How To Backpack and Summit Southern California's Second Tallest Mountain - San Jacinto

First, mail in an application for a camping permit 8 weeks in advance to the Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness office at the link below. Sites are first come first serve, but you must have a permit to camp.  You can complete the application found on the link below and mail it in. Cost is $5 per person in group.

https://www.pstramway.com/wilderness-permits/

Once the permit has been approved, book your ticket on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (or buy it when you arrive at the station). Fee $25.95 for adults.

https://www.pstramway.com/

Upon arrival, each vehicle pays $5 to park whether making a day trip or spending the night.

Take the tram to the top (8,516 feet). The station has food and drinks for sale and nice restrooms.  I emphasize nice restrooms because Round Valley only has vault toilets and no place to wash hands.

Leaving the tram station, check in at the ranger station at the base of the ramp to register your arrival.

From here, hike approximately 2.9 miles to Round Valley (9,100 feet).

At the old unmanned ranger station here, check the whiteboard to see which campsites are still available. Write your name next to the site with camping dates to claim it.  Then find the site, pitch camp, relax and go to bed. No campfires are allowed.

Some sites are a little off the beaten path, so it may take some time to find it. But the sites are beautiful.

Also, water is not always available at this location so please check the status with the ranger station near the tram before you head out.  If there is water running from the pipe, it must be treated before drinking.  

The next morning, head out early to San Jacinto peak. We left camp at 7:00 AM with day packs filled with water and trail food. There is no water from this point on.

First, hike 1 strenuous mile up to Wellmans Divide (9,700 feet) for an amazing view. We arrived at 8:20. Then hike 2.7 miles to the top of San Jacinto at 10,834 feet for even more spectacular views. We reached it at 10:20.

On the return, due to an knee problem with one of our party, we did not reach Round Valley until 1:00 PM.  After packing up camp, we left at 2:00 and reached the tram at 3:30.

Mount San Jacinto wilderness area is an amazing location. The top of the tram is about 30 degrees cooler than at the base of the tram. The day we went, it was 112 at the base and 85 at the top. The next day, 78 at the top and 110 at the base. You are surrounded by pine trees and lush meadows at the top, desert at the base. 

It is definitely a memorable trip. Hiking from the tram to San Jacinto and back is approximately 13 miles. It can be done in one day, but it makes for a very long day. I feel it is much better to break it up.

Don't Miss Nugget Falls

When visiting the Mendenhall Glacier don’t skip the 30-45 minute detour to Nugget Falls.

The falls are less than two miles round-trip from the main Mendenhall overlook trail.  Nugget Falls water source is Nugget Glacier.The trail leads you to a sandbar that ends less than 20 feet from where a 377-foot tall gushing waterfall crashes into Mendenhall Lake. 

For me, the most impressive thing was how close you are to the base of the falls - no more than 20 feet. Feeling the cool glacial water spray across your face (and in my case head as well), is invigorating.  And of course the pictures you get to take of the waterfall and it’s spray across the lake and in front of the glacier and her icebergs makes it a photographer’s paradise.

It was a real shame hearing people on the path say, “oh we don’t have time for that”, and “I am sure it isn't worth it”, and another family debating to go to the visitor center or the falls.

It is an easy hike with little elevation gain. See photo to the right. My friend's 82-year old uncle did it. Mind you, the man is an amazing human being. The point is, just do it. You will be glad you did.