Jon King breaks long-standing ascent record for San Jacinto Peak
Charles Phelan
Contributor
Famed nature enthusiast John Muir exclaimed, “The view from San Jacinto is the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on this earth!” According to historians, the Muir quote is probably apocryphal, but anyone who has hiked to San Jacinto Peak would surely agree that it affords some truly amazing, sublime and incredible panoramic views.
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PHOTO BY JON KING
Hollywood producer Sid Davis set the record for the total number of ascents of San Jacinto Peak, having climbed the massive mountain a total of 643 times. On Monday, Dec. 13, Jon King, veteran hiker and Idyllwild resident, matched Sid’s record with his own 643rd ascent of the peak. A week later, Monday, Dec. 20, Jon broke Sid’s record with his 644th ascent.
San Jacinto Peak stands at 10,810 feet of elevation, the highest peak in the San Jacinto Mountains, which comprise one section of the San Bernardino National Forest. Although nearby San Gorgonio reaches some 700 feet higher in elevation, what makes San Jacinto unique is the incredibly steep northern escarpment, which rises from the desert near Palm Springs, at around 1,400 feet of elevation, all the way to the peak above 10,800 feet. It is among the most dramatic elevation rises in all of North America.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway comes up that north face of the mountain, topping out at Mountain Station, at about 8,500 feet of elevation. Visitors who wish to climb San Jacinto Peak from the tram station are still facing a strenuous, 12-mile round-trip hike, with 2,300 feet of elevation gain.
Sid’s record is an amazing athletic accomplishment, but it should be noted that the majority of his climbs started at Mountain Station, making the total elevation gain around 2,300 feet each time he ascended. By contrast, hiking from the trailheads near Idyllwild means starting at an altitude of 5,700 to 6,500 feet, via the Devil’s Slide Trail, Deer Springs Trail or Marion Mountain Trail. These ascents range from 12 to 19 miles round trip, with elevation gains of anywhere from 4,300 to 5,100 feet, roughly double the gain when starting from the tram station at 8,500 feet.
To place Jon’s accomplishment in proper perspective, it is important to note that all 644 of Jon’s climbs (to date) have been from trailheads near Idyllwild. Not a single one of his ascents started at the tram station. This crucial difference in starting elevation translates to about 1.3 million feet more of elevation gain across Jon’s 644 hikes compared with Sid’s 643 hikes.
Further, Sid’s ascents took place over a period of several decades, starting in the 1960s and extending into the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Before relocating in 2013 to the Idyllwild area, Jon had hiked the peak fewer than 10 times. Therefore, all but a handful of Jon’s 644 ascents were accomplished in the relatively short period of seven years (2014 to 2021). In just the year 2020 alone, Jon climbed the peak 207 times, a feat that even many seasoned hikers could only dream of accomplishing.
In addition to hiking to San Jacinto Peak via the usual starting points at Devil’s Slide Trail, Marion Mountain Trail and Deer Springs Trail, Jon has also climbed the peak numerous times starting from Fuller Ridge Trailhead, as well as the very difficult north face ascent via Snow Creek. The ascent of San Jacinto Peak via Snow Creek and the north face is an entirely different accomplishment. This route is not a hike, but rather a steep vertical ascent over about 2 miles, from the desert floor right up to the summit.
This is a mountain-climbing route, requiring proper climbing gear and plenty of actual mountaineering experience. Jon has ascended to San Jacinto Peak via the north face route a total of 12 times, as part of the overall 644 ascents.
A retired wildlife biologist specializing in endangered species, Jon volunteers more than 1,000 hours per year for the Mt. San Jacinto State Park that manages the San Jacinto Wilderness on behalf of the state of California. His frequent hiking surveys and reporting of trail conditions have directly served to increase the safety and enjoyment of Pacific Crest Trail through hikers, as well as that of countless local and visiting day hikers and backpackers.
He also volunteers for the U.S. Forest Service as a fire lookout on Tahquitz Peak and Black Mountain, and is a certified wilderness first responder who has been involved in multiple search-and-rescue teams. In his spare time, Jon also performs much-needed maintenance on the network of trails in the San Jacintos.
Read more about Jon’s wilderness activities via his frequently updated blog for the hiking and PCT communities: The San Jacinto Trail Report, www.sanjacjon.com.