This is Piece 2 of a series of 12 puzzle piece caches that I am hiding all across Southern California! Each cache contains a different piece and when you have obtained them all, you can assemble them into a custom-made puzzle. Please feel free to take one puzzle piece, and leave the rest for others! This particular piece is located on the summit of Mormon Battalion Mountain in San Bernadino County, a historic location during the Mexican-American War that the Mormon Battalion chose as a strategic place from which to guard Cajon Pass. From the top, you can see a beautiful view of the surrounding hills, the Inland Empire, and the San Gabriel Mountains. There are multiple places from which you could begin your journey; I will put the easiest two here, but you could possibly find your own way up by studying the satellite view and trail maps on OpenStreetMap and AllTrails.
- The free option is to begin your hike at the intersection of Pokeroot Ln and Rocketcress Ln, parking somewhere in the neighborhood nearby. This hike will be about 1.5mi roundtrip and ascend and descend approximately 500ft.
- Another possible option, if you don't mind paying for parking and want a slightly shorter hike, is to drive into Glen Helen Regional Park. Admission is $10 on weekdays, $15 on weekends. Start your hike at the fork of Glen Helen Rd and Glen Helen Ampitheater Ave; from here, the hike will be approximately 1mi roundtrip and ascend and decend approximately 500ft of elevation.
Either way you go up, please make sure to regularly check your coordinates on the satellite view of the map, as there is a network of intersecting paths which you can easily get lost in. Please ensure your shoes are good quality, and bring a trekking pole or a walking stick, as the trails here are quite steep and sandy. Take your time and don't slip! Also make sure to bring adequate water and sun protection. Navigate your way to the posted coordinates and you will reach the summit of Mormon Battalion Mountain; you should find a clearing among the brush where you can step slightly off the trail and get a panoramic view of the San Gabriel Mountains in the background and the Glen Helen Ampitheater in the foreground, exactly like the photo below. Once your view matches this picture, you should be at ground zero! The coordinates should be pretty exact, so be sure to leave no stone unturned. If the pieces are running low or the cache otherwise needs maintenance, let me know and I will address it as soon as possible. Happy trails and best of luck!
Below are the links to the other pieces of the puzzle.
GCAYWT2 - Piece 1 of 12: Icehouse Canyon Trail
GCAYY96 - Piece 2 of 12: Mormon Battalion Peak (you are here)
GCAZF47 - Piece 3 of 12: La Loma Hills
GCAZF64 - Piece 4 of 12: Lake Mathews
GCAZPN3 - Piece 5 of 12: Maple Springs Trailhead
GCAZPQ7 - Piece 6 of 12: Serrano Ridge Trail
GCAZYFB - Piece 7 of 12: Westminster Park
GCAZYFH - Piece 8 of 12: Caruthers Park
GCB087Y - Piece 9 of 12: Ascot Hills Park
GCB0EEE - Piece 10 of 12: Echo Mountain
GCB0FYR - Piece 11 of 12: West Fork, San Gabriel River
GCB0FZJ - Piece 12 of 12: Marshall Canyon Staging Area