Alto Diablo, San Bernardino Mtns, CA

[JBS]

Hi John,

There is a peak in the San Bernardino Mountains that might be worth adding to the list. Unnamed and unranked 10,563 is located between Shields Peak to the west and Charlton Peak to the southeast. Several online trip reports and a SummitPost page ( http://www.summitpost.org/alto-diablo/349647 ) refer to this peak as Alto Diablo.

The Nine Peak Traverse (or Nine Peak Challenge) follows, in part, the ridge between San Gorgonio Mountain and San Bernardino Peak. The nine summits encountered along the ridge are as follows, in order from east to west:

San Gorgonio Mountain (11,499’, rise 8,289’)
Jepson Peak (11,205’, rise 145’)
Little Charlton Peak (10,696’, rise 116’)
Charlton Peak (10,806’, rise 266’)
Alto Diablo (10,563’, rise 143’)
Shields Peak (10,700’, rise 120’)
Anderson Peak (10,860’, rise 880’)
San Bernardino East Peak (10,691’, rise 191’)
San Bernardino Peak (10,649, rise 229’)

The only peak on this traverse not currently in LOJ is “Alto Diablo.” I can’t find a published reference to Alto Diablo, but among local hikers, this hike seems to be well known and the name Alto Diablo is used in all references.

Might the peak be worth including in the list?

BTW, trailhead to trailhead, the Nine Peak Traverse makes for a long day (over 27 miles and over 8,200’ of gain on the loop I hiked), but it was a great route with wonderful views and was well worth the effort.

Thanks.

John

[John Kirk]

Added:
http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=140929

Rise I used assumes 10563 is higher than the two 10560+40 contours to the east - did this appear to be the case?

[JBS]

Thanks John.

While I didn't use a level, I don't remember having any questions as I approached Alto Diablo from the east, passing over the two supposedly 10,560+ mounds. The few pictures I took, including the picture I just uploaded to LOJ (taken from the SE), seem to support the notion that 10,563 is higher. Maybe someone else can speak to this with more certainty. I was hustling along the ridge and could have missed such details.