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Location: Riverside County, about 6 miles southeast of Idyllwild, 114 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Nearby Peaks: Apache Peak

Distance: 8 miles round trip on trail

Gain: 2300'

Time: 4-5 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, moderate

Navigation: Easy

DRIVING ROUTE 1

• Take I-10 or SR 60 east to SR 79 in Beaumont.
• Take exit south to SR 79.
• Go south on SR 79 to the Ramona Expressway. Turn left (east).
• Go east and then southeast on the Ramona Expressway until it ends at SR 74. Turn left (east).
• Go east 15 miles on SR 74 to Mountain Center (junction with Idyllwild Highway - SR 243).
• Continue east on SR 74 for 7.0 miles to dirt Fobes Ranch Road (6S05) on the left (north) at a cattle guard. Turn left onto the dirt road. Note your odometer and go as follows:
• At 0.4 mile, fork. Go left.
• At 3.6 miles, fork. Park here.

HIKING ROUTE 1

• From the parking area (5200'), hike north up the Fobes Trail. The trail bypasses Fobes Ranch and meets the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) at Fobes Saddle (5960+) in 1 1/2 miles. This trail is shown correctly on the San Jacinto Wilderness map and is shown as a faint dotted red line on 1988 and later versions of the USGS Palm View Peak topo map.
• Turn left (north) on the PCT and follow it for a long mile to the trail's highest point northeast of the peak.
• Take the use trail on your left (west) to the ridgeline and continue south to the summit.

Note: Continuing straight on the PCT from the junction with the Spitler Peak use trail mentioned immediately above goes to the Apache-Spitler Saddle and then Apache Peak. Combining the peaks will add 3 miles and 1000' of gain to the round trip statistics.

Distance: 11 miles round trip on trail

Gain: 2500'

Time: 5-6 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, moderate

Navigation: Easy

Original: Ham Barhydt, May 1977

DRIVING ROUTE 2

• Take I-10 or SR 60 east to SR 79 in Beaumont.
• Take exit south to SR 79.
• Go south on SR 79 to the Ramona Expressway. Turn left (east).
• Go east and then southeast on the Ramona Expressway until it ends at SR 74. Turn left (east).
• Go 15 miles east on SR 74 to Mountain Center (junction with Idyllwild Highway - SR 243).
• Continue east on SR 74 for 3.5 miles to Apple Canyon Road (paved) on the left. Turn left.
• Pass the entrance to the Hurkey Creek Campground on the left and continue 2.6 miles to a large parking area on the right. Park here. This is the parking area for the Spitler Peak Trail.

HIKING ROUTE 2

• The Spitler Peak Trail, 3E22, begins at a square post at the north end of the parking area (4940').
• Hike 5 miles up the trail to where it meets the PCT at the Apache-Spitler saddle (6980').
• Turn right (south) and follow the trail as it starts around the northeast side of Spitler.
• About 25 yards past a short switchback, leave the trail and go up the slope to the ridge on your right (west).
• Then turn left (south) and follow the ridge up to the summit.

Note: Turn left (north) at the Apache-Spitler saddle to hike to Apache Peak. Combining the peaks will add 2 miles and 700' of gain to the round trip statistics.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Wilderness permits are required under all circumstances. Permits are limited to 15 hikers. Permits may be obtained from the Idyllwild Ranger Station just off SR 243 at 54270 Pine Crest Road. There is a self-issue permit stand outside of the ranger station. Permits may be obtained in advance from:

San Jacinto Ranger District
54270 Pinecrest
P.O. Box 518
Idyllwild, CA 92549
Voice: (909) 382-2921
Fax: (951) 659-2107

PEAK COMBINATIONS

Apache Peak is often combined with Spitler via Routes 1 or 2 as shown above.

History of Summit Signature

Climbing Archives

Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.