San Jacinto Hang

**grampa** · 05-25-2011, 12:31

My son, Josh, my son-in-law, Adam, and myself took a little backpacking trip this weekend in the San Jacinto Mountains of southern California. We went up Devil's Slide Trail, then along Tahquitz Creek.

We used WBBBa and a Traveler hammocks, Incubator under quilts, and for top quilts a GoLite, a Burrow, and a Mamba. Tarps were an MLD cuben Hex and an Edge - we put two hammocks under the MLD due to tree limitations!

We had a great time, and introduced some boy Scouts to the concept of hammock hiking!

**Joey** · 05-25-2011, 13:03

That's the first hike I took my son on, 1996. Beautiful place. Thanks for sharing the pics. Brought back some great memories. Sounds like ya'll made some good memories for yourselves!

**G.L.P.** · 05-26-2011, 09:47

Man i really miss it out there... i lived on the other side of the Mnt
great hiking out there... and i miss the weather

thats for bringing back old memories

**BeartoothTucker** · 05-26-2011, 18:29

thanks for sharing

**Triggerhpy** · 05-26-2011, 23:30

Cool. Have'nt been to San Jac in sometime. Use to take the tram up and hike up to round valley.

**catalyst** · 05-27-2011, 00:14

Very nice! I'm hoping to get out there this summer. Where did you set up camp at?

**lizzie** · 05-27-2011, 01:05

Snow? How much was there up there, and how cold did it get Gramps? Also, you mentioned tree limitations... there are a lot of large and thick Jeffery Pines up there, and my recollection is that they are often spaced more than 15 ft apart. Is that what you meant?

I am thinking of taking my nephew to the San Jacinto range (he's been up there several times, but never overnight,) and I am curious as to where you camped and if you got any feedback from the rangers regarding the hammocks.

**grampa** · 05-27-2011, 09:19

Cat: We camped along Tahquitz Creek. It was kinda funny - the National Forest does dispersed camping by zones. When we got to our permit zone, I told the boys, " Well, we can camp anywhere in the next mile or so." They both replied, "This looks good right here!", and promptly walked off the trail to set up the hammocks! The old man had walked them to exhaustion!

Liz: Along Tahquitz Creek there were just a few remaining patches of snow. I'd say it dropped into the high 30s at night, but that's just a guess. Higher up there's still a good bit of snow left.

Didn't see any rangers, and with dispersed camping, at 200 ft from trail or stream, you don't see a lot of other people - unless a Boy Scout troop camps in the rocks above you cuz they didn't see your stealth hang in the trees!

Distance between trees wasn't the problem - there were a number of trees within 15" or so of each other. The boys wanted to hang close together, which made things a bit more difficult, and they didn't want to spend much time searching for the ideal trees - too tired! If I'd carried a few 3-4 ft extension straps the tree size wouldn't have been a problem. I was trying to keep things as lightweight as possible, so I left them at home. There were some grand Jeffery's pine there - maybe a 4' diameter trunk. I didn't try to hang from them, as they tended to have a lot of large dead branches, as well as being much bigger around than my straps! The trees were a mix of spruce (fir?) and pine, and with a bit mroe exploration then my boys were up for, I'm sure we could have found a better set of hanging trees!

**catalyst** · 05-27-2011, 13:52

Someone was telling me that you had to camp at designated camping spots, but it doesn't look like that is the case. Its set up by zones then?

**grampa** · 05-27-2011, 15:24

Ah, the confusing bit is that two entities have jurisdiction. The top of the San Jacintos, including San Jacinto Peak and the bit where the tram comes in, are run by the California State Parks (State Wilderness), and they require you to camp in designated camp sites. The rest is managed by the National Forest (also a Wilderness area), who prefers dispersed camping.

Personally, I prefer the National Forest system!