On Sunday I planned a hike with Red Doug... he's a long time poster on the Backpacker.com forums and he's from Michigan but currently residing in Southern California as he's receiving cancer treatment at Loma Linda University. He's been wanting to get out and set foot on the PCT so I did a little bit of research and found what I thought looked to be an interesting stretch that's not covered with snow like many are right now. I invited others to come on the trip and so that morning I met Mtmnslady, Greg1062, and Serpicorabbit at the Rancho Cucamonga REI. We then carpooled out to the San Gorgonio pass area and met Doug and also Sunbeam. We then shuttled up to Whitewater Preserve.
This is an area once slated for a housing development that was saved by the Wildlands Conservancy. Now it's part of a large area that Senator Feinstein is proposing be designated as a National Monument - it will be part of the "Sand to Snow National Monument" which will stretch from the Coachella Valley up to the summit of San Gorgonio Peak, the highest mountain in Southern California. It is a little known gem of an area and I enjoyed exploring it for the day. We had great weather - it was warm, about 70 degrees, and partly to mostly cloudy with no wind.
We hiked from the visitor center northwest along the Whitewater River bed. We crossed it then shortly afterwards the trail intersected with the PCT. We then followed the PCT southbound as it switchbacked up a canyon. At the top of the ridge we admired the view, then Doug set his sites on a hill west of the trail. Serpicorabbit led the way cross-country up the hill. Shortly afterwards he found a tarantula, but alas it was dead. Up up up we went up the steep hillside. Eventually great views opened up to the south to the Salton Sea and to the north towards the higher peaks in the San Gorgonio Wilderness to make the climb worth our while. After enjoying the views we made our way back down and Serpicorabbit found a pair of binoculars sitting on a lone rock. He left them there for the next person who ventured off the PCT to discover.
Back down on the PCT we decided to sit a spell and eat lunch. Then we completed the ridge loop back down to the visitor center. In all we hiked about 4 miles or so. I particularly enjoyed the far-reaching views and the "fall" colors. (Cottonwoods and sycamores don't turn to their autumn hues until November or December in Southern California.) And along with the fall colors, we had some wildflowers who thought it was spring!
Back at the visitor center we sat and talked a little while then we said goodbye and headed home. I had a good time and I hope the others did, too. It was great to finally meet Doug, as well as the others, as the only person I'd hiked with before was Mtmnslady. I hope we get a chance to do it again :)
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