Part way up the West Fork of Bear Creek

[carl swindle]

Despite the rain yesterday, I decided try going up Bear Creek Trail from the West Fork of the San Gabriel River earlier today. Just so you're aware, the water was quite high and I did sort of get swept off my feet once or twice, so I wouldn't recommend doing this for maybe a couple of weeks depending on the water level. That being said, I did stumble upon a pretty big waterfall upstream from a tributary flowing into bear creek just past the lower campground but before the cabin ruins. There were plenty of smaller waterfalls (some up tributaries) that don't usually have water and the two-tier one that flows year round had a lot of water, but I'd say that this large one was a pleasant discovery along the main fork.

This is the waterfall I'm talking about.

Here is the cabin on the main fork.

Here is a picture of Bear Creek with the mountains behind.

I went up the west fork of Bear Creek for about half a mile to a mile (I'm not quite sure). There was a lot of water flowing as last time I saw the west fork in January, the flow was quite low. I saw a small waterfall flowing were I was considering turning around, but I decided to head up stream just a little further where I found a tributary which hosted a larger waterfall with a pool at the base.

Here's the waterfall.

At this point, I decided to turn around and head back. I do plan on going up further in the spring or early summer when the water level is a little lower to save time on the Bear Creek trail, which has many creek crossings.

While heading back, I noticed more ruins of another cabin near where the west fork of Bear Creek meets the main fork. This cabin was not as complete as the better known one (consisting of only a wall).

Here is a picture.

It was a nice trip but I don't plan on going back to go further up for at least a month or so. It was nice to get back to the San Gabriel Mountains as I have been primarily exploring some the hot springs in the Los Padres forest these past 2-3 weeks.

[dima]

Pretty! How far are you planning on going when you come back? Any particular goal? I've been up to where the main channel of West Fork Bear creek turns N, but I think AW has gone much further up. It's wild back there.

[carl swindle]

Pretty! How far are you planning on going when you come back? Any particular goal? I've been up to where the main channel of West Fork Bear creek turns N, but I think AW has gone much further up. It's wild back there.

I plan on going back as far as is reasonable up the creek (ideally to a large waterfalls or some narrows). If the river just seems to keep going up without a waterfall, I'll probably just turn around if the tributary becomes super steep. Next time I plan on starting earlier and going when there's a little less water in maybe a month or two depending on the rain.

In January, I turned around along the main fork of Bear Creek at a pool in the narrows that I probably could have climbed over, but I it would have been a little risky without protection for my phone and car keys when I went. I'll probably go up a little further that way some time, but I want to check out the west fork of Bear Creek more first as I was planning on going farther back. The waterfall I found where I turned around was pretty satisfying, but I can imagine that there are some even more magical spots up stream that I'd love to discover for myself.

[dima]

Cool. Looking forward to more trip reports from that area! I've seen much of the West Fork bear creek, but I've never been up the main branch of Bear Creek above where the trail comes in, and clearly I need to get out there.

[AW~]

Im not a fan of WF Bear....the first time I went there, it was Halloweenish look...and it was after I had been rescued.So it was another 'failure' that I got out of. But alas that area set my direction toward navigation for sure....it does have that wild look, but that drew me in for a spell...so confounding.
In fact, I was avoiding it to the point of doing major bypasses...escape from WF Bear.
I had a term, wilderness creeking, with places like that...a despicable place...war.
I finally put it to rest...returning to WF Bear way later. Only on returning home did I finally harmonize all the way.

[carl swindle]

Cool. Looking forward to more trip reports from that area! I've seen much of the West Fork bear creek, but I've never been up the main branch of Bear Creek above where the trail comes in, and clearly I need to get out there.

The narrows on the main fork are nice and it's not too far up past where the trail connects from above (although I've never come down from above). I'd like to go back up that way in a year when there's a little less rain but the creek's still flowing.

[carl swindle]

Im not a fan of WF Bear....the first time I went there, it was Halloweenish look...and it was after I had been rescued.So it was another 'failure' that I got out of. But alas that area set my direction toward navigation for sure....it does have that wild look, but that drew me in for a spell...so confounding.
In fact, I was avoiding it to the point of doing major bypasses...escape from WF Bear.
I had a term, wilderness creeking, with places like that...a despicable place...war.
I finally put it to rest...returning to WF Bear way later. Only on returning home did I finally harmonize all the way.

Glad you were able to do it! I didn't go up too far (probably ~0.5-1 mile up) but plan on going further up soon. I understand what you're saying about the wild look. It's certainly different from the main fork. The waterfall I stumbled upon was quite nice though. I'd love to go up and search for more waterfalls up tributaries or the creek itself so I'm hoping there's more of those up stream. How far back were you able to make it (~how many miles up - if you know)?

[AW~]

Glad you were able to do it! I didn't go up too far (probably ~0.5-1 mile up) but plan on going further up soon. I understand what you're saying about the wild look. It's certainly different from the main fork. The waterfall I stumbled upon was quite nice though. I'd love to go up and search for more waterfalls up tributaries or the creek itself so I'm hoping there's more of those up stream. How far back were you able to make it (~how many miles up - if you know)?

For a daytrip, time is too short to go very far....triplet creek that you went to is it....you can go a little bit ways up the tributary for some non-descript drops before you are stopped from further progress.