San Jacinto Peak seems to be a hike I need to do every few years. Here is a view from the valley:

Last time on June 21, 2008 with Devin. This time on July 19, 2012 with Trisha. It’s always a good hike. It took five hours up and three hours back down, for a total of 11 miles on the trail.

I love the views from the top. There are not many places in the country, or the world, where you can look down from 10,800 feet into a valley floor at 500 feet, so close that you feel you could reach down and touch it. That’s the hallmark of San Jacinto Peak.

The peak is very rugged, covered with huge boulders and no paths or trails. The last 200 feet of climb is basically clambering over boulders the size small cars or even bigger. In the distance is the broad back of San Gorgonio mountain, sometimes called greyback, the highest peak in Southern California, at about 11,500. That’s next to climb to do in August.

Just 200 feet below the peak, there is the famous stone hut, built mostly from stones and wood from location. It contains four rugged bunk beds and a variety of supplies that people left. There is also an emergency supplies cabinet, safely latched to keep the mice (and other critters) out. I am sure this hut supplies good shelter for hikers caught in a storm, rain, thunder or snow, at the peak. Although I wonder about its safety in thunderstorms. Accidents at the stone hut on the peak of Mount Whitney in thunderstorm come to mind.

The arrow points to the location of the top station of the Aerial Tramway from where we started hiking, 5.5 trail miles away and 2,200 feet lower than the peak.

Made it to the very peak.