6/23/21 The first of the 3 was San Jacinto with the Deer Springs and Wellman's Cienaga lollipop loop. Just over 20 miles and 5,000' of gain with a brief hail storm on top!
1 An unusual summer morning rain stopped just as I hit the trail. Hiking conditions were perfect all the way to the top.
2 Suicide Rock.
3 Tahquitz Peak.
4 Doing the loop counter-clockwise. Strawberry Cienaga to Wellman's Cienaga then back down Deer Springs.
5 A deer in Strawberry Cienaga.
6 Coming up to Wellman's Cienaga.
7 Wellman's Cienaga. The fern forest wasn't as high as usual in this very dry year, but it's always beautiful.
8 A look down at Long Valley and the tram station.
9 Always glad to make it to the hut.
10 Made it to the top! Great lighting over the Coachella Valley below.
11 Just as I was leaving the summit, I got hit by a cloudburst of beanbag pellet sized hail and then heavy rain.
12 I was just in shorts and a rain shell, and it was getting really cold fast. While it was fun for a bit, I was glad it didn't last too long.
13 Little Round Valley just after the rain.
14 Coming down the PCT through Deer Springs. One of my favorite sections of trail in SoCal.
15 A smooth trip down, though my heels were killing me. End to the first leg of the inadvertent 3 Week challenge.
