San Gorgonio's Northwest Ridge is an easy, non-technical route of ascent from the North, offering great views and some primo skiing. This route heads south, up the side of the North Face, and tops out on the very broad summit plateau, with the summit lying to the east.

Google Erf

The route starts around 9700ft, and tops out around 11200ft, with the rest gained on the stroll east to the summit. Descent is best gained by skiing down one of many fine lines on the North Face, or anywhere else on the northern side of the mountain, back to Dry Lake or Dollar Lake.

The route offers +/-550M of easy, mostly class 2 snowclimbing, with conditions running up to AI1-2 depending on your proximity to the ridgeline itself, and the recent weather. San G is not a technically hard mountian, at least not by most routes, but it does get hit hard with weather failry often in the winter.

Getting There

From Dry Lake

In clear weather, one can observe the route from Dry Lake. Routefinding to the base of the ridge is very simple and straightforward, with a group heading southwest nearly in a beeline for the ridge.

If weather does not cooperate as well, one should head south alongside Dry Lake. Dry Lake terminates and one enters a shallow gully on its' southwest edge, heading southwest. One can continue on this heading until they reach the large open area/plateau south of San G. From this point, the ridge is directly south of your position. There are several very small ridges along the way which can make navigation frustrating in low-viz conditions without GPS or prior experience in the area.

A GPS is suggested if you expect any interesting weather.

Route Description

This route is a fairly straightforward snowclimb. One gains the ridge, passing through the trees, and can eventually choose to head up on the left side in more snow, or along the ridge proper, which may offer some scrambling and easy traditional mixed climbing, not above class 3. The route smooths out up top, and leaves you on the summit plateau, from where you head east to tag the top.

Movin' on up

I climbed this route in may of 2008 with my buddy Fritz. The snow was in bad condition, with penetentes/suncups that made things more difficult. We chose to stick to the ridgeline proper to stay in the dirt and rocks, instead of postholing or breaking the penetentes, which was unsafe and uncomfortable.

Essential Gear

All conditions
-Get a Permit!
Please note that Rangers do patrol the area frequently, and one would probably be told to turn back and acquire a permit if they lack one.

Dry Conditions
-Trekking poles are helpful on the screeslopes

Winter
-1x General Mountaineering Axe
-Crampons
-Typical SoCal winter clothing, aimed toward protection from the wind

Spring (Snow)
-1x Axe
-Crampons (10pt OK)
-Lightweight insulation
-Windshirt/jacket

No special gear is required on this route. I would say that helmets are optional, and despite being a serious rockfall magnet in the past, I felt completely safe on this relatively-low-angle route.

As someone who does not ski or snowboard, I would venture to say that one should bring such equipment up the route, as that would be the fastest and most entertaining method of descent.