EISPIRATEN

My absolute favorite front country loop. the absolute freedom of youth is a thing of the past, and one could easily spend an entire lifetime trying, and yet failing to get intimate with every nook and cranny of just these three ranges. Yeah, ain't that the truth? Was there any water at Idlehour? The...

Great pix!

HJ

Awesome trip, bro.

HJ

As far as I can tell, there is no restriction on the range of rattlesnakes in the local mountains, although you don't see them frequently above 10,000'.

HJ

I was there on Friday. Still loads of Graffiti.

HJ

I once saw a bear in broad daylight within a few hundred yards of the Mt. Wilson Trailhead in Sierra Madre.

On a different note, if there's beer available, you'd see me on the Mt. Lowe Trail too.

HJ

The area from upper Hamilton Lake to Kaweah Gap is spectacular. Did you go over to the High Sierra Camp at Bearpaw Meadow? The view from their front porch is jaw dropping.

HJ

I've always just parked on the streets of Altadena a block or two west of the upper (toll road) entrance.

No water at Henninger from what I understand.

HJ

Yeah, that's one tough lady.

HJ

Nice. Thanks for the report, Mark.

HJ

Yeah, I saw those when I was up there a few weeks ago. Interesting way for a ski resort operation to make ends meet.

HJ

Hopefully unburned portions open sooner. Indeed they have. This past week, the USFS announced substantial modifications to their previous closure order. Based on the US Forest Service's recent announcement modifying the Lake Fire closure area, I created a marked up topo map on my blog that shows mo...

UPDATE: I went back out on Friday/Saturday (July 17/18) with my daughter. There is water at the stream crossing above Hoegees and there is water just below Hoegees. There's a nice pool about 1/4 mile below Hoegees. The water in the pool should last well into August if not all the way into fall. The ...

No snakes on any of my recent trips although I usually don't freak out if I can see them. If one lets off with a rattle nearby and I can't see him, then I freak out. This trip had, of all things, a lot of mosquitoes. My theory is that the mosquitoes won't breed in a running creek, which is what is u...

Those of you who hike in or near the San Gorgonio Wilderness may find this of interest:
Based on the US Forest Service's recent announcement modifying the Lake Fire closure area, I created a marked up topo map on my blog that shows more precisely which peaks and places are/are not now closed.

HJ

HJ

Hey! Wait a minute! You got a California Campfire Permit for that Gojira thinga-majiggy? No permit, no fire, buddy.

HJ

What's wrong with you people! :lol: :lol: That's a bivy sack. Body bag? Sheesh. B i v y s a c k. C'mon, say it with me, "bivy sack;" you can do it. :lol: https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/2.bp.blogspot.com/-BmXXguiWFyg/VZmf1aHIKlI/AAAAAAABNFM/juElQhFeAtM/s740/DSC02417.JPG Seriously th...

Starting of Wrightwood is hardly a full traverse. Starting in the desert and ending on the coastal plain would be a full traverse. DISCUSSION There's a road shown on the topo maps going from Fort Tejon Rd in the desert to the Big Pines Hwy. Start there, and then you've got a traverse. Not sure if th...

Yeah, it's getting that way. The water is surprisingly good at Spruce Grove right now.

HJ

"tastes like chicken"


HJ

Joe_the_Hiker wrote: ↑...continued to Sturtevant Falls, another secret waterfall, Hermit Falls, the Old Hermit Falls (making all 5 I know of) and then to the reservoir and some other stops in the canyon.

"Old" Hermit Falls?

HJ

Even more impressive, you went up and more up --- and in high-time-snake time!! I've never found that region to be particularly more "snakey" than any other. No snakes at all this time out. I'll try to remember to post more camp site pics if I can. Here's a recent high camp: https://eispi...

Well, before we go too much further here, I actually camped at Spruce Grove which has much better water (right at the camp site, running well, no having to search far upstream) than Hoegees.

So, for photos:
https://eispiraten.com/viewtopic.php?t=6386

HJ

I went for a little quickie fun backpack this past weekend, starting after work on Friday. Take advantage of that Daylight Saving Time. :) I was a little worried about water, and rightfully so. Here's Santa Anita Canyon at the first crossing above the falls. Bone dry. https://eispiraten.com/images-a...

Here's my post hike update: There is some water in Santa Anita Canyon, but not a lot. There are major stretches of stream bed that are completely dry, typically sandy or gravelly sections. In those spots where there is exposed bedrock, there is flowing water. Water flow is actually fairly decent at ...

There is water at Spruce Grove Camp. Santa Anita Canyon is looking pretty pathetic over all, but the water at Spruce Grove Camp was actually flowing reasonably well. Very easy to collect.

HJ

HikeUp wrote: ↑I'd plan on it peaking at 90 for a short time around 2pm.

Temps weren't bad at all. I was a little surprised. I expected upper 80's, but it was low 80's. Now, that was on the Sturtevant Trail which is super shady. Taking a different trail, one more exposed, would be a very different story.

HJ

Gonna be somewhat warmish. Predicted high in Sierra Madre is 82. Doesn't sound too bad, but possibly humid. I am sure you know about the spigot in the big parking lot at the top (adjacent to the cafe). Yeah, the hiker's friend. I'm hoping there will be some kind of water available up top or it'll b...

I'm going to do the Mt Wilson Loop from Chantry Flats this weekend. Anyone know if there is water at Hoegees? (or at the trail crossing above Hoegees) I think last I heard it was dry?

HJ