Distance: 9.8 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 9144'
Elevation Gain: 3046'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 2.4
Round trip time: 5 hours
Recommended water: 72 oz.
Parking/Fees: Adventure Pass or Annual Pass at Humber Park, Free day hike permit
Difficulty: Moderate
After clearing it with my physical therapist, I decided to test my left shoulder on a moderate hike to Cienaga Peak. The MRI and surgery are still weeks in the future. Most of the pack weight was carried by my hips, while the shoulder straps were supported mainly by the collarbone and trap muscles. Nothing directly hit the external rotator or deltoid. I modified how I put the pack on and took it off, and didn't use my left arm with the hiking pole. I tried to keep the left arm down and stationary.
I arrived at Humber Park in Idyllwild about 8:45 AM to a mostly empty parking lot. It was sunny and cool, 55F, where pleasant temps hovered all day. I think the San Jacinto Wilderness is the most beautiful of the three major SoCal ranges (others being the Angeles and San Bernardino). I had kept this peak in my back pocket for when I needed a chill hike. I really needed a chill hike. I started up the Devil's Slide trail, a moderate grade with soft sand winding through giant evergreens. I was focused on my shoulder as I gained elevation. At Saddle Junction, everything seemed OK. I turned north on the PCT and hiked to the saddle north of Cienaga, then came back south to the summit. When I left the PCT, I had about a quarter mile of open country to reach the summit. I half expected a use trail, but found none. I went around various boulder piles until I reached the highest one. Since Cienaga has low prominence, I didn't see the summit through the trees until I was near. The summit block was about 20', class 2. I dropped my pack and was able to get up without using my left arm at all. Cienaga was not a listed peak, but there was a register in a single can. The most recent visit was a week prior and it appeared quite popular based on the number of entries. The views were great up toward San Jacinto and the satellite 10k peaks, and down to Tahquitz Peak and Suicide Rock.
A note on permits: The Devil's Slide trail starts in a national forest and requires a self signed day use permit you can get at the Idyllwild ranger station. The section of the PCT that heads toward San Jacinto goes through the state wilderness and requires a different day use permit. The route I followed barely crosses into the state park (about 500') before turning south. Cienaga itself is in the national park. I didn't have a state wilderness permit, but if you left the trail earlier, it wouldn't even be a consideration.
My shoulder seemed no worse the day after, no noticeable change in pain. This was a successful test of the shoulder on a moderate hike, and I'll take it. I'm slightly encouraged, but I'm not counting it as a data point for how things will feel post recovery.
