Ten Thousand Foot Ridge
Peak Name
Elevation
feet
Status
Region
Range
Nearby peaks
Location
Description
This HPS peak is the high point of the Ten Thousand Foot Ridge, a string of peaks extending from Lake Peak in the northwest to Hell For Sure Peak in the southeast. It is typically hiked with nearby Lake Peak and/or Grinnell Mountain, all reached from Fish Creek Saddle.
Route 1 ascends the Fish Creek Trail to the saddle then continues to and follows the ridge. Route 2 comes from the South Fork Trail. Route 3 is the route to the old HPS summit, now called Hell For Sure Peak, takes the ridge to that peak from Fish Creek and continues northwest. There are various steep cross country alternatives, which might be useful as descent routes, but we do not vouch for their safety.
Maps generated from CalTopo.com, reproduced with permission
Downloadable Maps, Files, and Guides
Driving route
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 about 33 miles to 1N02 on the right, 1 mile past the first entrance to Heart Bar Campground. Turn right. Note your odometer and go as follows:
At 1.2 miles, fork. Go right on 1N05, signed “Fish Creek”.
At 2.8 miles, Aspen Grove Trail 2E05 goes west. Continue on the road. Note: The hike can be started here, adding about 3 miles round trip and 500′ of gain, but saving 10 miles of dirt road driving.
At 6.9 miles, fork. Go right.
At 7.2 miles, fork. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) crosses the road here. Go right.
At 7.6 miles, fork. Go right.
At 7.7 miles, Fish Creek Trailhead (1W07). Park here.
Hiking route
From the parking area (8120′), hike on trail 1W07 southwest 1/2 mile to a junction with the Aspen Grove Trail (8040′).
Keep left on 1W07 and continue about 4 miles to Fish Creek Saddle at 9805′.
Hike south up to the top of the ridge at 10,080′.
Turn left. (Turn right (west) to go to Lake Peak.)
Hike east along the ridge to a saddle at 9800′-.
Continue east up to the summit.
Note: It is possible to descend from the saddle west of the peak down to the trail on the return. This route is a steep, loose class 2.
Driving route
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 about 26 miles to Jenks Lake Road on the right. Turn right (south).
Continue to the signed South Fork Trailhead parking lot on the left. Park here.
Hiking route
From the parking area (6900′), hike the South Fork Trail (1E04) past the old Poopout Hill trailhead to South Fork at Slushy Meadows where the Dry Lake Trail forks left (8200′).
Turn left (southeast) and follow this trail 1 1/2 miles to Dry Lake where there is another trail fork.
Turn left and go 1/2 mile to Lodgepole Spring.
Continue 3/4 mile east cross-country up to Fish Creek Saddle at 9805′.
Hike south up to the top of the ridge at 10,080′.
Turn left. (Turn right (west) to go to Lake Peak.)
Hike east along the ridge to a saddle at 9800′-.
Continue east up to the summit.
Route Notes
Driving route
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 about 33 miles to 1N02 on the right, 1 mile past the first entrance to Heart Bar Campground. Turn right. Note your odometer and go as follows:
At 1.2 miles, fork. Go right on 1N05, signed “Fish Creek”.
At 2.8 miles, Aspen Grove Trail 2E05 goes west. Continue on the road. Note: The hike can be started here, adding about 3 miles round trip and 500′ of gain, but saving 10 miles of dirt road driving.
At 6.9 miles, fork. Go right.
At 7.2 miles, fork. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) crosses the road here. Go right.
At 7.6 miles, fork. Go right.
At 7.7 miles, Fish Creek Trailhead (1W07). Park here.
Hiking route
From the parking area, hike south and then west to the saddle just south of bump 8490′.
Hike up the steep ridge to bump 9580′ and then turn southeast and hike down to the saddle at 9450′.
From the saddle at 9450′, hike up the ridge southwest to the original HPS 10K summit at 9930′.
From the original summit, hike generally west and northwest along the ridge passing bumps 9880′, 9971′, and 10,060′ to the current summit.
Note: Route finding is very difficult.
Additional Peak Information
Special conditions: Permits for day or overnight use are required for all routes and have a limit of 12. Permits can be obtained online from the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association at swga.org up to 90 days in advance or at the Mill Creek Ranger Station, 9 miles from Redlands on SR 38.
Historical notes: In 1968 the HPS placed a register on Peak 9930 at the extreme east end of the ridge. The HPS moved the official summit to its current location on Peak 10,094′ in 1974.
Excerpts from the original register book that was still present on the original summit on 8/24/2002, which makes it over 32 years old:
8/10/68 Exploratory hike by the HPS of the LA Chapter:
How Bailey
Ray Redheffer
HPS scheduled trip on 10/18/68:
Bob and Joyce Van Allen
Barbara Mazur 205
Richard Akawie 243
Alice Akawie
Luella Martin
John Linden
Sam Fink (He did the peak a whole bunch of times as we saw his signature at least three times)
Mary Kempen
Later entries on various days:
Mary Hines (?)
Jim Fleming
John Backus
Frank Dobos
Frank Goodykoontz
Carleton Shay
Stag Brown
Bob Cat Thompson
The name of the peak is commonly abbreviated to “10K Ridge”.
External Links
Nearby Peaks
External Links
Peakbagger.com
Nearest ranger station
NOAA Forecast
Google Earth
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