San Gorgonio Fourth Summit
After recovering from Mount Whitney, I was itching to hit the trail again. No better way to get back into flow than returning to an old friend — San Gorgonio. This was my 4th summit of SoCal’s tallest peak, and this time, it felt different. Stronger. Calmer. Easier.
Starting at Vivian Creek, the steep, relentless climb through shaded switchbacks now felt familiar. My legs, conditioned by Whitney’s grind, moved with quiet confidence. No food, no gels, no sugar — just 3 packets of LMNT for electrolytes. I reached the summit fully fasted, broke open a coconut butter packet, and let the wind wrap around me like a reward.
On the descent, I felt even more dialed in. No bonking. No soreness. Just pure movement. When I reached the car, I crushed a tuna packet — the first real fuel of the day. And the kicker? I shaved 40 minutes off my previous best. Not from rushing — but because it genuinely felt easier after Whitney.
TrailGenic™ isn’t just about summiting — it’s about metabolic mastery and hiking clarity. This was proof.
Along the Vivian Creek Trail, high-elevation wildflowers were still in bloom despite late July heat. Lower on the trail, I passed fireweed, lupine, and scattered paintbrush adding splashes of color near creek crossings. Birdsong echoed through the forest early on, and I caught a glimpse of a Steller’s Jay near Halfway Camp.
No big wildlife this time, but plenty of ground squirrels darted across the trail as I ascended. Just above 10,000 feet, I heard the high-pitched chirps of pikas — rare but magical to witness in the alpine rockfields.
The contrast between alpine flora and granite harshness was a reminder: even in elevation extremes, life thrives.
The fourth summit of San Gorgonio didn’t feel like repetition — it felt like evolution. Stronger, faster, fully fasted, and 40 minutes ahead of my last time, it was living proof that Whitney changed me.
San G wasn’t harder — I was just better. And that difference — from struggle to flow — is exactly what TrailGenic™ is built on.
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