20100217 "Chimneyville"

TRs for the San Gabriel Mountains.
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

Went out and scouted out an area I haven't been to in a year or so. Similar activity to that thing my buddies and I did in Stockton Flats a while ago. Perhaps some of y'all could educate me on the history of it. There were over a dozen or so structures there (homes), but they were likely destroyed in the Curve Fire.

First, some pics.

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Lots of trash along West Fork near the road.

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Burro Peak

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Someone tried hiking straight up Burro Peak's west face (muddy and 45 degrees) recently, I guess.

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View from on Burro Peak

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Moving along the side of Burro, trying to reach the firebreak for an easy way up. I gave up on this to go check out other things. Still haven't been up Burro Peak.

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That crag on the southeast side of Burro. Looks solid from far away, but it's messed up. Not steep enough to be fun to climb anyway.

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Yay, more trash.

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Easy trail out

Now, on to Chimneyville.

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This is the first structure, across the river and southeast of Lower Chimneyville. Nice little pool. Looks like a cool place to stay. Could not find remains of a road heading to it. You can see there was some sort of walkway in the last picture, leading up to what's left of that staircase.

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Moving in the river

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Lotsa silt. There's typical sand in the riverbed, then you'll hit a big bank of silt and sink an additional foot or so into it, while it tries to suck the shoe off your foot. Note bubbles in of 2nd picture, coming out of the layers of silt and leaves in the riverbed.

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Northern entrance of Lower Chimneyville

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Looking at Burro

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Largest structure

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Trash left by people playing with cheap airsoft guns

Moving to Upper Chimneyville...

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Recent 12ga #7-8 shells

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TRACKERS! Cougarmagic, can you ID that track next to my hand?

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Vehicle road to Upper Chimneyville

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View north

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Southern entrance to Upper Chimneyville, more overgrown than ever.

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North of Upper Chimneyville

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"Battleship Point", tip of "Battleship Mesa", steep on 2 sides, easy access available through a single small gully. Got lost on it one night. Only 1 good way down.

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Trail to 3 structures on the north side of Bichota branch of West Fork

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Trail heading north

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North Entrance to Upper Chimneyville

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Upper Chimneyville

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On the north side of the creek

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Looking at a few structures on the other side

Headed back home to get back to the car before anyone could vandalize it at night.

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The main drag in Lower Chimneyville.

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More trash along West Fork.

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Someone left a beer on my car. I'm just glad nobody broke out the windows like one of the other times I parked near here.

So, anyone know anything about this little village along the river? It's at the mouth of Bichota Canyon, where it hits West Fork.
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Ze Hiker
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Post by Ze Hiker »

looks like you found a new home!

very cool area, i gotta check it out
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

Ze, I figured you'd be interested in going up Burro Peak. It's not a long hike, but it looks somewhat challenging, in that there's plenty of crappy brush, and it's not visited often. Wanna go one of these days? Could probably combine it with Burrito Peak or some other shit.
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mve
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Post by mve »

Some of the ruin pictures remind me of Pompeii (minus the trash) ... although there is plenty of trash in Naples:

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Taco
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Post by Taco »

Wow, not the most attractive historical city, huh?
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mve
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Post by mve »

Naples was a shit-hole when I was there in 2004.

Pompeii OTOH was well taken care of and is worth visiting -- puts things in perspective ... so does Rome. I love Italy.
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cougarmagic
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Post by cougarmagic »

Cougarmagic, can you ID that track next to my hand?
Are you messin' with me? I don't see anything! No wait... it was a three-legged albino deer....with a tick on its left ear....

Cool pics though! Man it's nice to see all that water. Trash sucks.
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

cougarmagic wrote:
Cougarmagic, can you ID that track next to my hand?
Are you messin' with me? I don't see anything! No wait... it was a three-legged albino deer....with a tick on its left ear....

Cool pics though! Man it's nice to see all that water. Trash sucks.
Yeah, there is a set of tracks heading in the opposite direction I am travelling in in that pic without my hand. There is one track above my hand in the pic with my hand. It's about 6-8 inches long, 4 inches wide or so. Looks like an incredibly small human foot with a wide shoe or something.
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cougarmagic
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Post by cougarmagic »

OK - I see it now. Most likely a bear then!
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Ze Hiker
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Post by Ze Hiker »

TacoDelRio wrote:Ze, I figured you'd be interested in going up Burro Peak. It's not a long hike, but it looks somewhat challenging, in that there's plenty of crappy brush, and it's not visited often. Wanna go one of these days? Could probably combine it with Burrito Peak or some other shit.
fo sho
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mattmaxon
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Post by mattmaxon »

Someone left a beer on my car. I'm just glad nobody broke out the windows like one of the other times I parked near here.
If what it's worth I've been leaving these notes in the window of my truck.

The Spanish is probably not very good as I just ran it through an online translator

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Taco
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Post by Taco »

Good idea.

I should make one that says "Oh shit, who's that big guy behind you with the gun?!?!"
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mattmaxon
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Post by mattmaxon »

TacoDelRio wrote:Good idea.

I should make one that says "Oh shit, who's that big guy behind you with the gun?!?!"
Kinda like those "trespassers will be shot...survivors will be shot again"

"Nothing in this vehicle is worth your life" :shock:
or
"Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk? "

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mve
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Post by mve »

Leave a note on the driver's window that reads:

"Hey Steve, I'll be back in a minute - I'm siting in the scope. Look toward the east and smile"

Oh and then there's always the Trunk Monkey:
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Taco
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Post by Taco »

:lol:
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mattmaxon
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Post by mattmaxon »

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Taco
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Post by Taco »

Looks like that didn't make it.
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