EISPIRATEN

The weird pile of sticks in your photo looks like a woodrat den. These are commonly found in California chaparral and oak woodlands.

Devil's backbone claims another life.

http://abc7.com/news/1-found-dead-after ... y/1796531/

stonehillnews wrote: ↑ Also, here's a spherical image of it from a couple weeks ago.

The spherical image is cool. Gives the picture a greater sense of depth.

Nature at Hand has a FREE weed identification guide for invasive plants of the San Gabriel Mountains that can be downloaded.

http://www.natureathand.com/Main/NAHWeedGuide.htm

Hiker, dog rescued in Angeles National Forest after ending up 800 feet down cliff While crews were hiking to rescue the dog, a civilian volunteer was hit by a large rock that had fallen about 40 feet. The rock hit the person on the head, right shoulder, arm and hand. The rock also knocked off his h...

Polypodium californicum is a species of fern known by the common name California polypody. (wikipedia)

unknown flower = Chaparral Currant
(Ribes malvaceum)

Nice pix. It looks like the weather was great, too. Southern Cal is really getting green this year with all the rain. Also mushrooms in abundance.

Finally. A happy story. DOG FOUND!

http://www.dailybulletin.com/general-ne ... ave-behind

The body of a missing hiker was recovered below Devil's Backbone.

http://abc7.com/news/mans-body-found-ne ... g/1745299/

Here is the NBC channel 4 report:
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local ... 49503.html

HikeUp wrote: ↑ I made it about 5 steps further when I decided to go back to the car and climb Mt. Williamson instead.

"The better part of valor is discretion" from Shakespeare's Henry IV

also

He who hikes and turns away, lives to hike another day.

A bit more information from KTLA 5: http://ktla.com/2017/02/04/at-least-3-s ... les-crest/ A group of 10 hikers in their 50s and 60s were traversing a path called the Little Jimmy Trail at an elevation of about 7,000 feet when cold, snowy conditions caused half the party to fall down a 70-degree slo...

Two hikers were rescued from Mt. Baldy on Wednesday
http://www.pe.com/articles/mount-824086 ... rrain.html

Injured hikers rescued from avalanche on Mt. Baldy
http://abc7.com/news/injured-hikers-res ... y/1722517/
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local ... 04895.html

I'm not a mycologist but I will go with witches' butter, tremella sp.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tremella_mesenterica

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tremella_aurantia

Saved by the ice axe. Another article on this mishap:

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/201701 ... n-mt-baldy

I agree with Marty. This is a great hike to do in the winter especially January and February. You want to stay away from the Mecca Hills when it gets hot because there is little shade and the temperatures can be brutal. I did the ladders canyon hike a few years ago on a weekend and there were a numb...

Trail designations appear on the USGS Topo maps. Im aware of that, but neither trail deals with the backbone exposed section. 7W05.01 stops on top of subpeak 9009. 7W04.02 is from approx elevation 8700 to Baldy Notch. The 1955 topo shows the exact same thing. The use-trail in question has little to...

Also, give me a break--the "skill levels" of these guys doesn't matter. I highly doubt the average--or even very skilled--outdoors-persons has practical training on what to do during a forest fire. Skill level doesn't matter? That is an absurd statement. Someone with the knowledge of the ...

Also, give me a break--the "skill levels" of these guys doesn't matter. I highly doubt the average--or even very skilled--outdoors-persons has practical training on what to do during a forest fire. Skill level doesn't matter? That is an absurd statement. Someone with the knowledge of the ...

Another example of someone expecting the government to bail them out when they get into trouble. Venturing into wild areas can be potentially dangerous. Things can go wrong in the back country and you can't just dial 911 and expect an ambulance to pull up and rush you to the hospital. You either ha...

California whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis) also known as the striped racer?

Another example of someone expecting the government to bail them out when they get into trouble. Venturing into wild areas can be potentially dangerous. Things can go wrong in the back country and you can't just dial 911 and expect an ambulance to pull up and rush you to the hospital. You either hav...

Nice video. What were you using to lube the saw? And what about the multicolored wedges? Are they polymer?

The "Coyote Melon" is actually Wild Cucumber (Marah macrocarpus).

The "yellow ceanothus" is Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum). It is commonly found along the side of the roads in disturbed areas and is in bloom this time of year.

WOW! Super wildflower pix. It looks like you hit the jackpot on your Death Valley Trip.

Here is the ABC 7 news clip of their interview with the survivor of this fall.

http://abc7.com/news/hiker-details-surv ... l/1213621/

Climber dies on north face of Mt Harwood on Saturday

LA Times story
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-m ... story.html

Press-Enterprise stories
http://www.pe.com/articles/ells-795096- ... baldy.html
http://www.pe.com/articles/hiker-795011 ... month.html

A hiker slips down ice chute on Mt Baden Powell.

http://abc7.com/news/hikers-help-rescue ... l/1200195/

She had an ice axe yet she could not self-arrest since she was out-of-control. When you are in that situation you are hosed. It is easy to loose control on a steep slope.