Gold Mountain
Group Hike: Saturday, July 2 at 8am, meet at the PCT intersection on Doble/Dump Rd
Gold Mountain is a prominant mound overlooking the east end of Big Bear Valley. It offers an uncommon view of the lake, a panoramic of Lucerne Valley, and a beautiful gently sloped section of the PCT which is a joy for most hikers. In total, you’ll ascend about 1350′ in about 4.2 miles. While the end is somewhat steep, the approach is a mild incline that spans more than 2 miles, with nice views of Baldwin Lake along the way.
Quick Facts
Length: 8.5 miles (round trip… about 2-4 hours of hiking total)
Elevation: Start at 6870′, peak at 8235′
Difficulty: Moderate
Directions to Trailhead
Drive east on Hwy 18 toward Lucerne Valley. Turn onto Holcomb Valley Rd/Doble Dump Rd that heads up to Dump/Transfer Station. At about ¾ of a mile up the PCT crosses the road, this is indicated by 2 white posts on either side of the road. Park anywhere around here, off the road with your adventure pass clearly visible! Trial is on left or west side of the road.
Trail Directions
Enter onto PCT trail headed southwest past the white PCT post. You will be staying on the PCT while it heads SW and then switchbacks a few times crossing over scree fields and climbing up the east face of Gold Mountain. As you ascend this section, there are some great views of Baldwin Lake and the high desert. At about 2 ¾ miles you will come to a dirt road. It is the first intersection on the trail. Turning left, uphill, south on this road (which is forest road 3N69, but it is not marked at the intersection) takes you to the summit. From here it is about 1½ miles to the summit. To get to the official “summit”, you will turn off the road to the left, east, at the ridge before it starts heading down the other side of the mountain, just when you see San Gorgonio appear in the distance. Reread that last sentence! In other words, you will have to depart from the road and go east toward the summit when it seems like you’re near the top. Hike (bushwack) along the ridge a short distance to the east and you will you see a really big pile of rocks (I believe that’s the technical name for it), climb up on to the rocks and you will spot some old wooden fence posts and wire. Should be a benchmark around here somewhere too. Enjoy the panoramic views of the east valley and high desert!
Questions & Comments
Post questions, trail info, or your hike story in the “Leave a Comment” section below (might as well read other people’s discussion before posting a new question!).
It appears that the punch for Gold Mountain is broken. The part of the punch with the metal teeth is still there, but the other part is missing.
don’t be fooled by the wooden cross tied with wire, if there are higher rocks climb them, that’s where you will find the punch.