This is a terrific day trip with great views of the high desert from both the farthest point, unnamed peak, and the highest point, Winston Peak. Someone left a painted can with small note pad inside on the unnamed peak. No pencil was left and I didn’t have a writing instrument. The last comment was merely 2 days ago. Weather was perfect. Staring at 7:30 AM, a cold breeze was blowing thankfully restraining the growing midsummer heat from this hike. The trail is pretty easy to follow, especially the PCT section, though nearly all of it is covered by undisturbed leaves and pine needles. This makes for a wonderful experience on the Monday morning in late August 2024.
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Looking for something of a loop, I created this track including an out-and-back section toward Sulphur Spring, with a loop around the Angeles Christian Camp. This hike used a good amount of the PCT. Mid August 2024 and early morning starting at 7:30, the weather was perfect. The last section paralleling the dirt road was exposed but enjoyed nice breezes up the canyons. The rest of the route was also beautiful though plagued by clouds of small flies and swarming mosquitoes. Both were particularly heavy in the creases of the trail holding dry stream beds. Apparently there is enough moisture nearby to sustain these bothersome pests. The section where the route passed through and around the camp was uphill until finally reaching the paved road entrance to the camp. From there, the PCT/Silver Moccasin trail was an easy track back to the Three Points parking area at Horse Flat. The trail out to Sulphur Spring seems to be maintained and used enough for the trail to be clear and easy to follow. The trail around and through the camp was harder to follow. Pink tags on branches helped. The last section back to the car was nice though a bit overgrown that would be annoying for backpacking. With trekking poles and a smallish daypack passing through the growth was not difficult.
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Lots of people here and lots to do. People were swimming in the waterfalls and barbecuing at the campsites. A very fun, energetic vibe. But HOT. Despite lots of shady, forest-y areas, there are also some exposed moments. It’s an out and back hike with a bit of ascent/descent each way. Bring lots of water, have a park pass, and go early!!
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Good hike. The parking situation is pretty bad. I showed up at 5:30 to secure a decent spot. The lot quickly filled up. Make sure you get there early if you don’t want to add distance to your hike. Hike itself was good. Leaving on the other hand was quite the challenge with how people park.
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Second time hiking this trail. Did it as part of training for Mount Whitney. Started in the morning so that we’d be done before it got too hot as most of the trail is exposed.
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Solo hiked Fri 5/17/2024 – Too bad that Dawson Saddle is still closed but Islip Saddle is accessible using the Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road Detour to Hwy 2. This span of the PCT (miles 381-386) is in fine shape with a few boot-packed snow patches remaining on the northern aspects. I’ve always enjoyed this scenic trail when ice free, as it offers so many peaks to pick and choose from, starting with Mt. Islip and ending with Mt. Baden-Powell. I decided to head up Mt Hawkins on this trek to follow the south-southeast Copter Ridge which takes you to a vantage point overlooking the interior of the Sheep Mountain Wilderness. The close up views of the Mt. San Antonio ridgeline, Iron Mountain and Rattlesnake Peak are some of the standouts. Hiking the ridge between Mt Hawkins and Copter Ridge Point is a direct route and will not test your navigation skills. Climbed up Peak 8426 on the way back on which I found both east and west use trails which made it easy to leave and then rejoin the PCT trail. Met several, very nice PCT through hikers and backpackers on shorter treks, all of whom appeared to be in good spirits. Now is a great time for this trail area with the great weather and no crowds since the Tujunga detour is not well known. I did bring micro spikes for Pk 8426 but they weren’t necessary as there was only a small amount of ice in the early morning that melted by mid-day. There are a handful of fallen trees on this route but all are easy to climb over or bypass. The bugs were out in force so repellent and/or head netting is recommended (I used both). Logged 13.2 miles/3524 vertical ft with Gaia.
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Solo hiked Thurs 5/2/2024 - It’s been many years since I’ve been on the Burkhart Trail and forgot how nice it is along Little Rock Creek, especially Cooper Canyon Falls which is flowing strongly right now. The upper part to Burkhart Saddle is another story as it recovers from the 2020 Bobcat fire and the 2023 Hilary storm. You get to see that things are recovering but with many decades to go. The upper scree slide and deadfall areas are best traversed with poles but not too bad like others have said. There is only one area on the trail where a thicket of Poodle Dog bush must be widely bypassed to avoid “paying the price.” Will Thrall, Pleasant View Ridge and Pallett Mtn peaks had great panoramic views, especially Antelope Valley to the north and the snow-capped San Gabriel’s (Baden-Powell, Throop, 3 Hawkins peaks) to the south. Going out to Box Car Ridge to visit the 1966 C-119 plane crash site was more for a solemn observation, given my prior time in aviation. I was very surprised to run into a few steep snowfield problems on the way to the Peak 7520 and Goodykoontz summits with hard snow and a little ice on the northern slopes of the Mt Williamson ridgeline. After trying to traverse the first without crampons or micros and a long runout, I opted to go further down the west-southwest drainage and then up on patchy snow which worked well. After Goodykoontz, I followed a west running ridge to Bobcat Knob and then headed south-southwest on a cross country trek which brought me directly down and back to the Little Rock Creek Log Crossing. From there it was back on the Burkhart Trail to Cooper Canyon Falls for a food break which was the most beautiful stop of the day. Got back in time to see a nice sunset from lower Angeles Crest to wrap up a nice day. Highly recommend the lower Burkhart Trail to the falls/Little Rock Creek and the upper part to those looking for the peaks. Logged 16.4 miles/5241 vertical ft with Gaia.
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Solo hiked Thurs 3/28/2024 – Northeast Couloir climb up to Mt Baden Powell, up and down ridge line/peaks to Ross Mountain, back up to Baden summit, down the Silver Moccasin Trail to Vincent Gap (more or less). Great snow for crampons, never unpacked my snowshoes. Northeast Couloir was fun except for one ice problem to slowly work up. 40 mph wind gusts on Baden ridge/summit in the morning but decreasing significantly on the way out to Ross Mtn. Firm snow and little ice up and down the Ross ridge routes but some axe assist on 2 climbs. Beautiful weather and very pleasant once the winds decreased. Didn’t let the repetitive elevation gains/losses to Ross get the better of me and that made for a very nice trek on a good day. Clouds rolled in just before summiting Baden-Powell for the second time, followed by a 30 minute white out coming down the north side to join the Silver Moccasin Trail. Not a lot of mileage but a fair amount of snow climbing made for a good leg burning workout with outstanding views along the entire route. Spent a little more time enjoying the views on this trek, again thankful for the wind speed drop early in the day! Logged 10.2 miles/5204 vertical ft with Gaia.
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Lots of stream crossings and the water was flowing fast and cold. This is one of the best running trails in the area.
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We went up the mountaineers route!! Not easy!! Make sure you have the proper equipment! Always check the weather ahead of time. Try to get up there earlier that way the snow is still nice and packed!
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Solo day hiked Fri 2/9/2024 – Wow! I really underestimated this week’s snowfall at the lower elevations and paid dearly for it. Started up Rattlesnake using the Eastern side HPS Route 2 through the tunnels and then up to 4500 ft snow free. The snow solidly blanketed the trail at 4600 ft but postholing was only 8-14 inches. Fortunately, several paws marked the trail through the snow up to 4800 feet. By the time I reached 5000 ft, the snow was up to knee level on the steep slopes which really slowed things down. On the positive side, it was unconsolidated and great for kick stepping, just a lot of work. The horizontal ridge sections were up to waist level, hiding the yuccas and buckthorn like land mines. I dropped in one section up to my arm pits. But it was a nice day and so I just powered through it and was glad that I did. Was walking around the Rattlesnake summit through deep snow and just happened to kick the summit box – a lucky find. After descending from Rattlesnake to Peak 5030 on the HPS Route 1/All Trails Route, I was back on dry ground and had a very pleasant return trip to Shoemaker Cyn Road. Views off the Rattlesnake summit were fantastic with the high cloud level. Was quite an adventure for a short hike. Logged 9.9 miles/3547 vertical ft. with Gaia.
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Solo day hiked Thurs 1/25/24 – Nice trail very similar to the Bear Canyon and Register Ridge trails on Baldy. Rained on the drive in but was just a heavy, humid feeling mist halfway up in weather warm enough to layer down early at Bonita Peak. Trail was in good shape after this week’s rain allowing for good traction on the dirt and scree. Thanks to the folks that have trimmed off the Yucca tips on the plants closest to the trail - most of the remaining sharp ones can be avoided. Took up a full 30L pack and never got snagged on anything when on the main trail. Snow on the last 200 feet up but easily passed with boots alone right now. Awesome panoramic views off the Iron summit which was above the clouds today, especially of Mount Baldy and Baden-Powell. Like others have said, the trail is easy to follow with a little extra spotting required at some of the rock areas. 5 hours up at a very comfortable pace and 3 hours back to the junction for Peak 3529. Bushwhacked my way up the southwest ridge of Peak 3529 which was not too bad to reach its overgrown summit. Decided to make a direct ascent down its north face which was a bad choice. Tried to bushwhack for an hour through the very dense overgrowth which brought me to a crawl (literally) so I traversed to a drainage/wash on the topo map that would make for a better trip down and then up to rejoin the Heaton Flats Trail. Recommend the southwest ridge route up and down this peak! Took too much extra time and effort for this peak after a nice day on the Heaton Flats Trail. Drank 3L of water of the 4 brought but would only bring 2-3 for Iron when we finally get real winter weather! Logged 14.9 miles/6721 vertical ft. with Gaia.
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Solo day hiked Mon 1/15/24 – As the Dawson Saddle TH to Mt Lewis has been closed since August, I used the Manzanita Trail to approach the north base of Lewis and make a direct ascent up it. The trail is a nicely routed, narrow side hill trail with some damage from the Hilary storm like many Cal trails. As others have said, there are several washout areas and fallen trees along the trail that can be carefully bypassed without too much effort. There are a few spots with eye level branches to be careful of. Was interesting to see decent water flows at all 3 stream crossings in January. Did my part to clear branches off the trail that appears to be lightly trafficked and virtually litter free (only picked up a single balloon). After the next significant snowfall, micro spikes will definitely be required for going along the narrow sidehill areas. The direct route up Lewis was along the steep, westernmost northern ridge that had a lot of very loose talus and scree fields to traverse. Tried to climb the larger rocks along the ridge spine to lessen time spent on loose stuff which worked well. Used the segments of a very faint and steep trail that paws and hooves were still using. The snow on the last quarter of the ascent offered great traction for bare boots. Nice summit views of the San Gabriel peaks to the south and Antelope Valley to the north. Used micro spikes to speed up the first part of the descent and then had to boot ski, plunge step across the lower scree traverses. The steepness added some real speed on a few of the traverses that were like being caught in a downhill river. The trail back to Vincent Gap was all uphill but gradual so not too bad. Gave the Manzanita Trail 4 stars for the extra attention required but it was still a nice, scenic route worth taking. Nice to see fellow hikers putting up cairns to help navigate the washouts - thanks! Logged 11.5 miles/4547 vertical ft. with Gaia.
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Nice and off the beaten path. A little overgrown but not bad at all if you have your Gaia track ready. Road noise still present but fun for young kids to see the “race cars” drive by in the distance aka speeding roadsters that love the windy HWY 2 on weekends!
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Solo day hiked Sun 12/31/23 – Great snow and decent weather for the final trek of 2023. Started from Inspiration Point on PCT instead of the Acorn Trail to add some distance and take in some fantastic views along Blue Ridge. Found about this great route from the Hiking Guy site (https://hikingguy.com/hiking-trails/los-angeles-hikes/hike-wright-mountain-from-inspiration-point/) and highly recommend it. Great sunrise and views of Wrightwood/Antelope Valley from the north side of the Wright Mtn summit. Only used micro spikes to take a detour on the North Backbone trail and climb Peak 8555 which was the most fun of the day with calf-deep powder and a little ice. Stopped just short of it earlier in the year coming from Manker Flat so it was nice to close the loop! Stopped at the Jodi & Jerry PCT Memorial and brushed the snow off the stone plaque. While Blue Ridge Pk has a large antenna complex on top, it’s still worth the quick trip up for the fantastic views of the San Gabriel Range to the south and west. Managed to find the Frost Benchmark up there with some GPS help and snow clearing (geocache challenge of the day). Stopped to watch snowboarding at Mtn High West from PCT on the way back after crossing the 2 Mtn High East runs. Easy to do right now as both runs are closed until the next major snowfall. Would definitely do this hike again! Logged 15.6 miles/2735 vertical ft. with Gaia.
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Started up Colby at 10:30 AM. Got to GMR and took the road to the next turn out to continue up the ridge. The climb from there is quite taxing. Came Ava great set of lion mountain tracks. Stopped at the top to survey the trek to the cross on Glendora Mountain. Continued another two miles east. This trail is very undefined and did a lot of stomping through the brush. Nevertheless made it to the cross and rested for thirty minutes before descending. Found an ASB card from KW school in WA.
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First time in this part of the San Gabriels out of Wrightwood. Nine mile Jeep ride to campground, then another 2.75 to Cabin Flat. Water still running out of the back side of Pine Mountain. Hard to notice the slight descent until we had to return, about 1150 feet. Several hunters tromping around. Great views on the way out. Stopped to drop a couple of weary hunters off at their vehicle. Jess stopped to get a sandwich in town. Nice day of exploring.
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Warm day, but clear. Had the summit to myself. Went down the ridge whiling looking for a side trail. Could not find the entry point to the side trail. Lots of lizards a couple of small horned toads, Redtail hawk, a few crows. Nice views of surrounding mountains and various trails. Still curious about Brown’s Flat.
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About 10.5 miles with nearly 3700 elevation gain. The Devils Backbone is a little sketchy in some places. Last half mile about 700 elevation gain. Quite a push. Met some nice hikers throughout the day.
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This is a good easy hike. More of a walk in the forest. The falls are still flowing.
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Nice proximity to LA — a bit buggy in the summer, and packed during the weekends, but worth the weekday hike
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This is a fun trail for a nice relaxing day trip. If you live in the Los Angeles area I would recommend it.
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Solo hiked Fri 08/18/2023 Up Bear Canyon Trail - West/East Baldy Peaks -Mt Harwood - down Devil’s Backbone Trail – up 3 T’s Trail (Thunder Mtn - Telepraph Pk - Timber Mtn) - Cucamonga Saddle - Icehouse Canyon Trail. Parked early at Icehouse Canyon and walked down Baldy Road to Baldy Village before traffic. Nice to finally go up the Bear Canyon Trail after putting it off for years - well worth the effort. The trail is unrelenting like a good drill sergeant, giving you a good workout the entire way. The narrows at the top of Cattle Canyon resemble Devil’s Backbone with great views off each side. Forgot how panoramic Telegraph Peak is on a clear day. Another nice loop of alternating ascending/descending hiking to keep things interesting. Besides the great views, the very cool breezes at each saddle were really NICE on a warm day. Went out to Cucamonga Saddle but hit my turn around time before going up the rest of Cucamonga Peak. Going down Icehouse Canyon is always a rocky end to a hike but also a beautiful exit in the afternoon along the shadowed stream. Met a lot of nice people on both sides of Baldy Notch as well as the exploding lizard population. Not too many bugs along the way. Careful with your head going under some of the Bear Canyon tree falls - hit the top of my head on one a mile up! Brought 4.5L water knowing things are dry until Icehouse (didn’t want to stop at the Notch). Logged 23.7 miles/8185 vertical ft. with Gaia
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Solo hiked Fri 08/18/2023 Up Bear Canyon Trail - West/East Baldy Peaks -Mt Harwood - down Devil’s Backbone Trail – up 3 T’s Trail (Thunder Mtn - Telepraph Pk - Timber Mtn) - Cucamonga Saddle - Icehouse Canyon Trail. Parked early at Icehouse Canyon and walked down Baldy Road to Baldy Village before traffic. Nice to finally go up the Bear Canyon Trail after putting it off for years - well worth the effort. The trail is unrelenting like a good drill sergeant, giving you a good workout the entire way. The narrows at the top of Cattle Canyon resemble Devil’s Backbone with great views off each side. Forgot how panoramic Telegraph Peak is on a clear day. Another nice loop of alternating ascending/descending hiking to keep things interesting. Besides the great views, the very cool breezes at each saddle were really NICE on a warm day. Went out to Cucamonga Saddle but hit my turn around time before going up the rest of Cucamonga Peak. Going down Icehouse Canyon is always a rocky end to a hike but also a beautiful exit in the afternoon along the shadowed stream. Met a lot of nice people on both sides of Baldy Notch as well as the exploding lizard population. Not too many bugs along the way. Careful with your head going under some of the Bear Canyon tree falls - hit the top of my head on one a mile up! Brought 4.5L water knowing things are dry until Icehouse (didn’t want to stop at the Notch). Logged 23.7 miles/8185 vertical ft. with Gaia
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Solo hiked Fri 07/28/2023 – Early trip up Baldy Bowl trail to the summit in time to share the sunrise with a small herd of Bighorns. Down the north face (North Backbone) and up Dawson Peak. Continued on the ridge to go up Pine Mountain. Pleasant weather, thanks to a nice breeze all day. Back up Mt Baldy, across Mt. Harwood and down the Devil’s Backbone trail to Manker Flat. . Hard to believe we’re still stepping across snow on the north face this late in the year. Another great day for hiking this summer before the weather changes. Highly recommend the North Backbone Trail out to Dawson, Pine and Wright summits. Last water available to fill up is just past Ski Hut and dry after that. Surprised there were not more people out on the trail on a Friday. Like everyone else says – start early for maximum enjoyment, bring plenty of water (went through 4L) and use insect repellent and/or a mosquito net! Logged 15.5 miles/6716 vertical ft. with Gaia
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Solo hiked Fri 07/28/2023 – Early trip up Baldy Bowl trail to the summit in time to share the sunrise with a small herd of Bighorns. Down the north face (North Backbone) and up Dawson Peak. Continued on the ridge to go up Pine Mountain. Pleasant weather, thanks to a nice breeze all day. Back up Mt Baldy, across Mt. Harwood and down the Devil’s Backbone trail to Manker Flat. . Hard to believe we’re still stepping across snow on the north face this late in the year. Another great day for hiking this summer before the weather changes. Highly recommend the North Backbone Trail out to Dawson, Pine and Wright summits. Last water available to fill up is just past Ski Hut and dry after that. Surprised there were not more people out on the trail on a Friday. Like everyone else says – start early for maximum enjoyment, bring plenty of water (went through 4L) and use insect repellent and/or a mosquito net! Logged 15.5 miles/6716 vertical ft. with Gaia
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Solo hiked Fri 07/28/2023 – Early trip up Baldy Bowl trail to the summit in time to share the sunrise with a small herd of Bighorns. Down the north face (North Backbone) and up Dawson Peak. Continued on the ridge to go up Pine Mountain. Pleasant weather, thanks to a nice breeze all day. Back up Mt Baldy, across Mt. Harwood and down the Devil’s Backbone trail to Manker Flat. . Hard to believe we’re still stepping across snow on the north face this late in the year. Another great day for hiking this summer before the weather changes. Highly recommend the North Backbone Trail out to Dawson, Pine and Wright summits. Last water available to fill up is just past Ski Hut and dry after that. Surprised there were not more people out on the trail on a Friday. Like everyone else says – start early for maximum enjoyment, bring plenty of water (went through 4L) and use insect repellent and/or a mosquito net! Logged 15.5 miles/6716 vertical ft. with Gaia
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Beautiful, buggy, and bushwhacking. Definitely would do again.
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Great hike. Road finally open to trailhead from Wrightwood. Mosquitoes all over bring your bug spray.
Views are amazing. No snow. Life is good
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We did it! On 6/25/2023. So it says, DIFFICULT, it is no lie.The path took a good 4×, a seasoned driver, and non-screaming passenger to get through this very exciting, rich in nature and scenery path.Whew!
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Good training hike, great views, water fountain about halfway, easy access
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Started the hike around 8:45 am, and the day was sunny and breezy, which kept things pleasant and the bugs away. Bagged two peaks and got to see some pine woods fritillary in bloom (rare treat).
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25+ stream crossings was a little much, but we didn’t get our shoes wet! Warm day, not a lot of people, lots of bugs. Fun! Totally dog friendly (some rock climbs though).
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Nice alternative to Icehouse Canyon and much less crowded. Everything still green and flowers blooming plus nice views of the LA basin and mountains.
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This could be considered a moderate hike, sharing the route with PCT hikers along the way. Scenic views with beautiful boulders at the top of the ridge. And those pine cones (with sharp claw-like petals) are as big as your head. Nice picnic area with fire pits at the summit without the crowds. Even the fire road route has great open views.
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A bit harder than I thought but made it to the top and back. Some areas with a bit of mud, loose terrain but overall great trail
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Hiked April 7 with my husky Lark.
Trail: from mile 2 snow starts showing up on trail, more and more covering it completely the 1/2 or so to the saddle.
From saddle, trail/dirt road is almost fully covered with sections of several feet high.
Sun, causes one to sink in on & off. At some point I was with one leg deep to my hip.
Took the firebreak to the summit.
Steep, with bare areas & snow patches on the initial ascent, but higher is totally covered with snow.
I used micro spikes & hiking poles. I could have not made it otherwise.
Today, weather was perfect!
I checked the PCT & my advice is not to attempt it . Snow covered & could be a potential hazard right now.
We descended the same way.
Trail on the was back was in poor shape, due to sun, it was way more sinking! Even my dog who’s only. 40 lbs. was sinking on & off.
We finished without injuries & totally pooped 😜
Loved that my dog got to play in the snow.
See photos of our hike & other hiking adventures IG @msmariapreda
Happy Hiking!
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Fun, relatively strenuous but short hike. The views are great all around! The scramble up to Mt. Lawson at the beginning is not pleasant- it’s basically a gigantic manmade scar in the hillside (a fire break I’m assuming). But the rest was pretty.
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Hike with Dave. Creek was running swiftly with a few waterfalls and creeks from canyons running I have never seen. Made peak, only one other couple at the peak. Would like to get up there again.
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Good practice loop for a quick half day ride. Some tricky single track climbs and cobbly in places. I would say beginners beware.
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Hiked Sunset with Dave. Road to trailhead was gated so added an additional 1.9 miles to the hike. Cool morning with only one other hiker visible on the way up. At the halfway point all the north facing sloped trails were covered in 3 to 4 inches of snow. Enjoyed the summit for a bit and explored a little of the east slope with its outcrops. Walked over to the reflection spot then returned.
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This is one of my favorite hiking areas, there’s many ways you can go explore or just go to Baldy or cucamonga peak. Today was a hike under the rain
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It was a great hike to start my day, I think it’s an easy one. Some great inclines for a nice workout
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This is always a great trail to do over and over again. I don’t get tired of it
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Hiked eastern half of this loop on 12/28/22 from Hwy 2 PCT junction closest to tunnels. Put on micro spikes for some of the steeper sloped, snow covered parts of the trail going up to the southeast summit of Mt Williamson. Some parts of the trail in the burn area were washed out by debris flows and then recently covered in snow. Once on Pleasant View Ridge, we had great packed powder snow conditions for the whole hike on a day of very clear but windy weather. We followed the ridgeline to the northeast summit of Mt. Williamson (official HPS peak) and then to the Pleasant View Ridge Summit east high point (8248 ft). Had to put on crampons to descend to the saddle before Peak 8160 and then continue climbing straight up the ridgeline up to its summit. Next was the steepest part of the hike, the straight line backbone descent of Peak 8160 towards Box Car Ridge where the snow held crampon points well, decreasing the chances of a long slide for life ride down either the partly iced NW face or the shaded NE chute. From here up to the summit of Pallet Mountain was back to boots only, very scenic hiking with spectacular views of the desert from the summit. Returned to the trailhead the same way at sunset with good snow, stopping at several great vista points. A great ridgeline hike with a little work required - tracked just under 11 miles and 3800 ft. Definitely want to come back for the western peaks on this trail before spring!
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Hiked on 12/28/22 from Hwy 2 PCT junction closest to tunnels. Put on micro spikes for some of the steeper sloped, snow covered parts of the trail going up to the southeast summit of Mt Williamson. Some parts of the trail in the burn area were washed out by debris flows and then recently covered in snow. Once on Pleasant View Ridge, we had great packed powder snow conditions for the whole hike on a day of very clear but windy weather. We followed the ridgeline to the northeast summit of Mt. Williamson (official HPS peak) and then to the Pleasant View Ridge Summit east high point (8248 ft). Had to put on crampons to descend to the saddle before Peak 8160 and then continue climbing straight up the ridgeline up to its summit. Next was the steepest part of the hike, the straight line backbone descent of Peak 8160 towards Box Car Ridge where the snow held crampon points well, decreasing the chances of a long slide for life ride down either the partly iced NW face or the shaded NE chute. From here up to the summit of Pallet Mountain was back to boots only, very scenic hiking with spectacular views of the desert from the summit. Returned to the trailhead the same way at sunset with good snow, stopping at several great vista points. A great ridgeline hike with a little work required - tracked just under 11 miles and 3800 ft. Definitely want to come back for the western peaks on this trail before spring!
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This is always a great trail to do over and over again. I don’t get tired of it
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Hiked the loop clockwise on 12/17/22 – Great weather to take in the views of Baldy, San Gorgonio, Wilson, etc. on the way out to Twin Peaks. Went up West Twin after (the official)Twin Peaks using snow buried use trails and then picking a more direct route back down to Twin Peaks Saddle based on sets of fresh deer/bear tracks which was a fun way to come down with micro spikes instead of crampons/ice axe. The snow was firm enough on most of the route to lessen the work but then slushy climbing back to the Waterman/Twin Peaks Junction. After going up to the Waterman Summit, it was all downhill back to the Buckhorn day use area. On the way down, the sunset reflecting off the ocean in the distance was spectacular. Didn’t have to chain up and the bears at the day use area left the car alone! Quite an adventurous day with an after dark finish. Logged 13.92 miles/4094 feet (a few side excursions between the Twin Peaks to see the valleys).
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Hiked out and back on 12/10/22 – Islip Saddle to Throop, Burnham, Baden-Powel peaks and Mt Hawkins on the return to the saddle. Still some snow and ice patches best done with micro spikes- nice snow to walk up WNW face of Baden-Powel without using an ice axe. Peak views of the desert and Mt Baldy range were spectacular before the afternoon weather change with the wind and incoming clouds. Hiking through the upward cloud blasts at a few of the several saddles was epic. The only people we saw all day came up Baden-Powel from Vincent Gap, even though Caltrans said Hwy 2 was closed at Big Pines on the Wrightwood side. Maybe Angeles Crest Hwy 2 is open to Vincent Gap from the Hwy 138 side (didn't ask as we left the summit when they were still coming up). Islip Saddle Trailhead is a good but long drive from the La Canada side of Hwy 2 and is where the highway gates are closed (after the trail head parking lot). A fun hike on the PCT Trail with small ridge runs to each summit. Tracked a little over 16 miles with some side excursions to take in the views and about 4100 feet of total ascent. This weekend’s snow will certainly make this a real winter hike.
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Hiked 12/07/22 – Went up Register Ridge route early to Mts Harwood/Baldy/West Baldy and down on Baldy Bowl Trail (tracked 9 mi/4400 ft). Register Ridge was free of ice and snow but still a good workout that required good pole plants to power up the scree. Windy and very cold on all three peaks but fantastic views above the cloud layer. Had to put on micro spikes after Baldy to West Baldy and then descended Baldy Bowl which had a fair amount of ice on the upper half. Great Hike - met a lot of nice people on the way down including Kevin Lee and Bill Burke, the 2x Everest/8 continent climber who has a peak named after him (Burke Khang). Would recommend bringing micro spikes and cold weather clothing/gloves at the minimum, especially after this weekend’s likely snow fall. Helpful to check “mountain-forecast” site to see summit temps/wind speeds before going up.
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Hiked 11/30/22 – Did the loop clockwise to catch the sunrise and early peak views and it did not disappoint. Ridge trail up was in great shape and currently free of ice/snow. The only challenge on the descent is on the Windy Gap Trail with one of several washout areas between Windy Gap and the Hawkins Lookout Road. If you take a higher route around it (20 feet above), you can find rock footholds and traverse it using poles without sliding. After passing that, it’s nice all the way down. Saw a herd of deer in the closed Deer Flat Campground when starting the Lost Ridge Trail to finish the loop. This section of the trail goes through high bush growth and then the oaks but is in good shape and was a great way to finish this scenic hike. Parked in the dirt lot on the side of Crystal Lake Road across from the locked gate for the service road to the Islip Wawona Trailhead which added a couple of minutes to the hike. Didn’t see anybody all day.
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Hiked 11/10/22 after storm – Went up all four Hawkins Summits (Hawkins, Middle Hawkins, Sadie and South Hawkins). Trail to windy gap had several washouts that were easily bypassed with careful rock footing. Windy Gap was cold enough to require insulated gloves. Last two northern switchbacks and summit of Mount Hawkins were iced over and not fun with micro spikes and carbide poles – had to self-arrest one time. Better to wait on Hawkins for either more snow or ice melt – definitely dangerous even with an ice axe and crampons as the pitch and lack of an alternate snow route work against you. Other 3 Hawkins peaks had great snow conditions and were an absolute blast to go up. Followed deer tracked use trails up Middle and Sadie from the main trail. Lots of big ice dropping from the trees but was able to avoid going under most. After mid-morning the weather was absolutely awesome, no wind and crystal clear views of the valleys. Didn’t cheat on South Hawkins ascent, opting for the alpine approach but did take the old use road back down to get back to the Windy Gap trail. Did the loop clockwise as Hawkins was the hardest and South the easiest. Didn’t see anyone all day but lots of deer and bear tracks. Quite an adventure to start the winter!
★
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The hike itself is great whether you take the Ski Hut (4 steep miles) or Baldy Notch (6 miles with the final 2 being steep) trail.
But it will always be crowded on the weekends. And a lot of those people are not exactly polite or follow trail etiquette. I got there at 6:30am on a Saturday and there were already about 40 cars.
There is very little shade, so be prepared.
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A lot of climbing on this trail. Pretty much always going up all the way to the ski hut. Makes the destination that much more enjoyable when you get there!
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10/21/2022 Early Hike - clockwise loop. Great weather, nice people. Baldy Bowl up without stops is the cardio workout while Devil's Backbone down is the orthopedic challenge (trekking poles in the ski run rubble will make it much easier). Beautiful views the whole way.
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Started 6:30am on a weekday at the end of September. Still hot but not bad in morning. Beautiful day. Only a small breeze at the summit. Great hike. Be sure to take your time and make lots of stops so you can enjoy the beautiful views
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Planned to hike to the Ski Hut, but kept going and made it to the summit. Very steep. Just over 3700 in four miles. Going up was mostly in cover of cloud which helped. Sub was out fully on the way down. Saw the wreckage of military planes on west slope. Met Conrad senior at Texas AM. Mom is the president of Redlands University. Best spot on the trail was the Cree next to the Ski Hut.
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Started from the Baldy Ski resort parking lot and took Mt. Baldy Rd. to the Notch, then Devil’s Backbone to the peak. It was 70F at 7am and very lightly wind at the summit. Clouds kept the heat away, but you could definitely feel the warmth. Took the chair lift down. Total hiking time was 2:15.
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Hiked from ski lift parking lot, cutting off about a mile if starting from Manker Flats. Left at 11:10 am, too late for this warm day about 86. Hiked to the notch and explored. Ate lunch near ski lift number 2 (I think). Walked north to get a view of the desert. Hiked about half mile towards Thunder Mountain then took a ridge line back toward to water collection pool. Back to the Notch. Took a quick shortcut straight down to cut off about .65 mile. Returned to Jeep at 3:50. Only took 59 minutes to get down.
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There is a lot of trash and graffiti. Please leave your dog at home. There is a ton of broken glass and innocent paws could be severely cut.
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Make sure to use gps. It’s fairly straightforward, but there are a couple points that are confusing/easy to get lost. Would have been in a tough spot without the help of gps.
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Beautiful well maintained trail. Moderate sun exposure. A lot of uphill from the very beginning. Tappers off once and a while. Mostly soft trail with intermittent rocks. Great views all the way.
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This is a good training hike for legs. I like the choices of steep uphills and switchbacks. I get a lot out of this trail. Great view of the backside of Baldy. Excellent geology and structure. I’m gonna come back and do some mapping.
Lovely place to eat lunch, too.
Bring lots of energy bars or Bloks.
★
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Steady climb from parking lot to summit. Trail in great shape. Great views. 2 hours 10 minutes from parking lot to summit. Good training hike for Whitney.
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Only hiker on this route today. Good variety of wildflowers. Four miles to Sunset Peak, two miles return via the ridge. Walked through recent burn area. Sat on top for about 35 minutes. Tuna lunch. This one wore me out. Struggled on inclines. Only one slip on steep ridge recently cut by dozer.
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Pretty scenery. Parts reminded me of the San Bernardino hike. Large parking lot with bathrooms.
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stars
Great training hike thru bobcat burn area. Nice wildflowers. Vigorous trail with big ups and down’s. Added Mt Waterman for a two peak day toget to 12 miles.
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Cool hike really liked it trail in great Knick also easy route up to the Tower with stunning views all round,I recommend cycling to the trail head 🙂 stash your bike in the bushes and then get on trail,a lot easier on the return with the wind on your back,overall worth it only bummer is the walk on the road ( on your bike mate )
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Great hike and easy trail to the Tower,cycle to the trailhead.
Great views and worth it.
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Amazing shade . Started at 515pm and finished exactly at dark around 8pm . Watch out for ticks , keep your dog leashed .
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Buggy, not my favorite. Because it’s literally switchbacks from the car to the top, the scenery doesn’t change much.
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San Antonio Creek Trail. Average water in the creek. Hiked to generator about 2.5 miles directly there. Took a side trip to favorite water hole spot. Came with two to three feet of a three foot rattlesnake. More curious than most. Gave me a good warning. About 75 degrees with a few wildflowers.
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Trail is completely exposed, so wouldn’t do it in the summer, however there are pretty view of the mountains. This is a very clear and well maintained trail. There’s just one trail so you can’t make a wrong turn. I like this trail more than the one from Deukmejian- more challenging, and prettier. Also, very isolated and ran into only 3 people the entire time. It’s a steady climbing all the way up, but not super steep. Parked right before the gate on a dirt lot because the gate was closed.
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Parking fills fast on weekends. Great spot to start to grab 5 peaks in less then 10 miles. All the trails are easy to follow. Both Deception and Markham are steeper but very doable. Mount Lowe was crowded at summit but the other 4 were empty.
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Lovely trail steady climb with a beautiful creek for the first mile. Water still running today.
Some snow still on the shady side of the climb up to Josephine peak (5,500 ‘)
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Mid February, nothing out of the ordinary.
Steep then not steep.. lol
I like the challenge. If I start early enough I can see the wonderful colors about 6:15 am.
Mo snow when I went but I think it might have some from todays rain.
The first mile of fire road is a nice way to get warmed up but not so great on the way back when it has warmed up. Lol
Have fun and take mini breaks along the way not to tire too much.
★
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I love this trail, ones you get to the top of the peak the view is one of the best.
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My friend and I finished this one today. Nice hike. I loved how cool it was (low 60’s). No snow or ice anymore. Breezy in sections up top but it was nice. We started at 11:20 and finished about 4:45. We spent about an hour at the peak eatin and enjoying the view. Everyone is pretty accurate when they say the last 1.25 miles is rough….. got pretty cold coming down near the bottom. Was 55 in the parking lot.
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Fun hike up to the hut! I like it in winter when you get to hike in the snow
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First ever hike in the snow storm.
We were prepared but lacks of experience, much more to learn.
First thing first, should not try to hike in the snow storm.
★
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Way quieter and more shaded than Claremont Wilderness Loop right next door. Very popular with mountain bikers. Park at “The Point” and do the loop clockwise for the best experience.
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Great view from up there, and a good conditioner. Leave early enough and you’ll get some shade on the way up.
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I had a great hike with Rich & Julie Sumner, up the Bowl trail to the top of Mt Baldy, then down the Devil’s Backbone trail.
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Another Tuesday, another hike! This time we took on the Ruby Trail, a 6 mile out and back trail to Canyon Butte. The first mile is along Ruby Creek, with the first stream crossing being the large Daisy Creek. There are a few campsites along the trail with limited services. Mile 2 is an ascent to the butte, not much shade and some steep sections. Lots of wildflowers right now, not much grass. The butte is amazing, a bit of prominence. Repeat the same steps for the way back.
Location: 7/10
Difficulty: 4/10
Scenery: 9/10
Trail Conditions: Graded road for 2.8 miles, the rest is a old road grade to the butte.
Rating: 9.5/10
Weather: Cloudy and windy. with rain near the end. 40 degrees
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For experts this maybe easy hike but for us, it was good distance and incline. Nice hike for us to build up stamina for longer hikes and navigate through Angeles National Forest.
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This was our first trail we went on with our Jeep and we had a really good time.
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Switchbacks to Heaven. My Monday afternoon freed up so I figured why not tackle Mt Baden-Powel. Set out from Vincent Gulch around 2:20 and largely had the mountain to myself with the exception of a few folks descending. Met a lovely woman on the top who had come up from the other side, who was kind enough to take my pic at the summit. Had an awesome encounter with a deer on the ascent, and detoured out to Lamel Spring on the descent. I’m sure that spring comes in handy when you are through hiking enroute to Canada on the PCT. just a beautiful day and it all happened on a whim!
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Fantastic hike - not too tough but an incredible view from the 9400’ summit! Cool and breezy walk through gorgeous pine forests and an amazing view of the desert and all around below.
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First peak I bagged in the 2021 Six Pack of Peaks challenge. Temps soared into the low 90’s when I got to the summit ridge. Definitely leave before 8a on a hot day. Would have been much easier had I departed Red Box at 6/6:30a. Beautiful hike, none the less! Had the summit to myself until a couple guys emerged from the Mountaineer’s route. Generally felt strong. Gearing up for the bigger climbs ahead. 💥✌️
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stars
Popular hike to the top of a a peak with some of the best views around. Added to that was a fun mine walk and exploration
★
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Very nice hike. Some steep areas but nothing super hard
★
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A true SoCal classic. Lots of terrain variety, fun creek crossings, swimming holes, and if your lucky big horn sheep sightings.
★
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The trail is beautiful and diverse.
Busy trail especially with big groups of Boy Scouts and those heading to the bridge to bungee jump.
Saw some big horn sheep, lots of water crossings, beautiful flowers.
The trail is technical, wore my trail runners because they dry quick but would have liked boots for the rocks.
Pretty much flat with just some climbs here and there but no real elevation gains.
Coming back was clearer than going out as far as getting off trail, especially around the water crossings.
★
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Beautiful hike! They’re giving tickets to anyone parking outside the parking lot... $40
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this is a nice easy trail for a seasoned hiker, and may be a good lil challenge for people who aren’t use to hiking in general. always love this views on this trail it’s a pretty hike all the way through.
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Headed up towards the mt baldy hut. After the hut, we hit some snow and it made it difficult to find the path for about 1mile. Was a bit windy up the path. Once we got to the top, it was windy and chilly. We decided to come down the same way because the winds were extremely strong going towards Devil’s Backbone. Was a great day to hike!
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I enjoyed this hike for a fire road, which given the days of covid are my go to hikes. I loved the views and solitude. Only encountered three different people on the hike. It’s so quiet at the top, it’s sooo good that way.🙏🏻
★
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Nice introduction back country hike within short distance from Santa Clarita. Abandoned campground makes a perfect wilderness site.
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Hardest hike I’ve ever done super difficult this mountain is a Beast amazing views at the top breathtaking jaw dropping happy yo conquered it
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Starts off easy and escalates in the second mile and then the last mile is a challenging class 2 hike to the peak. Lots of elevation gain over a short distance and you have to use your hands a bit. But it’s totally worth it, and never too risky. Beautiful views throughout the entire hike, and crisp mountain air is abundant. Love this one.
★
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My first 4x4 run. A Little too advance for fist time wheeling but I made it.
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Great lines at top, should start it earlier, take skis off and hike down past the ski hut
Started at 8:45 got to top around 12:30
★
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First OHV trail in a stock 21 Willys Wrangler, had a lot of fun. And a great trail for some experience building.
★
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Mountain Bike Ride:
Start @ Bear Divide for 3.5 miles, paved road and steep on some areas, great workout and great views.
★
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Pretty fun hike a bit of bushwhacking plus the scramble is a pain in the ass,pretty steep ,loose soil a few branches to grab a hold off 🙂 lots of rivers running plenty of water which is a change,Kudos to all Bro Hikers for the Cairns,stunning views didn’t bump heads with anyone on the Trail,Focus on the trail,it’s disappears once or twice before
some of the stream crossings. Be safe,Happy Hiking
★
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Up the wash off of Lone Pine then up the ridge behind Twin Lakes. Gorgeous. Strenuous.
★
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This trail is incredible. We traversed up the Devil’s Backbone trail from the East (first tracks after a snowstorm, we postholed through up to 6 foot drifts) and descended the baldy bowl route, even sliding down a few sections, luge style. Incredible scenery from pre-dawn to dusk and insanely nice weather, including almost no wind on the summit.
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Simple walk on a fire road, with lots of up and down. The west end of the trail is a relatively steep incline. The road was smooth, having been graded within the last year. Enjoyable on a cool day, but beware hot days.
★
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I started very early and it’s quite an adventure! Hard on the knees and feet coming down. Don’t forget to re-lace / tighten your shoes prior to coming down. Bring plenty of food and water! Perfect training for Mt. Whitney!
★
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This was an amazingly beautiful hike! so many plants that were lively and views for days. Loved it and it was the perfect challenge not too much not too little :)
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Great hike today, tough as hell on the last 3 miles. Lots of vm loose rocks and very steep. Spectacular views!
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Started at 7:00 am there was some patches of snow heading up to the ski hut after that there was more snow micro spikes were required made it up to Mt Baldy there was a bit of wind not to bad then we started making our way down via register ridge a bit steep but managed to make it down.
★
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Great hike, not many people today at the trail this is my third time and I enjoyed more than the first time I will definitely do it again in the summer, water was too cold, follow the red or yellow arrows, just be prepared for some difficulties overall amazing trail.
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Went up/down Baldy Bowl Trail, with Craig Hoover. Bumped into Dan Jonasen, doing his 1,302nd ascent on Baldy. Was cold and windy. Lost Craig in Hellcat ravine.
★
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I’ve been up twin peaks before but from the other side of waterman, never from this trailhead. Since the bobcat fire has the road closed around here, this is the best option to get to twin peaks. The trail is mostly forested with great views down into devils canyon. There look to be some great places to camp on benches a little further down from the trail.
★
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Really enjoyed this hike, first timer on this trail. Arrived about 8am on Monday morning, and there were only a couple of cars there. Hardly anybody on the trail. The river level was low, no more than knee high at the deepest parts, but easy to find places to cross that were only ankle deep. Water wasn't too cold in the morning and felt great by late morning/early afternoon. Weather was great, plenty of shade throughout the trail until the last mile or so as you climb in elevation to reach the bridge.
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This was a easy hidden hike that lead to an over look Morris dam. Trail continues but becomes unpassable.
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Definitely not a walk in the park,mostly uphill pace yourself slow and steady,it’s a true trail very picturesque,amazing views,boulders,Easy trail to follow,be prepared with the essentials,4 L of water was fine,layer up it gets Windy and Nippy on the ascend, Positive is very very few hikers on the Trail,only bumped into 3 hikers earlier.watch your footing on the downhill ,a small trail of ice before the narrows but nothing major. be safe Happy Hiking
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There are some good hill climbs here. Rubicon with 33s did it no problem but there are some steep moments that get the adrenaline going.
★
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Hiking Mt. Baldy via Ski hut with a hangover is not a good 💡 idea! 😹😸😹
When all else fails, San Antonio Falls is always there for reclusion.
★
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Fun hike nice bit of exploring that day 3 or 4 river crossing,friendly bunch on the trail, know were your going your route and crossing to the ridge etc bring 5 liters of water back up protein bars,can’t beat a PBJ 🙂 might want boots and rouge Merrill sandals if you want to stay dry.fun moderate hike,My dog also loved it.
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Excellent hike! Started at 5:30am and made the climb in 1:40. Lots of switch backs and the views are amazing! American flag at the top to take cute pics with the sign. I brought 2 liters of water and was plenty for the hike with minimal snacks. The hike down was not too bad on the knees. Overall a beautiful hike and knocked it pit quick in about 3hrs round trip!!
★
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Felt very long. Lots of switchbacks. Totally worth it to make it to the top though!
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I took the trail that goes right under the ski lift. That plus Devil’s Backbone all the way up and it was difficult for me. I liked it, but I wouldn’t recommend it for casual hikers. It was more of a test for myself to see if I’m getting back in shape. It took about 7 hours, but i didn’t take the ski lift trail down. I took the fire road because my knees were kind of hurting. Lots of great views, but be prepared. I did this 08-16-20, where there were fires in the distance and a heat warning. A great day, and it ended up being almost exactly 9 miles.
★
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Bring more than 3 liters of water, lots of sunscreen, and snacks. Oh, and a hat.
★
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Truck to summit in 2:45. My best time yet on this beast.
Great day with Steve.
No beers at the Notch today.
Too early for me.
★
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This trail is quite nice. It has enough elevation gain to get your legs and heart a workout. We went from Dawson Saddle, to the top of Throop Peak, then Burnham Peak and finally Mount Baden-Powell. Much of the trail is gentle up and down following contour lines with scrambles up to the top of the peaks. The weather was perfect and most of the trail is shaded. Definitely recommend it.
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One of the most beautiful trails along the sheep mountain wilderness. With views of the dessert and also the coast.
★
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Little Jimmy is one of the best camp grounds in the area. Due to the COVID shutdown, the mountains are very popular on the weekends. Week days offer a little more quiet time. I highly recommend hiking to Mount Hawkins at a minimum. Wonderful view!!! If your fit enough, go all the way to Baden Powell. Really enjoyed it.
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If you are confident in your map and compass skills this is an amazing hike on a wide ridge with no steep drop offs. Just keep in mind that this is a reverse hike and you need to come back up. Amazing views of the San Gabriel Mountains!
★
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Good workout on the switchbacks for those training! Fun views!
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Beautiful Hike, long Hike. Provides great views of Pyramid lake, and some not oft explored SoCal wilderness.Check out my trip report, and trail description here:https://hikethepla.net/slide-mountain-california/
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Excellent hike. If it’s cloudy in Burbank you will be above the clouds here. Wonderful views and most of the hike has flat terrain except for the final half mile going up. Sun protection and ample water recommended.
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Some of OHV trails were rated black diamond , but was easy with my stock JT Rubicon. However, some of them were challenging too.
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Amazing day to hike this peak, some snow patches here and there. Not that many people for a weekend and overall good training hike
★
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This trail was straight incline to the top of the mountain but the views were amazing. I’ve done other trails and this by far was the best route.
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Not a lot of bugs, great trail, snow obstacles to get over, windy at top, hard finish. We stopped just shy of the final few hundred feet to the top.
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Went 5/17/20 - great hike! Kind of crowded. Didn’t go to the bottom but did go to the top of the falls.
Lots of water crossings, and wasn’t prepared, got wet feet. Not too hot.
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stars
This is a really challenging loop, given the distance involved, but rewarding in both views and varied terrain. You can make it even more challenging by adding Mt Lawlor to the loop, which adds a very steep ascent and descent to an otherwise long and challenging loop.
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stars
As long as it’s not too hot out, this is an excellent hike. You get some nice variation in terrain and great views both from Josephine saddle and the peak. If you want to extend the hike, you can add Strawberry Peak, but it’s a fairly steep scramble to get up it.
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stars
As long as it’s not too hot out, this is an excellent hike. You get some nice variation in terrain and great views both from Josephine saddle and the peak. If you want to extend the hike, you can add Strawberry Peak, but it’s a fairly steep scramble to get up it.
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Great consistent gain from the creek wall the way to the saddle and then up to the peak
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Awesome hike. Amazing views. The terrain isn’t too steep. Despite huge crowds at the parking area the trail was not crowded. Appropriate length for a hike to the summit, lunch, and the hike back
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The beatings started around mile four. I brought 7L of water and finished all of it! Trail is well maintained and full of wild flowers. Lots of annoying bugs and saw a few baby rattlesnakes. Save your knees and bring some poles especially for the decent. I recommend gaiters, I had a lot of little rocks in my shoe from the decent. Also, I recorded over 16 miles and a 7,000 ft ascent. Enjoy the beatings!
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Use trail to peak is over grown and steep but has some fun rocks to climb on. Good quick and steep climb on route 1. Also saw a rattler so careful!
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Main trail was nice until we got to the use trail up to peak. Over grown and sometimes hard to find the trail. Also we saw a rattlesnake so be careful!
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Nice fire roads with beautiful views. Off road vehicles definitely recommend!
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What a stunning day; camps and parking lots were closed due to the Virus; weather was gorgeous and rivers were overflowing. And on the way out, we saw spectacular views of the mountains above the cloud line.
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What a stunning day; camps and parking lots were closed due to the Virus; weather was gorgeous and rivers were overflowing. And on the way out, we saw spectacular views of the mountains above the cloud line.
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stars
A decent trail for snowshoeing in the winter. Climbs fairly steeply, then contours on the side of the mountain, follows a ridgeline, and climbs steeply again. It can be a little challenging to route find in the snow. And, the contouring can be a little hard on the ankles if snowshoeing, because of the angle of the slope.
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Beautiful out and back hike around Table Mountain of Wrightwood. Start at the parking lot about .2 miles south (up) from the cabins. Look for the forest service road with the gate. Take the Ford Observatory road as far as the memorial bench, or further to your liking.
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We started at Jackson Lake and headed up towards Grassy Hollow Visitor Center . At Jackson Flat not far from the destination I turned back to get the car and meet everyone at Grassy Hollow. I had a good run down and there were patches of snow to navigate but not too slippery.
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Fantastic hiking. Go early to avoid weekend crowds. Several points of river crossing. Bring water socks, sandals, or crocks. You will get at least a little wet.
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It’s a good short hike that is just part of a longer hike that keeps going further up. My only gripe is the litterbugs. I hike this trail frequently, and not a single visit goes by where I don’t find myself picking up plastic bottles and other trash.
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The only cure for a soul broken and needing to find the healing offered by the mountain.
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It was sunny and hot and a pretty relentless climb to the summit.
★
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Very beautiful and dramatic views on this hike. Definitely felt the elevation change and pretty challenging incline. Wind from the Santa Ana winds made this more difficult on the true backbone.
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stars
This has been the traditional route to access Mt Islip for years. It is more direct and offers impressive front country views of the San Gabriel's. It's steep and to the point and its something I've always appreciated.
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Trail washed out in spots. Lots of graffiti and inexperienced hikers. Very sad example of internet exposure ruining a really cool spot.
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No shade along trail. Some areas near the top are narrow as the brush has grown a lot. Careful passing through as the branches are sharp.
★
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★
★
Easy breeze trail and constant uphill. Open trail with some shades from big trees. You can skip this trail and take the ski lift instead.
★
★
★
All trails pretty well marked, trail in good condition. Section to Twin Peaks East summit is steep but doable. Check out my trip report on HikingGuy: https://hikingguy.com/hiking-trails/best-la-hikes/hike-mt-waterman-twin-peaks/
★
★
★
★
★
Amazing scenery and not too difficult! Definitely stay to the right side of the river most of the way, I didn’t realize there are pretty clear trails up higher on the banks on my way towards the bridge. I went later in the day so coming back there was hardly any people and it was much cooler. Took about 5 hours total after spending some time at the bridge to swim. The water feels amazing! I actually felt more comfortable in my chacos sandals with socks rather than my heavy watered-down hiking boots!
★
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★
★
★
It gets very hot. Scorching sun, multiple river crossings, rugged terrain.
Make sure you bring:
- Hat, dude and dudettes!
- Water shoes (Crocs ok) and trail running shoes (to avoid wet sock blisters since this is an all day long hike)
- At least 100oz (3L) water but my last group ran out, two guys needed to use my Sawyer filter to drink the river water (which you really don’t want to do unless you have to). Also bring an electrolyte drink for when you’ve been melting under the sun and start to feel dizzy
- Carbohydrate loaded lunch in your bag
- Carb/protein snack in the car for when you get back
- Sunscreen (put on frequently, and after you dip in the river)
- Bug spray and a bright flashlight in case you get lost and don’t make it back before dark which you really don’t want to deal with (again, this happened w my last group — we passed a rattlesnake eating just before a river crossing in the dark which we had to do twice. Mosquitoes here will swarm you at dusk)
Bonus: Water filter, ultralight sun umbrella and trekking pole
Be safe. It can be dangerous. People get airlifted out for heat stroke
★
★
★
★
★
Strenuous hike that starts at the Mt Baldy Village Church. I would only recommend this hike if you’re comfortable with a consistently steep ascent.
★
★
★
★
★
Although the elevation can be challenging, this hike was quite enjoyable. The fire roads/cat tracks provide an easier path up that isn’t super hard on your legs/back. There are a few technical sections towards the middle/end, but everything is doable for all skill levels.
And the views are spectacular towards the end of this hike.
★
★
★
★
★
Great training hike for some of the larger hikes like Mt Wilson, Cucamonga Peak or Mt Baldy. Not much shade for most of the hike so bring plenty of water (at least 3L) and be sure to avoid going during the hottest part of the season and/or day.
★
★
★
★
Awesome hike, first 2 miles are easy but the last 1.25 miles is really steep. There is no shade so definetely do the hike early during the summer. Parking is at redbox and trailhead is across from the parking lot.
★
★
★
★
★
Easy hike with good shade in the first portion of the trail. Waterfall is nice. Good casual hike
★
★
★
★
I really liked this hike. Plenty of incline to get a good workout on a short hike. Great views of the valley below.
★
★
★
★
Arrived at trailhead at 0600 and there was plenty of parking. Hiked up counter clockwise via the ski hut route, and it was a very steep ascent! Legs did not get tired or fatigued, but the altitude was slowing me down.
Steady pace to the summit with little time stopped. The summit was incredible! Very beautiful but a little chilly. Bring wind breaker next time.
Gear:
-Prana Zion pants
-Minus 33 merino wool undershirt
-Minus 33 merino wool LS 1/2 zip shirt
- 4 Liters of water
-Nike Flex Run 2018 shoes
-Prana Zion jacket
-Osprey Talon 22 backpack
-First Aid kit
-Microspikes (did not need)
★
★
★
★
★
I wouldn't rate it difficult, at least not in any technical sense. I mean, yeah, it's a long walk of nearly ten miles and close to 3,000 foot elevation gain, but there's a very good trail and it's hard to get lost. Took me just over four hours and enjoyed lunch on the top. Perfect day for it with cool mists covering the summit most of the way up and cool mists blowing up the sides of the hills. Once past the main Deukmejian trails you'll pass someone going the other way maybe every ten minutes or so. Definitely do the loop. No sense in going back the same way you came. See more.
★
★
★
★
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stars
This was a great day for hiking; clear and high 60s. The road from the trail to South Hawkins has several large rock-slides that have come down across the road, and the road is also washed out by a running stream. The stream had a nice waterfall though. The trail up Hawkins Ridge had some snow near the around Middle Hawkins, some of which was deep enough that footing was sketchy. There was also significant snow on the PCT - like 8 feet in places. The snow is definitely contained in several patches and below 7,500' there was no snow. The trail was in good condition, though there were some trees across some sections along Hawkins Ridge.
The views from the various peaks were great, but you can definitely tell that there was a major fire within the last few years.
★
★
★
★
★
I’m so lucky, that I live in Green Valley, we have so many hiking trails up here that is for different level physical condition people. I try to do this hike every day, sometime twice. The way it starts out is kind of like you warm up the first mile, after that it gets pretty steep and the cardiovascular exercise starts and is followed by a gentle descend along Spunky Canyon Rd.
The view from the top of the Plantation to Green Valley always amazes me.
★
★
★
★
★
Busy in the beginning due it Echo's popularity, but nice and calm after Echo. Mt Lowe East Trail needs little scrambling, but beware of mountain bikers barreling down the steep portions. Return on Mt. Lowe West Trail has at least 6 downed trees blocking path as of yesterday. Need to climb over or under them.
★
★
★
★
Some damage to the trail from the recent rains, but nothing impassible and volunteers are already doing grading. During the government shut down there is a sign that the trail is closed, but there are no obstacles. (The chantry flats trailhead cannot be accessed right now). Half of the trail had shade, the observatory on top has running water.
★
★
★
★
This was a fun and easy hike to Big Horn Mine. I would have given this trail 5 stars, but there was sooooo much trash. Our small group (my hiking family) took trash bags with us, and thankfully so! We picked up about 5 lbs of recycle trash (beer bottles, gatorade, water, and more beer cans), and about 10-15 lbs of trash trash. There were so many glow-sticks, tissue paper, candy wrappers, snack wrappers/bags, trashed clothing, and the worst of all - some person pooped IN THE MINE! It was rank! We doubled bagged that and put it in our large trash bag. I hope those that go on this trail will pack their trash out with them. You carried it full, now carry it out empty.
The views were breathtaking, the mine was awesome, there is bathrooms and trashcans at the trailhead. You go left for the mine and right for the eternal switchback trail to Mt. Baden-Powell.
I recommend this hike.
★
★
★
★
Did this Hike near the end of October and it couldn't have been a more perfect time. It was cool and crystal clear skies so you could see for miles. There are so many awesome views. It actually took me closer to 5 hours with sitting at the top for lunch and stopping to look and take pictures. This is a really nice well maintained trail that is easy to follow until you get to the top. The only thing that makes this difficult is a very steep climb near the end. For me, the altitude was making it difficult to catch my breath. After reading several reviews I didn't take the full loop but came back the same way. There were so many views I missed on the way up! The instructions say to go thru the white fence opposite the day use area, but there also actually is a trail a bit to the left of that location. The trail and the road behind the fence merge at the sign that says Trail. This was a truly beautiful hike and well worth doing..
★
★
★
★
★
Recommended that you do this hike on a cool weather day. No water sources on this trail you have to carry all your water with you. It was 85° and i carried 6L and it was barely enough. Drank 1L the 1st 3 miles stashed 2L at the saddle for the way back kept 3L with me. The uphill is steep and the downhill feels steeper. Pants and boots reccomend you might be able to get away with trail runners. Definitely a Very Strenuous Advanced hike.
★
★
★
★
★
My sons and I took a weekend to camp overnight at the campground. Hiked down the trail at night. With just a flashlight and the often narrow washed out trail, it was sometimes difficult to know we were still on the trail with out using GPS. The trail had a lot of overgrowth and fallen trees blocking the path which made it difficult going with full backpacks on. We enjoyed the campground. It had a nice fire pit for fires and was level for sleeping. It has a clear view of the night sky, which was disappointing to my son who prefers to sleep in a hammock. Although I'd give the trail only two stars, I gave it an additional star for the campsite. It was nice to have it all to ourselves when we are used to some more popular sites that always feel so crowded.
★
★
★
My sons and I took a weekend to camp overnight at the campground. Hiked down the trail at night. With just a flashlight and the often narrow washed out trail, it was sometimes difficult to know we were still on the trail with out using GPS. The trail had a lot of overgrowth and fallen trees blocking the path which made it difficult going with full backpacks on. We enjoyed the campground. It had a nice fire pit for fires and was level for sleeping. It has a clear view of the night sky, which was disappointing to my son who prefers to sleep in a hammock. Although I'd give the trail only two stars, I gave it an additional star for the campsite. It was nice to have it all to ourselves when we are used to some more popular sites that always feel so crowded.
★
★
★
stars
