It's finally legal to nuke 'em

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Sat May 21, 2011 6:50 pm

Newcomb Pass is not so terribly special, but I was unhappy that it had been closed since the Station Fire in 2009 because, among other things, it offers some nice extra distance on Mt. Wilson hikes from Chantry Flat. It finally opened this week, so I gave it a try. The trail is in surprisingly good shape, although it would benefit from a bit of work here and there. I saw no signs of fire damage anywhere, so I am not sure why it was closed at all.

Chantry Flat is a zoo on weekends. I got there around 10 AM and had to park 0.85 miles down the hill. But things thinned out once I got into the back woods, except for a huge group camp at Spruce Grove. I came down the Upper Winter Creek Trail and even it was not seeing much use today. All in all, it was a great hike, with temperatures in the mid 60s to 70s.

Pictures

shreddy · Post by **shreddy** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:58 pm

Thanks for the post. I was wondering about that section. Does that section take off just outta Sturde?

ANother question if you will -- Can you catch the Rim Trail from Newcs Pass?

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Sat May 21, 2011 9:51 pm

shreddy wrote: ↑Thanks for the post. I was wondering about that section. Does that section take off just outta Sturde?

Yes. It's a well-marked intersection on the right as you head up.

shreddy wrote: ↑Can you catch the Rim Trail from Newcs Pass?

Yes, that's what I did, except that I wandered up under the interferometer tubes at the observatory rather than taking the Rim Trail to its bitter end.