Nothing gets me more exited to hike in the San Gabriel's than John Robinson's
Trails of the Angeles. And nowhere does Robinson wax more poetic than his descriptions of Cooper Canyon and the surrounding Pleasant View Wilderness. "Sparkling streams glide, dance, and tumble over boulders and cascade down miniature waterfalls, shaded by magnificent forests of Jeffrey pines, sugar pines, incense cedars, alders and oaks. Ferns and lush grasses sprout emerald-green along the banks, and in spring and early summer, mountain wildflowers add a dash of color." pg 158. I hiked to Cooper Canyon trail camp about this time last year and I thought it would make a great 2nd backpack trip for my four year old daughter. It is 3 miles each way, relatively flat and has a waterfall at the midway point. Also, Cooper Canyon is a wonderful camp with lots of space, shade and water. As John Robinson describes it, Cooper Canyon is full of lush greenery and wildflowers that I could not show here because of the ten picture limit.
The trailhead is in the back of Buckhorn Campground by Mount Waterman. The parking lot was full but we were able to squeeze into a space by the entrance. Good thing too. You can park outside the campground, in the day use area off Highway 2, but this adds a 1/2 mile each way and a couple hundred feet of climbing. If I was alone that would be manageable, but it would have extended the hike beyond what my daughter can do. Anyway, fortune smiled upon us and we stepped onto the Burkhart Trail and entered the Pleasant View Wilderness (no permit required).
About ten steps later my daughter started complaining that she was tired, her pack was too heavy and it was too hot. Indeed, this would be a tougher trip than
the last. We had the "You better hike or we're going home" talk and continued on our way.
There was much complaining from the little one, but candy and talk of the waterfall ahead kept her going. After 1.5 miles of gentle descent we hit the junction with the PCT and turned right. About a quarter mile later we saw the trail to the waterfall on our left. It is short, steep and rocky. The final ten feet required the use of a rope and I was not sure it was worth the risk. The rope (from below)
Another dad advised me to leave my big pack above and I agreed to this sensible suggestion. With his encouragement and a little help from another stranger I slid down the last section on my butt, holding my daughter in one hand and the rope in the other. It was a little rough, but doable. Cooper Canyon falls is worth a bit of trouble to get to.
We ate our sandwiches before having a splendid frolic in the pool. Quite cold but refreshing in the summer heat. My daughter waded up to her knees. I went to the deepest part and submerged my whole body. There is nothing like completely dunking yourself into a cold mountain stream. It feels like being baptized and reborn, so to speak. After we had our fill, we packed up and ascended the rope. I copied what I saw another dad do with his kid: Set her down on a flat part above me, pull myself up the rope, pick her up and set her down on a higher flat spot. Repeat. We returned to the Burkhart Trail/PCT junction and continued north on the PCT.
A grove of Ponderosa Pines on the way:
The entire hike is half shaded, half exposed. But as we ascended Cooper Canyon there were some rocky, exposed sections and the afternoon heat sapped our strength. I took my daughters pack but the complaining only got worse. She took a fall in some gravel and began to cry. I picked her up and carried her over the steepest sections and kept her going with promises of smore's by the campfire. Finally we arrived.
After setting up camp we got some water from the creek, warmed up dinner and got the fire going by dusk. The creek runs right through the campground and had good flow. There was ample firewood in a dry wash nearby. Then we roasted marshmallows and ate the smore's my daughter had been dreaming of all week. A few ghost stories by the campfire and we got ready for bed. Boy was I pooped! Speaking of poop, there is a pit toilet at the campsite. I have mixed feelings about such accommodations in a wilderness area, but it was sure nice to have in the morning. Cooper Canyon is a heavily used PCT camp during the spring but can have large groups anytime of year. A group of at least ten tents was on the far side but we hardly heard a peep from them, which was nice.
Most wilderness areas in SoCal do not allow campfires. I am accustomed to this, so the sites that do allow fires are a special treat. Only have a fire where the forest service provides the fire rings and check the current fire restrictions. Don't forget your California Fire Permit! You can print it online after watching a two minute fire safety video and passing a ten question test.
Hot cocoa in the morning:
Back to Buckhorn:
There was more whining on the hike back. I had to use every trick in the parent book: bluffing (the mountain lions will hear you whining), bribing (McDonald's on the way home!) and threatening (no McDonald's). I carried her pack after the junction with the Burkhart trail and she actually did really well on the last mile. Happy meal on the way home for my (mostly) happy camper.
