First Time on Brown Mountain

[Sean]

Brown Mountain has been on my to-do list for nearly two years. It's not particularly easy to reach, especially if, like me, you insist on starting from Altadena (1800') rather than near Mt. Wilson at Eaton Saddle (5100'). My first attempt was July 2011. I had already bagged San Gabriel Peak from Altadena, and I thought, what the heck, let's try Brown Mountain on the return. Well, it was a hot summer day and I ran out of water at Tom Sloane Saddle, about one mile away from Brown Mtn. Forced to abandoned my hope of reaching Brown, I descended to the stream in Millard Canyon, unknowingly bushwhacking through poisonous poodle dog plants along the way.

My second attempt on Brown occurred the following February. I decided I'd try a different approach, starting from N. Arroyo Blvd. near JPL and making my way up the Brown Mt. fire road. I had the idea of scaling Brown's western ridge. But after seven demoralizing miles hiking through the Station Fire burn area on that road, I took one look at the intensely steep ridge and turned myself around. I had made the mistake of beginning too late in the day, and I was not about to challenge that beast in the dark.

Fortunately, the third time was the charm. Yesterday I successfully traversed Brown Mountain. I started in Altadena around 7:45 AM and took some of the historic trails up to Echo Mountain, running into my trail boss, Paul Ayers, on the A&A Trail. From Echo I reached the ramada at Inspiration Point via Castle Canyon, but didn't stay long. I wanted to fill up my filter bottle from the leaky water tank at Crystal Springs/Mt. Lowe campground. I then took the Mt. Lowe Road up to the Tom Sloane Saddle Trail. About an inch of snow still remained in some of the shadier sections, but it was easy to walk on. Soon I had dropped down the 800 feet to Tom Sloane Saddle and it was time for the last mile or so of climbing along the long, meandering, sometimes rocky east ridge to Brown Mountain, which I reached around 12:15 PM. Looking at the summit register, I was only the second person to visit during the month of February, and one of only a couple dozen in two years. After wolfing down leftover fettuccine and chocolate-flavored coconut water, it was time to go. Descending the steep west ridge to Brown Mt. Road wasn't easy, and I managed to lose my sunglasses somewhere up there. However, once on the fire road, the return was mostly hassle-free, and I was treated to blooming yellow wildflowers. I scored stream water at Fern, El Prieto, and Millard canyons. Hopefully my filter bottle worked and I won't get sick. From Millard I climbed up the Sunset Ridge Trail, over to Echo Mtn, and back down to my car at the Rubio Canyon trailhead, completing the 20-mile loop in 10.5 hours.

Approaching Inspiration Point


Tom Sloane Saddle Trail


Brown Mountain Trail


More Brown Mountain Trail


Final approach ...


At the summit


Heading down Brown Mountain's steep west ridge


Poppies on the Brown Mountain Road

[JDB22]

Stoked to hear that the 3rd time was a charm. You almost hit the nail on the head about how I feel about hiking that summit, it's on the list, but hasn't been tackled b/c of all the odd ways about getting there. The photos of the Trail after Tom Sloane Saddle are great though, good inspiration to make it happen.

[BrownMtnBob]

Nice TR! congrats on getting up to the top of Brown.

What's funny is that I thought I was the only person who knew about the secret water-tank near the old Alpine Tavern! guess not so secret.

Question- do you think that water (leaking from the tank) is for sure good? I know it's coming from a spring, but I always wondered what could be brewing inside the tank? Probably nothing. Camping up there this week and will use that water. Wondering if i should boil?

[Sean]

What's funny is that I thought I was the only person who knew about the secret water-tank near the old Alpine Tavern! guess not so secret ... do you think that water (leaking from the tank) is for sure good?

Yeah, not so secret. But I'll bet the average visitor has no clue there is a good water source at the campground. Nobody told me about it. I discovered it due to my overly curious nature while following the pipe from the Tavern ruins. That's also how I found the spring box. Sometimes the overflow pipe at the spring is flowing. It was yesterday. I'd check that before using the tank.

Clearly the tank is a sketchy situation, and I can't say it's "for sure good." There is a large hole in the top of it. I therefore assume the worst: that dead animals and bones and shit are in there. However, I also assume the constant water flow from the intake pipe thoroughly cleans it all. So unless you're unlucky enough to drink immediately after something bad happened in there, you're probably safe. I have consumed liters of the water unfiltered without a problem. Still I recommend filtering or boiling to be on the safe side.

Also, I'm not sure if you realize that water seeps back into the canyon bottom directly below the campsite. The only problem there, though, is you are below the restrooms.

[BrownMtnBob]

thanks! yea, I never take water below outhouses....never never. I guess I"ll see what's happening, and if I must, I'll just head up to the source of the spring itself. What do you mean by "spring box"?

[Sean]

What do you mean by "spring box"?

Crystal Spring is locked behind a small door. A spring box was constructed to collect the water and protect it from contamination. In the photo below you can see the spring box door. Below it are the outflow pipe (to the tank) and the overflow pipe (trickling water into the gully). The overflow pipe is not always active due to the hole-filled tank never reaching capacity. I assume there is only overflow when the spring's strength overwhelms the outflow pipe's capacity. And that probably only happens in winter and spring months.

Crystal Spring - Alpine Tavern site