Gabrielino Trail: Red Box to Chantry Overnight

JDB22 · Post by **JDB22** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:01 am

More photos & a better description are here of our weekend getaway:
http://jdboggs.blogspot.com/2013/03/thr ... trail.html

As for the forum info, this route seemed to have some posts from previous years that described it as tricky to follow in the lower portions of the West Fork, between Devore & West Fork Camp. This did not seem to be the case on our trip. The trail was easy to spot each time we crossed the creek & someone has flagged most of the crossings with orange tape as well. Maybe traveling a different direction would make it more challenging, but I doubt it.

Lots of water, very minimal bugs, quite a few birds & very few people in the West Fork & lots in Santa Anita Canyon of course.

yobtaf · Post by **yobtaf** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 2:10 pm

Very nice! Checked out a bit of your blog, put it in the bookmarks.

JDB22 · Post by **JDB22** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:31 am

Thanks for the kind words & checking out the other writings. Myself & a few friends make it out on a fairly regular basis for a night or two.

palmeredhackle · Post by **palmeredhackle** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:59 am

Very cool, I solo'd the gabrielino from switzer to chantry roughly one year ago. When I did it, there were some sections between red box and west fork that were hard to follow. Flags were there, but the path through the poodle dog bush sometimes disappeared. How was the poodle dog bush now? Is it in some kind of dormant stage or anything?

I really hope one day that the section above Paul Little gets fixed or rerouted, I'd love to actually do the entire thing.

mangus7175 · Post by **mangus7175** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:16 am

Nice! Are you Boggs12345 on YT?

palmeredhackle · Post by **palmeredhackle** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:51 am

Nope! Don't have a youtube account. Only other hiking related forum that I belong to is HST, the rest are all fly fishing. I've been so busy lately that I haven't been posting or getting out much at all. I live in close proximity to Chantry and can essentially walk home from there, making the gabrielino and other nearby trails my favorite locals.

mangus7175 · Post by **mangus7175** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:57 am

palmeredhackle wrote: ↑Nope! Don't have a youtube account. Only other hiking related forum that I belong to is HST, the rest are all fly fishing. I've been so busy lately that I haven't been posting or getting out much at all. I live in close proximity to Chantry and can essentially walk home from there, making the gabrielino and other nearby trails my favorite locals.

Sorry, I was asking JDB22. I should've qouted a post from him to avoid the confusion

Although, I wish I lived close to a trail where camping was allowed. Closest trail (within 5 minutes) to me is Stough Canyon and the Verdugos.

palmeredhackle · Post by **palmeredhackle** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:01 am

mangus7175 wrote: ↑
palmeredhackle wrote: ↑Nope! Don't have a youtube account. Only other hiking related forum that I belong to is HST, the rest are all fly fishing. I've been so busy lately that I haven't been posting or getting out much at all. I live in close proximity to Chantry and can essentially walk home from there, making the gabrielino and other nearby trails my favorite locals.
Sorry, I was asking JDB22. I should've qouted a post from him to avoid the confusion

Although, I wish I lived close to a trail where camping was allowed. Closest trail (within 5 minutes) to me is Stough Canyon and the Verdugos.

No problem,but now I feel like that awkward guy who waves hi back to someone who was actually waving hi to someone else.

haha

JDB22 · Post by **JDB22** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:17 pm

There was some serious sections of poodledog brush after Valley Forge and before West Fork Camp. However, none of it invaded the trail more than a bit every now and then. It grew some 10 to 30 feet deep at times on the sides of the trail though.

Big wave to mangus7175 & palmeredhackle. That is my YT account with some other trips on their as well mangus. Good eye.

palmeredhackle · Post by **palmeredhackle** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 11:39 am

Thanks I appreciate the update on trail condition, I'm thinking of doing the gabrielino again in probably three weeks. Didn't want to deal with the amount of poodle dog I had the prior year. Might redo the route I did before, switzer to chantry. I really want to do the silver moccassin from vincent to chantry, but I'm not sure if it will be a clear enough in three weeks.

Dragon · Post by **Dragon** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:34 pm

There is a closure due to an endangered frog on the PCT between Mount Williamson and Cooper Canyon trail camp. I believe the closure is for ~ 3 miles or so; there is a bypass, but it'll take you clear out to Devils Punchbowl and then back to the PCT. Due to the long nature of the detour (~15 miles or so) most of the thru hikers that I have met on PCT have decided on walking ACH during that section instead of taking the "official" detour.

Just wanted to give you a heads up about this closure since it would be in the way for your trip from Vincent Gap to Chantry Flats.

palmeredhackle · Post by **palmeredhackle** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:37 pm

oh the YMG closure for williamson rock is still there? That does kind of put a damper on that trek. I'll relook at the maps and everything, but perhaps I'll just do the gabrielino again.

Post by **Uncle Rico** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 4:38 pm

Nice TR JDB. The photography on your blog is really well done.

JDB22 · Post by **JDB22** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 11:51 pm

Uncle Rico wrote: ↑Nice TR JDB. The photography on your blog is really well done.

Thanks for the kind words UncleRico. Little extra weight in the pack for camera gear is a welcome burden... sometimes. haha

@palmeredhackle, you wont have any issues with Poodledog in the sections we hiked. The section from Red Box to Switzer I can not speak for, except I would really only wish to walk that section on a weekday to avoid the endless road noise I would imagine that area gets on a Saturday/Sunday. Silver Moccasin Trail would be an enjoyable hike as well, lots of fun changes in terrain on that route.

It seemed many PCTers were doing the road walk as opposed to taking that long route detour to avoid the Frog Closure.