Wilshire Mountain

Wilshire Mountain, photo by Google Earth

Wilshire Mountain, Photo by Google Earth.

Peak Name

Wilshire Mountain

25E

Elevation

8832

feet

Status

active

Region

Yucaipa Ridge Area

Range

San Bernardino Mountains

Nearby peaks

Birch Mountain, Cedar Mountain, Wilshire Peak, Little San Gorgonio Peak

Location

34.063852,-116.90641

Description

Wilshire Mountain and adjacent Wilshire Peak are named for the area resident who developed the Oak Glen area below as an important apple growing area in the late 1800s. Apple orchards are still found here, in several farms that are open to the public and on the grounds of the Wildlands Conservancy’s Oak Glen Preserve. For hikers passing above, It is a stop along the way on the demanding Yucaipa Ridge Traverse from Little San Gorgonio to Allen.

Route 1 describes the section between Wilshire Mountain and Little San Gorgonio Mountain. Those who hike up Little San Gorgonio but do not want to do the entire traverse sometimes continue their hike to this point.

Maps generated from CalTopo.com, reproduced with permission

Downloadable Maps, Files, and Guides

Route 1- From Little San Gorgonio Peak

Elevation Gain

140′

Navigation Difficulty

Easy

Distance

0.8 mile one way on road and cross-country

Estimated time

1 hour one way

Route Rating

Class 1, very strenuous when combined with other peaks in the area

Leader Rating Required

“I”, normal conditions

Driving route

See the driving instructions for Little San Gorgonio Peak. This route assumes that you are hiking each peak along this section of Yucaipa Ridge (5 peaks).

Hiking route

From Little San Gorgonio Peak, hike west along the ridge to a radio tower shown on the USGS topo map.
Continue west on a dirt road down into a saddle.
Continue west on the road until the road makes a sharp turn to the left.
Leave the road to the right and hike north up to the peak. This is a wide wooded area. The peak is not named on the topo but is shown as 8832′.

Route Notes

From Little San Gorgonio, part of the Yucaipa Ridge Traverse.

Printable Route

Road Type

None

Google Maps Link to Trailhead

Additional Peak Information

Special conditions: The Yucaipa Ridge Traverse continues west down Yucaipa Ridge past Birch Mountain to the Allen-Birch saddle. To continue on the route you will pass through land owned by the Wildlands Conservancy, which manages the Oak Glen Preserve and Bear Paw Preserve. You must request permission to hike here at least five days in advance. You can find more information about the preserve at wildlandsconservancy.org/preserves/bearpaw.

The Preserve encourages hiking on its land but you must make arrangements at least a few days in advance of your planned hike. Email the Preserve at sbmountains@wildlandsconservancy.org or call the manager of the Bear Paw Preserve at (909) 790-3698. You will receive an email that contains an information form to complete, a liability waiver form for each hiker to fill out and return at the trailhead, and the gate code.

The USGS topo shows a trail starting at Pilgrim Pines Camp in Oak Glen and going up to a point near Cedar Mountain. This trail crosses private property and must be used only with permission. Call Pilgrim Pines at (562) 335-7697 for permission.

Notes: This peak and the four nearby peaks are normally done together as a car shuttle trip. It is possible to descend the ridge from the saddle just east of Birch Mountain to the town of Forest Falls. See the Birch Mountain guide for additional information.