Stoddard, Frankish, Spring Hill

[tekewin]

I hiked Stoddard, Frankish, and Spring Hill for my first trip to the San Gabriel Mountains in a couple of months. The trail starts on Barrett-Stoddard dirt road, heading east past some houses and cabins, then south the rest of the way. About a mile up the road, I was startled by a mule deer buck that came bounding around a corner. He was there for less than a second before darting down into the canyon and out of view.


Alice in Wonderland house?


Stoddard summit


Baldy from Stoddard Peak

Since I started early, most of the road was in the shadow of Ontario Ridge, making it cold. In a few more miles, the road became overgrown and shrunk to a single track. It also lost elevation continuously from Stoddard Flat to the base of Frankish. There was a cairn marking the use trail up Frankish. The use trail eventually merges with another dirt road that winds around Frankish. That road leads to the top, but I took a steep firebreak that was more direct.


Broken gate buried in dirt on the way to Frankish


Ontario and Cucamonga from Frankish. The pano doesn't capture how dominant Ontario is from this vantage point. It looked gigantic.


Hazy view of the Inland Empire from Frankish

I found a use trail heading out to Spring Hill on the way back. I was surprised to find a metal pole with what looked like a tin foil flag, and an unusual LA County benchmark. After looking at it, it apparently marks the boundary between LA County and San Bernardino County. It was a lucky Friday the 13th after all. The peak of Spring Hill was still almost 0.2 miles away and I was energized about finding something. The use trail faded and I followed animal trails until those faded, and the last 200 feet was just nasty bushwhacking. I was disappointed to get to the small summit clearing and find a steaming cup of jack squat.


Burned tree, start of use trail with Spring Hill in background


Pole and benchmark on the way to Spring Hill


Boundary benchmark between LA and San Bernardino Counties


Disappointing Spring Hill summit

Full report:
http://ironhiker.blogspot.com/2013/12/s ... -hill.html

I made a custom Google Map of all my hikes linked to trip reports:
http://ironhiker.blogspot.com/p/map-of-all-hikes.html

[hvydrt]

Good job. I have had my eye on Spring Hill. I wanted to check it out when I hike the other 2, which i have been procrastinating on.

[Sean]

Cool TR. I did this hike in Jan. 2012. Was there still a bicycle course near the Cucamonga TT junction?

[tekewin]

I didn't notice a bike course, but the junction was quite a bit more overgrown.

This might be the same trail split as your second picture. I went left to head up Frankish.



In the shade on the north side of Frankish was a slight dusting of snow...


I only took one picture of Ontario, which stunk because of the light. One of the down sides of relying on the camera in your phone.

[tekewin]

Good job. I have had my eye on Spring Hill. I wanted to check it out when I hike the other 2, which i have been procrastinating on.

hvydrt,

Spring Hill was a nice side trip. At the northern most edge, there appears to be an overlook I wish I had visited.

[tekewin]

Good job. I have had my eye on Spring Hill. I wanted to check it out when I hike the other 2, which i have been procrastinating on.

hvydrt,

Spring Hill was a nice side trip. At the northern most edge, there appears to be an overlook I wish I had visited.

[Uncle Rico]

Nice one teke. Man Ontario is impressive from that vantage point.

[tekewin]

It was the best view of the day and I f'ed up the photo.

[Pat]

Nice hike!

A few years back, the miners trail was still passable on Spring. Truck and some other stuff laying around, from the old tree plantation I assume.

The truck trail is a joke. Nothing like the 80s when we used to drive up and park and then head off to camp/hike all along its length.