EISPIRATEN

got up to muir and easter rock (weird name!) today via the fire road. conditions were great and ANF has some cool yellow signs all over the place now. saw like 4 people the whole time. got cold, it as in the 40's at the top. Came down in the dark. Made really really really good time for me, hit Echo Mtn in 48 mins, Inspiration in 2 hours total. Road trip, just under 15 miles, about 5 hours. Also saw lotsa bear prints and scat, posted a tr and pics on my blog thing. Anyone know what those trails are that are east/south of Easter Rock/Muir Peak? Do they go anywhere?

http://pasadenahiker.wordpress.com/2011 ... fire-road/

Pretty cool, Matt.

The yellow flowers that are really sweet smelling are Scotch Broom, which unfortunately is a non-native, invasive species.

"Terrifying Wave" Pretty interesting name for a pocket knife.

Where's this?


HJ

I believe those trails drop into Muir Canyon and Eaton Canyon, you can get to Idlehour Campground from there (at least according to the maps on my GPS...)

NICE! Thanks for sharing. Want to get up there!

thanks for the info, guys.

jim, that pic shows the remains of the old dawn mine shelter on the lowe fire road. i thought i had pics of it while it was standing but im failing to find them now.

Dang. I've been through there a few times, but I don't remember a shelter. Was it a modern shelter for hikers or something?

Pic appreciated if you can find it.

HJ

Dawn Station...

Ah. Thanks.

Shame, that.

HJ

thanks for finding that pic. i agree, it is a shame, jim. i'm also astounded by the overgrowth that has overtaken the site of the former shelter.

You may have seen some scratch trails left over from firefighting efforts.

Easter Rock was so named because the Alpine Tavern held sunrise services there on Easter Sunday.

Good call, Greg... makes sense to me. What a fun area, that is up there!

Tavern? Easter services?

HJ

Jim, that reminds me...

They say and write that the decline of the "Great Hiking Era" was caused by the intrusion of roads like Highways 2 & 39. Here's my theory: it was the repeal of Prohibition! That was at the end of 1932, about the same time the roads were making headway, but they just opened up new hiking areas. Hikers didn't stop hiking, only the non-hikers stopped hiking. And I know there was plenty of booze up in the mountains, away from the law, during prohibition. In fact, when the Methodist Church bought Sturtevant's Camp in 1954, they found a still in the basement room under the dining hall.

Makes sense to me.

HJ

PackerGreg wrote: ↑ In fact, when the Methodist Church bought Sturtevant's Camp in 1954, they found a still in the basement room under the dining hall.

I'm shocked they only found one, great place to produce alcohol is in the mountains away from everyone.