Short & Medium Hikes in the Middle High Country

[Hikin_Jim]

A friend was asking me about some hikes in the "Middle High Country" of the San Gabriel Mountains. I think of the Middle High Country as generally the region from Three Points on the west to about where Angeles Crest Highway hits Blue Ridge Road on the east.

Here's a quick list I compiled:
1. Waterman Mountain via the ski area service road
2. Waterman Mountain via the foot trail. I use the service road as the trailhead no matter which route I take. The public trailhead is wierdly placed. You can combine #'s 1 and 2 for an easy loop. #2 also is a great winter XC ski route for low intermediate or better skiers.
3. Cloudburst Summit - Cooper Canyon - Buckhorn Loop (obviously there are multiple variations on this hike if one does less than the full loop). Downside: Cooper Canyon Falls is almost always busy and crowded on weekends.
4. Cloudburst Summit to either Winston Peak or Winston Ridge
5. Mt. Williamson from west of the tunnels
6. Mt. Williamson from east of the tunnels
7. Mt. Islip or Little Jimmy via
a) The PCT trailhead at Islip Saddle
b) The service road which starts about 1/2 east of Islip Saddle. This is my preferred route for an easy hike since it avoids the hot, exposed stretch at the PCT trailhead. It's also shorter and starts higher.
c) The "informal" trail that goes up the drainage that leads directly to Windy Gap. There's a fairly easy-to-spot use trail here since it's such an obvious and popular route. Steep but a quick way in. You could also use this trail to access seldom visited Lily Spring. The trail to Lily was very hard to find last I was up there. Might be an intersting navigational challenge.
8. Throop Peak from Dawson Saddle
9. Mt. Lewis, also from Dawson Saddle
10. Mt. Baden-Powell from Vincent Gap
11. Vincent's cabin from Vincent Gap. Semi interesting, but no biggie. If you have the time, it's more interesting to go all the way down to Prairie Fork. You used to be able to go to Big Horn Mine, but it's been off limits to the public the last couple of times I've been out there.
12. Various on the PCT. Take a look at a map. There are stretches of the PCT, particularly near the Grassy Hollow Visitor's Center, that are easily accessible where you could take some short hikes. You could easily combine the PCT with the access road to the Jackson Flats Group Camp for an easy loop.

So, there's a dozen short to medium hikes from Three Points to Vincent Gap. For a longer hike, you can start at Three Points, take the trail to Mt. Waterman, cut down through Buckhorn Campground to the PCT, and then take the PCT back west to the Three Points trailhead, which is a great easy (but not short) loop. The loop from the west Mt. Williamson Trail head up Mt. Williamson, then via Pleasant View Ridge to Burkhart Saddle and then via the PCT is a classic, but is not at all a short hike and requires route finding.

HJ

[blueshammer]

Thanks for compiling such a thorough list.

Quick question: how many miles/elevation change is the Three Points -> Waterman -> Buckhorn -> PCT loop you described? Also, is that loop pretty well marked? No route finding involved?

[Hikin_Jim]

Thanks for compiling such a thorough list.

You're welcome. It's all in the memory banks, so I may as well share it. I haven't been to Lily Spring in a millenium or two, so my own list is prompting me to get out there. My list of peaks over 8000' also prompted me when I realized I had never climbed Mt. Lewis (an easy and nice peak which can be done with Throop from Dawson Saddle to make the trip worthwhile).

Quick question: how many miles/elevation change is the Three Points -> Waterman -> Buckhorn -> PCT loop you described? Also, is that loop pretty well marked? No route finding involved?

Not sure of the mileage; I'd have to look it up.

As for the route, it's all on trail except for a short section on road where you cut through Buckhorn Campground. Here's a map of the route.

A = The little parking lot on the side road that comes into Angeles Crest Highway at Three Points. The side road is sometimes called the Santa Clara Divide Road, the Sulphur Springs Road, and the Horse Flats Road. Take your pick as to the name.
B = The PCT/Mt. Waterman Trail junction. Keep right here.
C = Random point en route
D = Random point en route
E = Junction with the trail to Twin Peaks
F = Junction with side trail to Waterman Mountain's summit
G = small saddle where trail starts dropping down to Angeles Crest Hwy
H = Approximate spot where trail hits Angeles Crest Hwy (ACH). Important note: You'll cross over a service road as you approach ACH. Take the service road to the highway. The trail leads you out of your way further up ACH.
I = Entrance to Buckhorn Campground. When you hit ACH, turn right and go south on ACH for a hundred meters or so, and then turn left onto the road into Buckhorn. Follow the road through the camp. You'll see signs directing you to the Burkhart Trail. Follow the signs.
J = The small road within the camping area you turn down to get to the Burkhart Trail.
K = Trailhead for the Burkhart Trail
L = Junction (marked) with the PCT. Turn left here
M = Junction with the service road that services Cooper Canyon Trail Camp. The service road is actually a better route if you're in a hurry, but the PCT is more interesting and scenic.
N = Cloudburst Summit on ACH
O = Random point en route
P = Random point en route
Q = Random point en route
From "Q", you'll come back to the junction you came to at the beginning of the trip. From the junction, retrace your steps to your car.

I'm a very slow hiker, and I did it in a day. I believe that anyone in halfway decent condition can do it provided that they get an early start. If one were running late, one could cut from point "H" to point "N" to shave off some miles.

There are a number of interesting side trips including:
Twin Peaks
Waterman Mountain
Various falls off the Burkhart Trail
Cooper Canyon Falls
Littlerock Creek
Winston Ridge
Winston Peak

And, if you're completely psycho, you could do a side trip to Triplet Rocks.

Hope that helps,

HJ

[blueshammer]

Awesome! Thanks so much!

[Hikin_Jim]

Glad it's of interest. Lotsa cool hikes out there.

HJ