Blue Ridge Road (3N06)

135driver · Post by **135driver** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:07 pm

Does any one know if the road to Guffy Camp is going to close soon. I want to climb Pine and Dawson soon, maybe next week.

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:07 pm

135driver wrote

Does any one know if the road to Guffy Camp is going to close soon. I want to climb Pine and Dawson soon, maybe next week.

I'm going on a hike from Lupine camp to upper fish fork tommorrow, I'll drive by Big Pines and ask when they plan on closing the road and let you know.
It was open two weeks ago for sure.

135driver · Post by **135driver** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:11 pm

That would be rad. Thanks a bunch. I know they close the road getting close to winter, if it closes, I'll just hike Acorn Trail then go up from there.

Thanks again.

Richard N. · Post by **Richard N.** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:32 pm

The Blue Ridge Road to Guffy closes in early Novemeber to early May every year unless there is a heavy snow fall sooner.
The road will be open next weekend.
It had better be, we will up there as well.

135driver · Post by **135driver** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:15 am

Sounds good, thx for the research. Maybe I'll run into you there. I'll be the guy gasping for air on the north ridge of pine.

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 3:58 pm

I did the hike from Lupine to Fishfork and the road was open. I checked at Big Pines visitor center which was closed.(weekends only I guess

)
Anyway I'm sure Richard is correct about closure in November, but keep in mind deer season opener is Sunday (keep ur head down)

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:09 pm

Bill wrote:135driver wrote
Does any one know if the road to Guffy Camp is going to close soon. I want to climb Pine and Dawson soon, maybe next week.
I'm going on a hike from Lupine camp to upper fish fork tommorrow, I'll drive by Big Pines and ask when they plan on closing the road and let you know.
It was open two weeks ago for sure.

Hey, Bill, if you get a chance, can you post any observations you may gather regarding the lower part of Fish Fork (still above the falls, but lower than the first camp I mean) as well as if the trail from the Fish Fork area to Dawson peak is still followable.

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:22 pm

Hey Jim,
I only got to the second spring along the trail today, as I did'nt have time to go further. Did not get to either camp.

The trail up to Dawson looked passable visually. I plan on going back again next Tuesday, and make a day of it, so I'll be able to give a better report. I have been itching to get in there since you mentioned it a few weeks ago.
What I would really like to do is hike up Eastfork and up Fishfork to Dawson some time. (If there is a way to get up that canyon)

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:51 pm

Bill wrote:Hey Jim,
I only got to the second spring along the trail today, as I did'nt have time to go further. Did not get to either camp. The trail up to Dawson looked passable visually. I plan on going back again next Tuesday, and make a day of it, so I'll be able to give a better report. I have been itching to get in there since you mentioned it a few weeks ago.
What I would really like to do is hike up Eastfork and up Fishfork to Dawson some time. (If there is a way to get up that canyon)

Dunno if you can go all the way up from the San Gab River via Fish Fork to Dawson. There are those falls to contend with. It got pretty narrow at the falls. I didn't see any easy way to bypass them, although if you're a canyoneer with good rock climbing skills, maybe there's a way.

I'd go in from Lupine first and see how far down canyon you can get before trying up canyon. I'd particularly want to take a look at those falls.

I think the falls are about where "B" is on the below linked map. Point "C" also looks rough. There's another set of falls at point "D." I've never been to those falls.
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.30495,-11 ... tonio%20CA

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 8:31 pm

Jim,
Are these the falls indicated by the "D" on the Acme mapper program?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30922174@N ... 892652948/

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:21 pm

Bill:

I don't think those are the same falls. The falls in your photos appear to be very close to the San Gab. River. The falls at point "D" on the map are significantly further upstream.

HJ

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:05 am

Hikin_Jim wrote:Bill:

I don't think those are the same falls. The falls in your photos appear to be very close to the San Gab. River. The falls at point "D" on the map are significantly further upstream.

HJ

Thanks Jim, that clears that up. I just signed up on that Wrightwood forum as well, although I do have a few regulars I hike with. Sometimes motivation is a problem

(sometimes its me)

Richard N. · Post by **Richard N.** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:01 pm

I will be hiking from Lupine to Fish Falls Camp tomorrow. The trail is overgrown but can be found with a bit of looking. The old sign is lying on the ground. From Fish Falls up to Dawson is more like following an old animal trail and its very steep. You better be sure you have a lot of time if you do a loop from Lupine down and back up to Dawson. I've gone down Pine Ridge and there is a lot of buckthorn to contend with. You then hook up with the old trail/ old fire road heading south to the camp.
We will be searching for a few of the old mines as well.
I'll post a report next week on what we find.
We may even go to the Stanley Miller Mines. I havn't been there in 30 years. The old trail is there in places but its high on the east bench of the canyon.

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:06 am

Richard N. wrote:I will be hiking from Lupine to Fish Falls Camp tomorrow. The trail is overgrown but can be found with a bit of looking. The old sign is lying on the ground. From Fish Falls up to Dawson is more like following an old animal trail and its very steep. You better be sure you have a lot of time if you do a loop from Lupine down and back up to Dawson. I've gone down Pine Ridge and there is a lot of buckthorn to contend with. You then hook up with the old trail/ old fire road heading south to the camp.
We will be searching for a few of the old mines as well.
I'll post a report next week on what we find.
We may even go to the Stanley Miller Mines. I havn't been there in 30 years. The old trail is there in places but its high on the east bench of the canyon.

Looking forward to it 8)

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 11:48 am

Richard N. wrote:I will be hiking from Lupine to Fish Falls Camp tomorrow. The trail is overgrown but can be found with a bit of looking. The old sign is lying on the ground. From Fish Falls up to Dawson is more like following an old animal trail and its very steep. You better be sure you have a lot of time if you do a loop from Lupine down and back up to Dawson. I've gone down Pine Ridge and there is a lot of buckthorn to contend with. You then hook up with the old trail/ old fire road heading south to the camp.
We will be searching for a few of the old mines as well.
I'll post a report next week on what we find.
We may even go to the Stanley Miller Mines. I havn't been there in 30 years. The old trail is there in places but its high on the east bench of the canyon.

I've been to the Stanley-Miller exactly once (1986? '87?). The person I went with won't hike with me any more.

It's an interesting and well preserved (by virtue of how hard it is to get to and find) place. Good luck and we look forward to a TR.

EManBevHills · Post by **EManBevHills** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:30 pm

Anyone know if the road is still open?
Thanks in advance!

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:36 pm

I read today on the Wrightwood forum that it is still open.

EManBevHills · Post by **EManBevHills** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:35 pm

The Park service rep I got at Baldy never heard of Guffy!
Aaaarrrghhh.

And we pay for this incompetence....

Jimbo, is the road to the trailhead still open to your knowledge?

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:49 pm

I'm not sure. I'll ask around.

You might want to contact the Grassy Hollow Visitor's Center. I think Guffy may be out of Baldy's district which might explain why the person hadn't heard of it.

HJ

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:07 am

I asked around. The gate at Angeles Crest Hwy is open. As I recall, there's another gate further down the road. I think the second gate is past Guffy, but I could be wrong there. You still might want to check with the visitor's center (see link in prior post). They could close the gate at any time since it is November although since there are no storms forecast, they may keep it open a bit longer. If we get some good snow, they will close the gate.

HJ

EManBevHills · Post by **EManBevHills** » Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:56 pm

Many thanks, Jim.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 2:06 pm

Blue Ridge Road is currently closed.

EManBevHills · Post by **EManBevHills** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 7:21 pm

Muchos Gracias, Jim.

Looks like I squandered another opportunity....

kgw · Post by **kgw** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:38 pm

We know the road is open to the drop to Prairie Fork, but is it open past there to just under Wright Mtn? The folks that are going to the Sierras in August want to do a conditioning hike up the northern Devils' Backbone: up Pine Mtn., Dawson Peak, to Baldy.

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 4:56 am

I wuz out there on 6/26/09

Matt

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:44 am

The road is open all the way to the North Devils back bone trail-head where it intersects the PCT at Wright Mountain. The road is pretty decent, however, there is a small grade just before the turn out where you park, that requires you get a running start to make it or you lose traction. A small dip about mid-way up the grade makes it a little tricky. At least that was my experience in my pick-up (light rear-end probably a contributing factor) Higher clearance vehicle would be preferable, but you can probably make it in a sedan if your careful. Actually frontwheel drives do pretty good.
Hopefuly that helps. 8)

kgw · Post by **kgw** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:58 am

Thanks for the first-person info, guys: much appreciated!

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:33 pm

safely?

I have a hike in mind but perhaps do not want to make it too hard starting from Acorn Rd, but don't want to deal with Blue Ridge if it's a major pain.

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:34 pm

Zé wrote:safely?

I have a hike in mind but perhaps do not want to make it too hard starting from Acorn Rd, but don't want to deal with Blue Ridge if it's a major pain.

No worries

Carefully driven the last mile or so in a few spots is fine

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:43 pm

My Honda Accord did just fine with 3 guys + equipment. Just keep your eyes open and take it slow where needed.