East Fork to Fish Fork

[Zach]

I am PO-free! IvyBlock + Prednisone= WIN

[Ze Hiker]

damn kids juicing up...

got a little bit on my lower back and upper thigh, didn't feel it until day (no sign of PO the day after is a very good thing). not surprising considering my failed brush acrobatics dropped me on top of some. but very mild and totally acceptable!

[lilbitmo]

By the way - who emerged unscathed by poison oak? I think we had a good scientific experiment going, since we had some people with Ivy Block, some with Tecnu, some with nothing (and shorts...), and one extremely lucky individual who is immune.

I had Ivy Block and long sleeves/long pants, and still got a little on one leg (just the tiniest spot - would think it was a mosquito bite, but I know better)

I am the PO magnet, I had a rash before I got halfway to the waterfalls on my left upper forearm above the elbow, even though I put on Technu all over my arms and legs - when I returned to Fish Fork Creek Trail Camp I pulled out "calamine lotion" and put a ton of it on that spot. Once home Saturday night I covered my entire legs front and back with it, then by Sunday night it was all gone, I backed that up with "Prednisone" as suggested by Zach and low and behold I have no visible signs - I know that I walked through four or five spots of it in the dark so I made contact with it - Taco pointed that out to me at least twice after I had walked up against it. So I may have gotten away with it this time.

[davantalus]

Report MXVIII:

My three buddies and I have been pushing down the trail from below Vincent Gap since 11am, saw the glider wreck, Mine Fork camp, the grave at mine fork, the hut (with porn). We're all pretty much looking forward to relaxing at Fish Fork campground... we finally roll in, and find this cryptic note that Zé left. No clue whether someone will be back to the site or what, note makes no sense. We find Ryan's stuff up by "the tree". Pita bread looks fresh. Guess somebody will be back.

Either way we started fixing up to spend the night and Patrick rolls in. He tells me I missed Zé and CougarMagic by MINUTES! Now you have to understand, back when I was trying to do Allison mine (unbeknownst to me, the hard way) I emailed Ze for some advice and he totally hooked up the info... so you see, I've been looking forward to running into Ze for like two years now.

We chatted with Patrick while he waited for Ryan and Zack. Finally they made their way back down from Fish, chatted with us for a few minutes, and set off towards the bridge. Later I would be drunkenly sticking Eispiraten stickers to our Nalgene's and my buddies would be yelling EIS-PIRATE-TEN to each other in lew of trail banter.

Did you see that old guy coming up the river on your way out? He had two trekking poles with ice picks on the ends? And a helmet over his hat? Yeah... he caught us in our skivvies washing in the river.

It was like 6pm and he said he was heading for Vincent. Crazy old dude.

Either way, we hiked out the next afternoon and I found someone had smashed the drivers side front window of my car. Didn't take a thing either, not even my Wilderness Pass.

[Zach]

Report MXVIII:

It was like 6pm and he said he was heading for Vincent. Crazy old dude.

Either way, we hiked out the next afternoon and I found someone had smashed the drivers side front window of my car. Didn't take a thing either, not even my Wilderness Pass.

Saw that dude, strange.

WTF is wrong with people? The East Fork is notorious for all of the riff-raff that hangs around. As we were coming out (at almost 11pm) a caravan of cars had arrived and everyone was unloading trash-bags and coolers full of stuff to bring down to the Heaton Campground. Ryan and I looked at each other and made a note that half their stuff would probably end up on the banks of the river after they left.

[Taco]

That sucks about your window.

Jim, I used Google Earth to measure mileage. I'd change the acme thing but I've had a fun night and I'll put it off until another time. I hate computers with an unending passion.

[Hikin_Jim]

I hate computers with an unending passion.

Thank God you're our site admin.

[Hikin_Jim]

My three buddies and I have been pushing down the trail from below Vincent Gap since 11am, saw the glider wreck, Mine Fork camp, the grave at mine fork, the hut (with porn).

OK. So I know where the glider wreck is, and I know where Mine Gulch camp is, but there's a grave there? Maybe I'm just spacing out, but I don't think I've seen that. Where is it located? And it has a stone marker or ?

And a hut? Are you talking about Vincent's hut (which is quite a ways back up toward Vincent Gap) or is there another hut over there?

I missed Zé and CougarMagic by MINUTES!

Meh. No biggie. Zé is easy to find. Just look for the most torturous, insane poison oak choked route and he'll be right there.

Either way, we hiked out the next afternoon and I found someone had smashed the drivers side front window of my car. Didn't take a thing either, not even my Wilderness Pass.

That totally sucks. What a bunch of @$$h01es to do something like that.

HJ

[lilbitmo]

davantalus - now that you've posted something you can no longer state that you are lurking you are an actuall "Ice Pirate" and I hope I got all the names correct, I know I'm missing one so please let me know which one I'm missing (Scott, Kevin, Mike and ?)

Yes Zach, Taco and I did see the "trippy" old guy coming up the trail, he stood near Zach while Zach tried to relieve himself - wanted Zach's autograph or something, Taco and I just laughed - I"ve seen that guy out in the wilderness before, just don't remember where.

Did I mention that I'm still a little sore from that trip that was one wild day - glad I went, I learned quite a bit.

[Taco]

I didn't get any Poison Oak. I'm not telling my secret.

[Hikin_Jim]

I didn't get any Poison Oak. I'm not telling my secret.

Chilled BDU's?

HJ

[Taco]

Something like that.

[Ze Hiker]

Either way we started fixing up to spend the night and Patrick rolls in. He tells me I missed Zé and CougarMagic by MINUTES! Now you have to understand, back when I was trying to do Allison mine (unbeknownst to me, the hard way) I emailed Ze for some advice and he totally hooked up the info... so you see, I've been looking forward to running into Ze for like two years now.

so did you get to Allison?

you should have checked out Stanley-Miller this time, it was like only a 1 mile. Up above Iron Fork. pain to find though

[Hikin_Jim]

Either way we started fixing up to spend the night and Patrick rolls in. He tells me I missed Zé and CougarMagic by MINUTES! Now you have to understand, back when I was trying to do Allison mine (unbeknownst to me, the hard way) I emailed Ze for some advice and he totally hooked up the info... so you see, I've been looking forward to running into Ze for like two years now.

so did you get to Allison?

you should have checked out Stanley-Miller this time, it was like only a 1 mile. Up above Iron Fork. pain to find though

Or just take the Zé "shortcut" (climb Iron Mountain and come down).

HJ

[davantalus]

Replies, replies…

Maybe I'm just spacing out, but I don't think I've seen that. Where is it located?

The old grave is a pretty big concrete slab, right in Mine Gulch camp. (Nearby that weird interesting concrete underground storage(?) pit)
Picture - http://dav.me/gallery/v/hiking/LosAngel ... 8.jpg.html

And a hut? Are you talking about Vincent's hut (which is quite a ways back up toward Vincent Gap) or is there another hut over there?

Nope - not Vincent's hut. It's a twist or two south of Mine Gulch camp, on the north side of a bend in the river. Whoever set it up has a branch perimeter, a nice teepee/hut, sleeping quarters, porn, and little decorative rocks around the yucca. Pictures to follow, if I ever get back to my house to edit photos.
Here's my best guess - http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 1&t=h&z=18

Zé is easy to find. Just look for the most torturous, insane poison oak choked route and he'll be right there.

Hahaha! Hate poison oak so much. I'm clean - so far. I've just about given up hiking in Orange County, it's so choked with Oak.

Or just take the Zé "shortcut" (climb Iron Mountain and come down).

Sounds like a blast. Is that feasible?

- so did you get to Allison?

Yep! Quite a while ago. Thanks for the advice. We did miss the turnoff the first time and ended up at the waterfall. But we made it in the end.

you should have checked out Stanley-Miller this time, it was like only a 1 mile. Up above Iron Fork. pain to find though

Haven't done Stanley Miller yet - but mainly it's been an issue of time, not will or ability. On the last attempt, I got to the top of that scree slope but it finished off my buddies. As trip leader I decided to turn around and not kill anyone.

Zé - Have you done Gold Dollar, Eagle, or Widco yet? Any interest?

davantalus - now that you've posted something you can no longer state that you are lurking you are an actual "Ice Pirate"

EISPIRATEN!

I know I'm missing one so please let me know which one I'm missing (Scott, Kevin, Mike and ?)

You're just missing me - "Dav"

Yes Zach, Taco and I did see the "trippy" old guy coming up the trail

Yeah, his trekking poles made me giggle. Can you imagine accidentally falling on one of those? Much good his helmet would do then. Someone needs to get him a subscription to "Backpacking Light".

Funny story - Last time I did the East Fork through hike, a few miles north of Fish, we were woken by a HUGE CHOPPACHOPPA noise. I dropped out of my hammock+fly, looked up, and saw a big old S&R helo hovering only feet above the treeline. One of the S&R gents got on winch, and cabled down to us.

His question? "Have you seen an Asian, a Hispanic... and a chihuahua?" I'm like, "Dude, there ain't none of that around here."

Finally, nothing to do with the San Gabriels' - but we were talking with LilBitMo about our Panamint City trip. Here's my pictures from the weekend before last.
http://dav.me/gallery/v/hiking/Inyo/201 ... amintCity/

[Hikin_Jim]

You sure that's a grave? It says 1975 on it. Hardly some thing I'd expect from that era. There was a pit toilet and some other things as I understand it back when the USFS still was maintaining that as an official trail camp. I wonder if that slab was part of those things.

Oh, OK, so the "hut" isn't an historical miner's cabin or anything. Probably some current day miner's hang out by the sound of it.

Zé has in fact gone up and over Iron to get to the Stanley-Miller. He's also visited the mines in Dry Gulch that you mentioned.

One of the S&R gents got on winch, and cabled down to us. "Have you seen an Asian, a Hispanic... and a chihuahua?"

That sounds like a straight line from a stand up routine.

HJ

[HikeUp]

My three buddies and I have been pushing down the trail from below Vincent Gap since 11am...

...Either way, we hiked out the next afternoon and I found someone had smashed the drivers side front window of my car. Didn't take a thing either, not even my Wilderness Pass.

Was this car at Vincent Gap or was it your shuttle car at Heaton Flat?

[lilbitmo]

I know I'm missing one so please let me know which one I'm missing (Scott, Kevin, Mike and ?)

You're just missing me - "Dav"



Finally, nothing to do with the San Gabriels' - but we were talking with LilBitMo about our Panamint City trip. Here's my pictures from the weekend before last.
http://dav.me/gallery/v/hiking/Inyo/201 ... amintCity/

Let me make sure I have it right as well - Kevin was the tall guy with "goatee"? Scott was from Iowa? Mike was sleeping on the ground using the "bivy"? and Dave had the nice camera? Or did I mix one?


If you want start a new Trip Report with that link to your pictures, throw it up under "trip reports" as it own thread, those are some great shots.
I'm sure some of the readers on the board would like to know about that area, that's a good fall or spring place to go when it's not so damn hot - thanks for sharing those Dav and for the "Nice Hot Coffee" that sure made my day

[cougarmagic]

"Have you seen an Asian, a Hispanic... and a chihuahua?" I'm like, "Dude, there ain't none of that around here."

Sorry to hijack an already long thread - but this is just about the funniest San Gabriel story I've ever heard! Random, weird, and awesome!

Dav & Co. - thanks for taking care of our Fish Fork guys! Very nice of you, and I know it was a great help.

Ze and I must have walked right by you - must have been on opposite sides of the canyon or something? We didn't see anyone until we got close to the bridge.

[lilbitmo]

"Have you seen an Asian, a Hispanic... and a chihuahua?" I'm like, "Dude, there ain't none of that around here."

Sorry to hijack an already long thread - but this is just about the funniest San Gabriel story I've ever heard! Random, weird, and awesome!

Dav & Co. - thanks for taking care of our Fish Fork guys! Very nice of you, and I know it was a great help.

Ze and I must have walked right by you - must have been on opposite sides of the canyon or something? We didn't see anyone until we got close to the bridge.

Johanna, they camped the night before at Mine Gulch then continued down the East Fork from the North so the only way you would have run into them is if they had come into Fish Fork Trail Camp sooner or you and Ze had stayed later - luck would have it that you made that comment that "If no one is here by the time we leave (you and Ze) then chances are no one will be camping here tonight so it's safe to leave your stuff with us and we will put it behind one of the shrubs or trees", as it turned out - the big fella upstairs sent me a cup of coffee by way of four nice guys out enjoying the San Gabriels for the weekend

[davantalus]

Was this car at Vincent Gap or was it your shuttle car at Heaton Flat?

It happened at Heaton Flat, I'd have been much more surprised too see that kind of vandalism at Vincent Gap.

You sure that's a grave? It says 1975 on it.

Check again (and I could be wrong here), but it looks like 1917 to me. I can dig up some other high res, non-processed, pictures later in the week.

Oh, OK, so the "hut" isn't an historical miner's cabin or anything. Probably some current day miner's hang out by the sound of it.

Nope. Just a cute modern teepee/hut/camo thing.

Let me make sure I have it right as well - Kevin was the tall guy with "goatee"? Scott was from Iowa? Mike was sleeping on the ground using the "bivy"? and Dave had the nice camera? Or did I mix one?

Close - Scott was both from Iowa and had the ginger goatee.
Here we are, clockwise from lower left, Scott, Michael, Kevin, myself
http://dav.me/gallery/v/hiking/SanBerna ... 2.jpg.html

One more funny story from the trip before last down the East Fork - I was peering up Mine Gulch trying to catch a glimpse of Big Horn, when out of nowhere I hear someone ask, "What are you looking for?"

Startled, I had a look at the stranger, a tall, gangly looking fellow of Norwegian descent. Covered in poison oak, nettle rash, sunburn. His clothing looked a little loose.

I politely turned down a handshake and explained that I was looking for Big Horn (He was unfamiliar with it!) and asked how long he'd been out there. Apparently he'd been slowly migrating for something like three weeks - living off the land and trapping food. He said, "I have a book on survival."

We talked about hammocks for a while, he showed me the shortcut through Mine Gulch Camp and I offered him an extra cliff bar. I've never seen anyone look more grateful to receive a gift.

[Zach]

Sorry to hijack an already long thread - but this is just about the funniest San Gabriel story I've ever heard! Random, weird, and awesome!

Just out of curiosity, what's the longest TR thread on the board?

[lilbitmo]

[quote="davantalus]I politely turned down a handshake and explained that I was looking for Big Horn (He was unfamiliar with it!) and asked how long he'd been out there. Apparently he'd been slowly migrating for something like three weeks - living off the land and trapping food. He said, "I have a book on survival."

We talked about hammocks for a while, he showed me the shortcut through Mine Gulch Camp and I offered him an extra cliff bar. I've never seen anyone look more grateful to receive a gift.[/quote]
So when I showed up with 6 hours of soaking wet cloathes and a story about two other friends being back up Fish Fork Creek looking for gear they had to leave behind during a rescue - I looked "NORMAL" for that area Compared to that old man and this other "adventurer" I'm feeling more normal by the minute lol you guys must have had a hell of a campfire laugh at all the crazy chit you keep seeing back there - these kinds of stories make for "urban legends"

[Hikin_Jim]

Just out of curiosity, what's the longest TR thread on the board?

I dunno, but thanks for adding a 'nother one to the post count.

HJ

[Hikin_Jim]

You sure that's a grave? It says 1975 on it.

Check again (and I could be wrong here), but it looks like 1917 to me. I can dig up some other high res, non-processed, pictures later in the week.

It appears to say:

Code: Select all

  ^
19|75

That's an arrow between "19" and "75" that I'm trying to show.

HJ

Click to enlarge.

[Ze Hiker]

Zé - Have you done Gold Dollar, Eagle, or Widco yet? Any interest?

I have done Eagle and Widco. missed out on Gold Dollar, so gotta do that still, almost think its easier to get to by going over Iron!

[davantalus]

missed out on Gold Dollar, so gotta do that still, almost think its easier to get to by going over Iron!

Lets do it. I have a buddy who can get us vehicle access up Coldwater Canyon. We know a guy with a cabin just north of Widman Ranch.

By the way, in your post you mention Hugh's site being down - I contacted his son-in-law, the caretaker, lots of times offering help and eventually he got it back up.

[HikeUp]

I have a buddy who can get us vehicle access up Coldwater Canyon. We know a guy with a cabin just north of Widman Ranch.

Dude, where were you when we needed you!? Car access to Coldwater....yes please!

Welcome to the board. Please continue to contribute!

[cougarmagic]

Just out of curiosity, what's the longest TR thread on the board?

I don't know, but this one is totally losing to the "Off-Topic" thread on beer...

[HikeUp]

LOL. Priorities!