This was a two-day backpack with a planned camp on the summit. My buddy and I had to pause for nearly an hour on the switchbacks above High Creek Camp, when thunder began booming overhead. We weighed our options and decided to head back to High Creek Camp, try to find a campsite there, and delay our summit until the next morning. But the thunder eventually died away, so we reverted to the original plan and headed up to the summit. No wind, full moon, beautiful night! We had some rain in the final hour of the descent, but we were warm (and dirty) enough that it didn't really bother us.

This was my third ascent of San Gorgonio, but it was the hardest by far, since I hadn't previously needed to carry camping gear all the way.