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Etiwanda Ridge, Joe Elliot Campground, Deer Canyon Loop

Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:50 pm
by Elwood
"When we can't hike, the terrorists win"

Supposing someone was hell-bent on getting some peace in their beloved San Gabriel Mountains without hazarding the closed Angeles; what could they do?

My hike up the Etiwanda Ridge picked up ~ 3,500 feet in 3.8 steep, unpleasant miles of often-indistinct trail and copious ceanothus. It aint no Big Horn Ridge, but I was twice at the edge of panic, unable to find my trail and rueful at the thought of retreating. Once reaching San Sevaine/Big Tree/1N34 road, all was well with the world. The isolation of the Joe Elliot campground, in the shadow of Cucamonga Peak is delightful. I spotted a Mule Deer hopping up a hillside as I walked in to the camp; couldn't get the camera out fast enough. After a brief rest and some Clif Bars, I spent some time studying the map. I could go back the way I came (NOT), continue along 1N34 west until it returns to civilization at Cucamonga Creek and have a really long walk back to the Jeep, or bail out via one of the canyons along the way. In anticipation of a long, hot, dry day I started with five liters. Regardless, finding water was becoming important. The West Cucamonga Truck Trail is really nifty. In spots it's wide and stable enough to actually hold a vehicle. These spots are few and far between. There were no less than a dozen slides and washouts between Elliot and Deer Canyon, where I bailed. The trail apparently sees SOME foot traffic due to the trampled Buckthorn in some overgrown spots. The remaining trail ranged from usable road, to overgrown, to single track, to hundred-plus-foot wide washouts requiring some careful climbing to regain. One of the streams that feeds Day Canyon was flowing beautifully just above the road/trail, so I was set for water for the rest of the day. As I continued around Smith Ridge I spotted a large Gopher Snake; also too fast to photograph. Soon the service road up Deer Canyon (1N44) was visible and confirmed the gently-sloped terrain observed on the Harrison map. There are some interesting structures, artifacts of its watershed use in the Canyon. Aside from a stupid meander around a subdivision trying to respect a misread "no trespassing" sign, the rest of the hike was uneventful; just a three-mile walk on a dirt service road back to the car.


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Gate at the top of Etiwanda Avenue.

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One of the attractive pavilions in the Etiwanda Preserve.

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Smith Ridge, across Day Canyon.

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Cucamonga Peak and Smith Ridge, with Etiwanda Ridge in the foreground.

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The view up Day Canyon toward Cucamonga Peak.

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Partial view of Etiwanda Ridge, looking south.

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Definitive answer as to whether the bear goes in the woods; sometimes.

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Marker at 5,600 ft elevation.

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Finally made it to Big Tree Road (1N34).

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View down the South Fork, Lytle Creek, from Buck Point.

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Joe Elliot, AKA Big Tree Memorial campground.

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Remnants of the campground namesake?

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This burned section of trunk is at least 48 inches in diameter.

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That's the continuation of 1N43 to the right, which becomes the (closed) West Cucamonga Truck Trail.

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1N34 as it follows the head of Day Canyon.

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VERY welcome stream just above the road, elevation 5760 feet.

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Interesting weather to the West.

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More interesting weather to the west.

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One of several washouts interrupting 1N34.

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Another larger washout cutting 1N34.

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Intersection of 1N34 and Deer Canyon.

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A good-sized cat print on Deer Canyon access road.

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Looking up Deer Canyon from just above the dam.

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Smoke from the Station disaster starting to move west.

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Back to "civilization".

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GPS track and elevation profile.

Re: Etiwanda Ridge, Joe Elliot Campground, Deer Canyon Loop

Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 11:26 pm
by Taco
Great pics. Cucamonga looks great from there.

Real neat seeing the Cumulonimbus clouds to the east. :-)

Re: Etiwanda Ridge, Joe Elliot Campground, Deer Canyon Loop

Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 7:33 am
by Elwood
Oh yeah, the other west.

Re: Etiwanda Ridge, Joe Elliot Campground, Deer Canyon Loop

Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 12:37 pm
by Ze Hiker
nice hike Elwood.

how far up Etiwanda were you able to park your car?

how bad is the brush up Etiwanda Ridge?

Re: Etiwanda Ridge, Joe Elliot Campground, Deer Canyon Loop

Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 1:37 pm
by Elwood
The gate in the first picture is roughly 2500 feet past Day Creek Boulevard. This is where I parked, on the south side of the Forest Service Road. I don't know if or when the gate opens, although the road past seems to see some vehicular traffic. I would estimate that 20% to 25% of the route is brushy, from mildly annoying ceanothus tickling the calves and snagging the cuffs, to a bit of pushing through shoulder-height overgrowth where its most penetrable.

Re: Etiwanda Ridge, Joe Elliot Campground, Deer Canyon Loop

Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:40 pm
by Ze Hiker
thanks