Cleghorn Mountain, Cajon Mountain, Sugarpine Mountain, Monument Peak #2

28 April 1991

By: Joe Young

Leaders: Bobcat Thompson & Joe Young

After a 6:30 am breakfast at Baker's Square of Claremont, twelve hikers arranged themselves into three trucks, one large van, and one Honda sedan, and regrouped at Highway 138 and I-15. Our objective was to scout the peaks and roads in the Silverwood-Big Bear area in anticipation of the Olympics IV. Our efforts were thwarted by a locked gate on a key road near Monument Pk. In addition, the road to Cleghorn Pk had not yet been graded, and our driving was slowed. Furthermore, a wrong turn on my part caused the caravan to go down a narrow deeply rutted road, and the van became stuck. After some digging and pushing rocks under the tires, we got the van free and we returned to Hwy 138, having tired of the ungraded 2N47. The Honda then left us. We then drove to Cajon junction, and observed a firebreak leading to a ridge just east of Cleghorn. We decided to hike Cleghorn this route for exercise, since we would definitely not hike Cleghorn via this route (800' of gain, three miles round trip) during the Olympics. This is, however, a good alternative route to Cleghorn. After reaching the ridge top at a road, we hiked toward, then to the north of Cleghorn, then doubled back 50 yards through moderate brush to the summit. On return we hiked the standard route to 2N47, then down the firebreak to the cars.

From here we drove to the junction of the road to Cajon lookout, hiked the peak, then lunched at the cars. We then drove to Sugarpine and found two fallen trees blocking the rough road to its summit. After Sugarpine we drove over to Monument, and observed a recent (4-20-1991) concrete enhancement to the monument. We then drove part way down the Sawpit Canyon road, but were stopped by a locked gate. Since there was still snow along the road from Sugarpine to Monument (at the 5,000' level), I lost my enthusiasm for hiking the higher peaks (7,000 +) in the Big Bear area, and decided to return, although we checked out the road from north of Cleghorn to the I-15. This road had been recently graded.

Overall this was a frustrating day. In recent dry years late April would have been acceptable for driving and hiking in the Silverwood area, but not in 1991. I will have to scout again before the Olympics.