(If Messrs Christiansen or Robinson are reading this trip report: Seriously consider removing this trip from the book...)
We parked 2.5 miles north of the rapidly-filling diaper alley section of Hwy 39. Our trip started at 7:30. Pass this gate to get onto the road leading into the first tract of Curve Fire-destroyed cabins.
We easily crossed the North Fork of the San Gabriel River and then found the old bridge from the east side.
The river has switched course since the Curve Fire and left the old concrete bridge high and dry. The description on the Angeles book is NOTHING like what is currently in the field. The old wooden bridge to cross Bichota Creek was nowhere to be found. In fact, the trail is nowhere to be found. Mother Nature has done her best to make Bichota impenetrable. The poison oak, wildrose, and blackberry vines were formidable. Even Bichota Creek was overgrown.
We eventually opted to primarily walk the stream for the next 1.75 miles.
This is the only section of old trail that we could find:
Route-finding was slow and tedious. It took us ~ 2 hours to travel 2 miles! After a quick break for snacks we headed back to hwy 39. We just happened to look up the canyon where Ma bear was keeping a close eye on us while her two cubs romped around her (I will get a link up to a larger picture):
We returned to our car with the strong smell of smoke from a fire in Burro Cyn (on the south side of the ridge.) The spotter planes and their tankers were making low passes over us. That was cool. Overall, the trip was quite a fun adventure. This trail is NOT for the meek. Bichota Canyon has definitely reverted to its wild state.
