Gold Mountain was a last-second decision, as I had no concrete plans until the morning of the hike! The decision, I feel, to hike Gold was definitely the right decision! The weather was PERFECT!!!! I was not sure how much snow would be left on the PCT, I believe being on a more northerly exposure, so I decided to hike up Gold Mtn. Rd., since it would be relatively snow free being on the southeast flank of the mountain. I know it is a popular 4WD/Off-Road route, so I was expecting a gang of vehicle traffic. Again, fate was on my side! I saw nobody, not even another hiker the whole way up and about 2/3 of the way down. Then, I saw a bunch of off-road enthusiasts as the time closed on 12pm, but I was mostly the way down. The route is beautiful, featuring a lovely pinyon-juniper woodland with a few Jeffrey Pines and at least 3 species of cacti, and awesome views to the San Gorgonio Wilderness. It was a peaceful ascent with the song of wind in the pinyons and junipers, and call of the Steller's Jay! There are many large mountain-mahoganies in the higher portion of the hike as well!
Before the last summit push, 3N69 passes just under Peak 7893 before it dips to the saddle between Gold and 7893, so I made a very quick 2 minute scramble to the top of 7893, which offers great views to Gold Mtn summit to the n.w. I then shortly returned to 3N69, went down the saddle and regained the lost elevation as I headed n.w. on the road. I then broke off from 3N69, and made the short class-2 scramble up to the rocks. The summit offers insane views to the San Gabriels, eastern San Bernardinos, Mt. Charleston near Vegas, and East Ord Mountain near Lucerne Valley which I hiked 2 weeks prior! I saw a reference marker and a benchmark, but no register. I finished up early enough that I drove past Fawnskin all the way to Heaps Peak Arboretum along HWY 18 between Running Springs and Arrowhead and checked out the sequoia grove there in the coastal marine layer fog. There was much more snow there despite being 2,200' lower! I was gonna try to cut through Arrowhead to catch the 138 to pass through Wrightwood in the San Gabriels to do a very quick peak hike near Inspiration Point near Big Pines/Grassy Hollow along Angeles Crest Hwy, but I hit the wrong direction on 138, leading me back to 18, so then I just drove back home. It was a little disappointing, as it would be the first time I ever hit a peak in both the Gabriels and Bernardinos, but maybe next time! Gold was awesome enough!