lily! This was a great hike and we all enjoyed it. Hopefully this will inspire others to hike a little further and higher.

By: lily

lily — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:18:01 +0000

Wish I was there with you all Jeff, it was a great details report and best wishes on your John Muir journey coming. If my time permits, I’ll try this trail this summer. Thanks again for posting, organizing and sharing with us your adventure. See you this Sat. on the trails!