EISPIRATEN

Thanks everyone for the great route beta....I'll be dayhiking Langley this Monday. I used Old Army Pass late in the season back in October of 1982, but will use New Army Pass this time....Unsettled weather is upon the Sierra again according to the reports posted on the Whitney Portal Store Message B...

Looks like a good many of us were on Baldy on Sunday! :wink: I met GigaMike (Mike Mellin) at the Manker Flats trail head for a climb of Mt. Baldy via the Register Ridge route at 8:00am on Sunday 11/30/08. We were underway by 8:15am. We were treated to fine but moderately windy weather, but most of t...

Thanks Guys! 406: Didn't see any turns....not enough snow depth to carve.....the guy followed the trail some of the way down, staying to relatively heavier snow at the inner trail edge.... Taco: Yup, but the snow sure didn't stay long (darn warm spell). GigaMike and I were up on the Baldy Register R...

I just couldn't resist the fresh dusting of snow on the San Gabriel Crest, so after a morning of Thanksgiving gluttony recovery, I headed to Vincent Gap for an easy hike up Mt. Baden Powell via the trail route. There were a few vehicles in the Vincent Gap parking area when I hit the trail at 11:10am...

I took a wonderful "shake-down cruise" in the San Gabriels to Twin Peaks from Buckhorn via the Waterman Loop Trail, Waterman Trail and Twin Peaks use trail from Twin Peaks Saddle. Work has kept me urban bound for months, so I was glad to get out for a short jaunt. I was alone on the trail ...

Taco: Great TR & Photos....I especially enjoyed the underwater shots & salamander video, very cool (and seeing a Black Bear!). That was a California Newt, used to be more common in the front range than now - Spring is their time to come out of the forest and mate (they spend some of their ti...

Officially, 1973 for me.....Lots of little hikes with Dad and twin brother before that (born 1955), but that first summer backpack in the Sierra (Bishop Pass area) in '73 began my tempestuous relationship with hiking and mountaineering (there have been some Epics over the years)....

Hedgehog

Hi FIGHT ON: Yup, I love the new hiking poles (actually purchased them last year). They are the Black Diamond Eliptical - the first ones that have withstood my abuse without bending during rough scrambles in the SG's and Sierra. I use an older set of REI poles with large baskets for snowshoe/cross c...

I had originally planned to hike from Islip Saddle to Dawson Saddle via the PCT and Dawson Saddle trails (picking up Mt. Islip & Throop Peak along the way), then over Mt. Lewis, down the northwest ridge to South Fork Campground and return to Islip Saddle via the South Fork trail. I ended up stop...

I agree about current conditions. I was up on the "direct route - east ridge" from Vincent Gap early morning 3/22 and found lots of very hard snow/ice on the way up through the steep forest to the final ridge run. Crampons & axe were necessary (mostly french technique w/some front poin...

Yes, sore joints for sure! - and turn your face away from that adze when you are "feet up" and leaning into that pick for every ounce of stopping pressure on hard snow/ice (axe jump can produce nice little "smiley faces" on the cheek bones! - not that I would know from personal e...

That's Affirmative Taco.... Practicing self arrest with "feet up" in the final prone position gained from any 'falling position" (like head-downhill-on back) is very beneficial during training sessions. It is amazing how much more stress is placed on arm/shoulder muscles when arrresti...

Great trip report and photos of a beautiful "Winter Home Range!" I agree - wonderful San Gabriel Mixed possibilities on those ridges....

Doug F.

Great photos Bruno! Hopefully this is the start of a better snow year!

Doug F.

Hi hvydrt: Pocket Rocket is a great little stove - I use mine quite a bit, even in pretty rough conditions (right now, I am mostly using MSR stoves) Actually, according to general mountain literature and my own personal experience, canister stoves perform better -- with any given ambient temperature...

Hikin_Jim: Great trip report - I am even more enthused now to visit the lower East Fork area again as soon as work allows (it's been many years since I have traveled lower than the old Mine Gulch camp). Fresh Bear Prints too, oh my!

Hi Everyone, Actually, the restrictions regarding the discharge of firearms within the Angeles National Forest and the Inyo National Forest are clearly posted on many trail head and campground information boards/placards (official postings). The legal restrictions are also included in many of the pr...

Yes, very cute little cubs, but, momma bear would surely morph from Disney character into the leading furry actor from "Night of the Grizzly" or "The Edge" if I tried to cuddle.....

Doug F.

I glimpsed some of our local bears this morning as I was driving to one of my favorite training spots for a short jaunt. I was driving along the cut-off road connecting Angeles Forest Hwy and Angeles Crest Hwy just before dawn when I came upon a momma bear with her 2 cubs running up the road (about ...

I agree with Alan's suggestion of the wonderful area above the Ski Hut! We held our second Sierra Club BMTC ice axe/roped travel practice session there back on March 22 of 1975 (San Gabriel Section). It was a fairly heavy snow year providing great self arrest practice and getting used to holding rop...