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** Use at Your Own Risk **
25G |
Galena Peak |
9324' |
Location: San Bernardino County, about 10 miles north of Banning, 80 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
| Auto Club | Los Angeles and Vicinity, San Bernardino Mountain Area |
| Forest Service | San Bernardino National Forest |
| USGS Topos | San Gorgonio Mountain 7½ |
| Official HPS Maps | TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| Viewable JPG file - Approximately 544K | |
| GPX file or Google Earth KML file to download to GPS units and other map software (How to use GPX and KML files) | |
| Routes as shown on CalTopo using the above files (How to use CalTopo) |
Nearby Peaks: Little San Gorgonio Peak
ROUTE 1
NOTE: HIKE THIS ROUTE AT YOUR OWN RISK. DUE TO THE RISK OF ROCK FALL, THIS ROUTE IS NOT APPROVED FOR HPS SCHEDULED HIKES.(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)
- Distance: 8 miles round trip on trail and cross-country
- Gain: 3300'
- Time: 7-8 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 2, strenuous
- Navigation: Moderate
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
- Recommended limit on participants: 4 people per experienced leader (due to control issues on the headwall)
Original: Warren E. von Pertz, 1968
DRIVING ROUTE 1
- Take I-10 east past San Bernardino to the Orange Street exit (SR 38).
- Go one block east, then go north (left) 0.5 mile to Lugonia Avenue. Turn right on SR 38 (east).
- Continue east on SR 38 for 8 miles to Mill Creek Ranger Station, a standard rendezvous spot.
- Continue past the Ranger Station another 5 miles to a junction with the Valley of the Falls Road on the right. Turn right.
- Drive up this paved road for 5 miles to the parking lot at the end of the road.
HIKING ROUTE 1
- From the parking lot (6080'), hike east up the road past a locked gate to its end.
- Keeping on the right side of the canyon continue east a short distance on a use trail to a point where it drops into the wash.
- Continue up the canyon, passing a class 3 waterfall on its right side.
- Continue to the top of the Mill Creek Jumpoff headwall at 8456'. Note: Conditions in the canyon change after heavy rainfall.
- The best route up the headwall is to ascend the gray-colored dirt up the center then, near the top, contour to the right on steep slopes to join the saddle. Avoid starting up the left side (in the tan dirt), as the ascent is not viable, becoming very steep and loose, and it is very difficult to traverse to the right from there. WARNING: the wall is concave in shape, so gets steeper with elevation. This is not apparent from below, so the tan dirt can seem to be superior. Do not fall into this trap!
- Beware of loose rock! The boulders in the canyon are unstable.
- Continue south up the ridge, following a faint use trail, which finally bears around to the right to a saddle. Turn left and go up to the summit. A peak to the west is higher but is not the official summit.
Note: HPS policy requires the possession and use of a climbing helmet on Class 3 terrain or where the hazard of rockfall is present.
ROUTE 2 - From Vivian Creek Trail
(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)- Distance: 17 ½ miles round trip on trail and cross-country
- Gain: 6100' total, 4700' out plus 1400' on return
- Time: 10-12 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 2, very strenuous
- Navigation: Moderate
- Leader Rating: "I", normal conditions
DRIVING ROUTE 2
- Take I-10 east past San Bernardino to the Orange Street exit (SR 38).
- Go one block east, then go north (left) 0.5 mile to Lugonia Avenue. Turn right on SR 38 (east).
- Go 8.0 miles to the Mill Creek Ranger Station.
- Continue east on SR 38 about 5 miles to the Valley of the Falls Road on the right. Turn right.
- Drive 4.25 miles to the Big Falls parking area at the end of the road. Park here.
HIKING ROUTE 2
- From the parking lot (6080'), hike past the locked gate on the initially paved road east for ½ mile to where the trail descends into the wash.
- Cross the wash and pick up the trail again on the north side.
- Continue up the Vivian Creek Trail 5.6 miles to High Camp.
- From High Camp, continue 1.3 miles to the bottom of the last switchback at 9780’ before the ridge that includes bump 10,131, without continuing to 10,131'.
- Proceed south over the ridge to descend the steep SSE ridge toward the Mill Creek Jumpoff, which will now be in view.
- Traverse the jumpoff, staying below its top to the east to avoid brush.
- Continue south up the ridge to the peak, following a faint use trail, which finally bears around to the right to a saddle. Turn left and go up to the summit. A peak to the west is higher but is not the official summit.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
Wilderness permits are required for all routes. They are issued at Mill Creek Ranger Station, 9 miles from Redlands on SR 38. Day use permits are self-issue on the day of the hike or by mail. Overnight permits must be acquired in person or by mail.
Mill Creek Ranger Station
Route 1, Box 264
Mentone, CA 92359
(909) 794-1123
ALTERNATE ROUTES
The summit has been reached by hiking over the ridge from Little San Gorgonio and from Snow Peak, which is to the southeast. Continuing north from the top of the headwall (Mill Creek Jumpoff) leads, through dense brush, to the Vivian Creek Trail.
History of Summit Signature
Climbing Archives
Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.