Taking the Tortuous Trail to Top of Mt. San Jacinto

Hikers at the Fuller Ridge trail head get a 7,700-foot head start to the top of 10,804-foot Mt. San Jacinto, but that doesn’t mean this route is the easiest way to Southern California’s second-tallest peak.

Do the math first, and the hike (although long) seems moderate enough: 7.5 miles one way with an average elevation gain of only about 414 feet per mile. But then do the hike, and the math seems improbable. Fuller Ridge is a more difficult hike than the numbers suggest.

While other paths to San Jacinto Peak lead through cool forest and offer a kind of woodsy solace, the trail following Fuller Ridge is more challenging (some might say tortuous), its tight switchbacks zigzagging across stone ramparts and wind-thrashed firs.

By ascending the mighty mountain by way of Fuller Ridge, you enjoy a grand, seldom-used stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail, fabulous views of the desert and the San Andreas rift zone, and the satisfaction of seeing the puzzled look of others you meet on the peak when you say you came by way of Fuller Ridge. “You came from where?” is the usual response from those who took shorter and easier routes.

(Many of these folks have come up on the new gondolas of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, a fun 15-minute ride from Palm Springs to the 8,516-foot-high Mountain Station; from there it’s a 51/2-mile hike to San Jacinto Peak.)

Fuller Ridge is the hardest of San Jacinto’s trail heads to reach. It requires a long drive on dirt Black Mountain Road, which is usually closed from late autumn to mid-spring because of snow. Call the National Forest Service or state park offices in Idyllwild (see numbers in map box) for weather updates; the Forest Service also can give instructions on getting an Adventure Pass and wilderness permit.

If you’re not in the mood or shape for an all-day adventure, make the four-mile round-trip hike to the ridgeline and enjoy the views.

More ambitious hikers bound for the peak should start early and allow seven to 10 hours, depending on pace and the time spent lingering at the summit. Even well-conditioned hikers shouldn’t be discouraged if the trip to the peak takes longer than expected. Just remember not to rush the descent; the steep and rocky trail has high potential to turn ankles and wrench knees.

Directions to trail head: From Interstate 10 in Banning, exit onto California 243 and drive southeast about 17 winding miles to Black Mountain Road. (Or from Idyllwild, drive about 81/2 miles north to Black Mountain Road.) Proceed 61/2 miles north to Black Mountain Campground, then go 11/2 miles to a brief, right-forking spur leading to the parking area and trail head.

The hike: This segment of the Pacific Crest Trail starts with a mellow climb, continuing for a mile through open forest to a saddle. Another mile of ascent, passing the aptly named Castle Rocks, takes you to Fuller Ridge.

The path twists atop the ridgeline, dodging boulders and contorted white firs. From here you can see 11,502-foot Mt. San Gorgonio, the highest point in Southern California, and other peaks of the San Bernardino Mountains. Far, far below is the San Gorgonio Pass, which separates the San Bernardinos from the San Jacintos. You’ll also get impressive views of Palm Springs and the rest of the Coachella Valley.

After more than a mile atop the ridge, the Pacific Crest Trail joins the slopes of Mt. San Jacinto. The path switchbacks across the broad shoulders of the mountain, passes the headwaters of the north fork of the San Jacinto River and reaches a junction five miles from your starting point.

The Pacific Crest Trail continues south, meeting Seven Pines and Marion Mountain trails. Turn northeast and keep switchbacking for another mile to Little Round Valley, where there’s a small camp.

The trail curves east--still climbing, still switchbacking--for 1.3 miles with an 800-foot elevation gain to the ridge atop San Jacinto Peak. The final 0.3 mile of climbing leads past a mountaineer’s stone hut. John Muir described the view from here as “the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on this Earth.”

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For more of John McKinney’s tips, visit https://www.thetrailmaster.com.