The overnight hike
This is Mount San Gorgonio, the highest peak in Southern California. It may look bald and boring, but that’s only because it’s high above the tree line. It is a 22 mile (total) out-and-back hike that climbs over 4600 feet where the scenery seems to be constantly changing. You’ll transition from lush meadows to hillside fields to breathtaking views to a not-so-breathtaking dry lake. This all ends with a gorgeous 360° view of the beautiful San Bernardino National Forest. Only our senior campers are permitted to take this hike (entering 9th or 10th grade).
hike prep
In order to prepare our senior campers for this hike, they spend a good portion of the week in what we call “Hike Prep”. Here they will spend their time with the qualified hike leaders learning all there is to know about overnight hiking. This includes everything from preventing blisters to cooking their own dinner. Safety is of the utmost importance, which is why they will spend most of their time there. But don’t worry. We still make sure there’s plenty of time for other activities such as game zone, archery, and some pool time.
Dry Lake
They will head out early Thursday morning. Just over 5 miles into the hike, the campers will reach Dry Lake. It is here that they will set up base camp. The heavy packs they’ve carried so far will stay here as they lay out their tarps and sleeping bags and relax. They spend the rest of their day exploring the area, playing games, and eventually busting out the pots and propane tanks to cook dinner. Then it’s time to sleep under the stars. Being an actual dry lake, there are no trees to block the view as the stars come out in full force way up in the mountains!
The Peak
The next morning, the campers take a much smaller day pack and hike the remaining 5.5 miles to the top. It is truly a sight to behold to stand at the top and look out over God’s wonderful creation in every direction. From there they head back, and the downhill trek feels like a walk in the park. Before they know it, they’re back at Dry Lake. They pack up their stuff and head back down the way they came to the trail head.
