Hiking
San Jacinto Peak is easily accessible, as many trails penetrate the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. The most popular route starts with a ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway from Valley Station at 2,643 feet (806 m) near Palm Springs up to Mountain Station at 8,516 feet (2,596 m). From there, one can easily climb the mountain face via trails. Another route is to hike the Marion Mountain Trail from near the mountain town of Idyllwild. The Cactus to Clouds trail involves an arduous climb of over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) from the Palm Springs Art Museum to the summit at 10,800 feet (3,300 m).
The mountain is quite rugged in places, with several outdoor hazards that hikers may be unprepared for, including high altitude, severe weather, steep rock faces, and wild animals. Hikers and climbers die or are harmed every year.
Mountaineers can tackle the mountain's steep north face from the town of Snow Creek. This route is a challenging mountaineering route that gains nearly 10,000 feet in less than 7 miles and involves hiking over rough terrain, climbing or scrambling on steep rock and long, sustained snow climbing with crampons and an ice axe. Climbers have been seriously injured or died while attempting this challenging route to the summit.
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Famous quotes containing the word hiking:
“The westerner, normally, walks to get somewhere that he cannot get in an automobile or on horseback. Hiking for its own sake, for the sheer animal pleasure of good condition and brisk exercise, is not an easy thing for him to comprehend.”
—State of Utah, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)