EISPIRATEN

Had time for a hike up to Josephine Peak via the fire road. Started at 6a and finished at 9a. The early start and a slight breeze kept it from getting too hot, but I still drank 1 liter of water and 0.5 liter of Gatorade. Road is well shaded on the way up at this time of day. The bugs were plentiful, but the slight breeze kept them from being too annoying.

A large group of trail runners were out on a training run today - a loop from Redbox to Clear Creek and back via Josephine Road and I assume Strawberry Portrero. This guy was shuttling Gatorade up to the top...


There's a camera on top of a tower at the peak. Seemed to be pointed at downtown Glendale or maybe L.A. Any idea whose camera it is or if it is a web cam?...


A very polite note to the Sierra Club on the door of the structure at the top...

I think it reads: "Sierra Club - Please don't be hypocritical. Stop polluting the mountains with your gas-guzzling SUV's - Thank you"

Mt. Gleason...


Strawberry Peak with San Gabriel High Country beyond...


My new 3" mini tripod...

Beautiful pictures. How do you like the tripod?

The guy in the jeep was probably Gary Hilliard, who is the race director for the Mt. Disappointment 50k/50mile trail race. This year, it is being held on August 8. Here is a link to the web site:

http://www.mtdisappointment50k.com/index.shtml

Gary Hilliard has also run the Badwater race from Badwater to Whitney Portal. That race is being held this month.

The runners were probably on a training run for the August race.

I like the tripod. Many of my pictures are ruined because I can't keep the camera perfectly still. I guess if it's worth taking a picture of something then might as well take a good one.
does the sierra club use suvs?

Terry Morse wrote:The guy in the jeep was probably Gary Hilliard, who is the race director for the Mt. Disappointment 50k/50mile trail race. This year, it is being held on August 8. Here is a link to the web site:

http://www.mtdisappointment50k.com/index.shtml

Gary Hilliard has also run the Badwater race from Badwater to Whitney Portal. That race is being held this month.

The runners were probably on a training run for the August race.

That must have been him...thanks. A very nice guy...kept asking everyone if they wanted a cold drink of something. I must say some of the runners looked in dire straits, but they kept going!

I ran across this info (scroll down to San Gabriel) on the web regarding the new camera on the peak...

The Josephine Peak real-time pan/tilt digital camera system was installed northeast of Pasadena, California, in May 2008. The San Gabriel Wilderness view includes Twin Peaks and Vetter Mountain ~6 kilometers to the east-northeast. Associated ozone data are collected from the South Coast Air Quality Management District - Crestline air quality station. Meteorological data are obtained from the NOAA weather station located at the Mount Wilson Observatory.

Well, today it was pointing southwest, which might explain why there are no July 5th images on the website.

TacoDelRio wrote:Beautiful pictures. How do you like the tripod?

It cost only $4 but does not have a thingy that rotates 360 degrees (for universal adjustment). It holds a lightweight point and shoot digital camera without falling over and weighs only a few ounces. Serves a basic function, but if your camera weighs more than a Canon SD1000 it may fall down and go splat.

I have one of these Ultrapods that I bought from REI.



I use it with my little Canon SD800IS but supposedly it can handle an SLR with a small lens. The strap is cool because I can attach it to a tree branch or a railing to get a higher perspective.

Very cool, thanks for the info. Might need to pick one up, especially for so cheap.

Thanks for the pics..classic BigT...although I havent seen it from up top yet. Perhaps someday...the loop I want to get done is from Colby Ranch to Hwy@Lucas Creek via Josephine NW or in reverse if feasible.

AW wrote:Thanks for the pics..classic BigT...although I havent seen it from up top yet. Perhaps someday...the loop I want to get done is from Colby Ranch to Hwy@Lucas Creek via Josephine NW or in reverse if feasible.

Lucas Creek starts at Josephine Saddle correct? Here are three pictures that pan the north side of Josephine.

North (slightly west)...


NNE...


NE...

Your pictures are correct..the route is challenging. Its doesnt have a high scenic value so it sort of is at the middle/bottom of my list...well I mean hiking wise....I think the view of Strawberry pk from the Upper Big Tujunga is one of this forests premier views from ground level...dont want to demean Joesphine pk here....

AW wrote:....I think the view of Strawberry pk from the Upper Big Tujunga is one of this forests premier views from ground level...dont want to demean Joesphine pk here....

I think Josephine is known more for the 360 degree views from the top than how it looks from a distance. Views from the top of Strawberry are interrupted by trees, etc.

AW wrote:....I think the view of Strawberry pk from the Upper Big Tujunga is one of this forests premier views from ground level...dont want to demean Joesphine pk here....

Definitely. I was over on the Fall Creek Trail the other day. Strawberry is very impressive from that angle.

QUESTION: How come there isn't more rock climbing on the N face of Strawberry? That's pretty good rock over there.

HikeUp wrote: I think Josephine is known more for the 360 degree views from the top than how it looks from a distance. Views from the top of Strawberry are interrupted by trees, etc.

Well, maybe I'll have to go up Josephine one of these days after all. I've always avoided it since the primary route is up a fire road.

I've heard of a route up the major west ridge but I'm not sure where to pick that one up. Any 411 out there on that route? Where does it start? How's the brush?

I see this on the HPS site: http://angeles.sierraclub.org/hps/archives/hps01133.htm, but it's from 1992. Anything a little more recent very appreciated.

Hikin_Jim wrote:Well, maybe I'll have to go up Josephine one of these days after all. I've always avoided it since the primary route is up a fire road.

I took the fire road up this time and if you start early it is in the shade and is one of the more scenic fire roads around (if such a thing is possible). Otherwise, as you probably know, you can start at Colby Canyon and take the single track trail up to Josephine Saddle then head west to the aforementioned fire road.

Hikin_Jim wrote:I've heard of a route up the major west ridge but I'm not sure where to pick that one up. Any 411 out there on that route? Where does it start? How's the brush?

Travis posted something about doing that ridge. I believe Terry mentioned he has also gone up that ridge.

Here are a few pics I took of the ridge. I'd like to give it a go...just say when!

From just below peak...


Upper part of ridge, from the peak...


Further down ridge, from the peak...

I saw Travis' post http://www.gpsmountaineering.com/josephinepeak. Travis was trying to use the west ridge as a descent route. He ran into way too much brush and bailed; he re-summited and took the fire road down. He says he took a "shorter ridge heading North-West" from the main ridge since it would take him back closer to his car. Since his car was a the Colby Can. TH, I think he must mean SW not NW. Perhaps he meant one of the ridges "A," "B," or "C:" http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.28371,-11 ... rvoir%20CA I'm guessing ridge "C." I don't think he'd take "B" since it isn't very direct, and I don't think it was "D" since "D" doesn't look like class 3 or 4 terrain.

"D" looks like a pretty good route just based on the topo, although who knows what the chaparral is like. I'm not sure where the route the HPS folks used is; perhaps somewhere around "E."

Terry Morse wrote:The guy in the jeep was probably Gary Hilliard, who is the race director for the Mt. Disappointment 50k/50mile trail race. This year, it is being held on August 8. Here is a link to the web site:

http://www.mtdisappointment50k.com/index.shtml

It's actually Sat. Aug. 9. I'm thinking of doing the 50K, but I need to get in about three 5-6 hour runs to get ready and don't know whether I'll be able to squeeze that in. Was tempted by the 50-miler because I've never done one of those, but if I feel sketchy training-wise for the 50K I've got no business attempting a 50-miler.

Hikin_Jim wrote:

QUESTION: How come there isn't more rock climbing on the N face of Strawberry? That's pretty good rock over there.

I once started up the north face on that jumble of boulders near the base. I found the boulders unstable so I retreated. What's more, the rock that I saw further up didn't look any better than your typical San Gabriel crumbly rock. Anybody else tried that area for unroped climbing?

Augie wrote:

Hikin_Jim wrote:

QUESTION: How come there isn't more rock climbing on the N face of Strawberry? That's pretty good rock over there.

I once started up the north face on that jumble of boulders near the base. I found the boulders unstable so I retreated. What's more, the rock that I saw further up didn't look any better than your typical San Gabriel crumbly rock. Anybody else tried that area for unroped climbing?

Have you been up the W ridge of Strawberry? That rock is generally pretty solid, particularly as one approaches the summit. It's not that crappy DG that falls apart at a touch.

Hikin_Jim wrote:I'm not sure where the route the HPS folks used is; perhaps somewhere around "E."

Here is where I think the HPS TR's start. It's 2.5 miles from Clear Creek and you head south to get up to the main ridge (both things agree with stuff I read in the HPS TR's). Zoom in and you can imagine a use trail going up that drainage to get to the main ridge.

HikeUp wrote:

Hikin_Jim wrote:I'm not sure where the route the HPS folks used is; perhaps somewhere around "E."

Here is where I think the HPS TR's start. It's 2.5 miles from Clear Creek and you head south to get up to the main ridge (both things agree with stuff I read in the HPS TR's). Zoom in and you can imagine a use trail going up that drainage to get to the main ridge.

Oh, good catch. It does say that they went south first. Interesting. I wonder who figured that route out? I would have thought that people would go from where the main west ridge hits AFH or around there, such as via the ridge at point "B" which seems relatively brush free except by the road. http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.28702,-11 ... rvoir%20CA

Hikin_Jim wrote:Have you been up the W ridge of Strawberry? That rock is generally pretty solid, particularly as one approaches the summit. It's not that crappy DG that falls apart at a touch.

Been up the west ridge many times. I agree it's good solid rock. But the stuff I saw above me on the north face didn't look like west ridge rock and the boulders at the bottom were really unstable.

If gas wasn't so damn expensive (for a guy who makes minimum wage), I'd head out to the Face and give it a shot.

I've been wanting to knock out Lawlor and Strawberry for the longest time but don't want to drive all the way out there. Maybe we could set up a carpool, split the gas and head out if anybody wants to do those two from RedBox.

k

135driver wrote:I've been wanting to knock out Lawlor and Strawberry for the longest time but don't want to drive all the way out there. Maybe we could set up a carpool, split the gas and head out if anybody wants to do those two from RedBox.

k

Nothing wrong with doing them from Red Box, but you might want to think about doing them from the Colby Canyon trailhead. Strawberry from Red Box is OK, but it's a pretty average trail, and it's a quick, short hike which might not be worth the drive.

To do it from Colby: You head up Colby Canyon to Josephine Saddle and then ascend Strawberry from the west ridge which is a fun class 3 scramble/climb on good rock. From the summit, descend the trail to the east to the Lawlor/Straberry Saddle. Head up the ridge to Lawlor, then either return to the saddle or descend down the steep, loose south ridge of Lawlor to the trail from Red Box. Take the trail to Red Box. When at Red Box, you can car shuttle or hitch hike back to the Colby Canyon Trailhead or you can catch the Gabrieleno Trail from the NW end of the Red Box Parking lot, descend to Switzer's Picnic Area, ascend the picnic area road to Angeles Crest Hwy, and then walk the half mile or so back to your car(s) parked at the Colby Canyon Trailhead.

It will be hot out there, and this isn't a particularly shady route. A pre-dawn or very early start at Colby wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Good Idea. I did Josephine from Colby and Really liked the trail. I kinda just need to knock out Strawberry and Lawlor for my HPS list. So, depending on how much time i've got, either route seems like a plan.

Thanks.

k

Hikin_Jim wrote:

HikeUp wrote:

Hikin_Jim wrote:I'm not sure where the route the HPS folks used is; perhaps somewhere around "E."

Here is where I think the HPS TR's start. It's 2.5 miles from Clear Creek and you head south to get up to the main ridge (both things agree with stuff I read in the HPS TR's). Zoom in and you can imagine a use trail going up that drainage to get to the main ridge.

Oh, good catch. It does say that they went south first. Interesting. I wonder who figured that route out? I would have thought that people would go from where the main west ridge hits AFH or around there, such as via the ridge at point "B" which seems relatively brush free except by the road. http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.28702,-11 ... rvoir%20CA

Interestingly enough, google maps "street view" includes this section of the Angeles Forest Highway. Your point "B" looks like it cliffs out at the road's edge...although you could probably find a way up somewhere nearby.

I'm thinking of trying the ridge route this weekend...anyone want to give it a go (if so...Sat. or Sun.?)?