The Josephine Express

TRs for the San Gabriel Mountains.
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dima
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Post by dima »

I've never been to Josephine Peak before, and today was the day. The aerials suggested there was a use trail following a ridge from the South, so I went to Clear Creek to check it out.

From just short of Clear Creek the peak looks like this:

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Turns out I climbed the ridge on the right, not the steep-looking faces visible from this angle. I picked up the ridge off Angeles Forest Highway, just past Clear Creek, the Josephine fire road junction, and the gully immediately past it. It's steep, but there's a clear use path. Long sleeves and pants recommended, but this is hardly a bushwhack. On top of the first climby section (~4100ft):

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On top of the second climby section (~4700ft):

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And the view back:

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Soon the terrain becomes more interesting:

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I did some class-3 stuff. Probably could have found an easier line, but why??? Then I got here:

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The route climbs the bump on the right. Above that, everything interesting is past...

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... and after a final push I was on top:

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Made it up in 1:21. Looking back on the whole ridge:

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The views from top are expansive, but it's a really weird angle, and I had a hard time identifying peaks. Figured it out eventually, but yall try! View to the West:

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Right to left, some freebies: Strawberry, Baldy, Dawson, Pine. Then... something, something else a lot further out, and something else closer. First to get these right gets... a pat on the back.
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HikeUp
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Post by HikeUp »

I took a stab at it then went to peakfinder - I did ok.

*spoiler link*
https://www.peakfinder.org/?lat=34.2856 ... ine%20peak
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tekewin
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Post by tekewin »

That is a way more interesting route than the road. Doesn't look too bushwhacky.
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headsizeburrito
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Post by headsizeburrito »

Nice report! I always wanted to do this from that side before I moved because it looked exciting from PCH. Sounds like it was a little more straightforward than it looks, but glad you got a little class 3 in along the way!

Do you think it would be worth going back and trying some of the other ridges or rocky sections to find a more exciting route, or did they all look pretty similar once you were up there?
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dima
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Post by dima »

He lives! Truth be told, when I started I was looking at climbing the sheer faces in the first photo, but stuff happened and I ended up staying on the ridge. Those sheer faces are as exciting-looking from the ridge as they are from the bottom, and I'll check them out eventually. The caltopo "shared maps" layer suggests that people have rappeled down those. It may or may not be doable climbing up since the rock quality isn't the best.
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HikeUp
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Post by HikeUp »

The western ridge has been contemplated and done in the past.
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Girl Hiker
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Post by Girl Hiker »

Josephine Peak is always a cool peak to summit. There are a couple of ways to get there but you did the most interesting one. I will have to try that route someday. BTW nice pics.
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