EISPIRATEN

Anybody been down to Saucer Canyon?

I recently went to check out a mine shaft supposedly there under the first "big" dryfall. It was sure interesting getting down to the canyon.

I started from Eaton Saddle. Took Mt. Lowe fireroad to Brown Mtn ridge firebreak (passing Tom Sloane Saddle). Then dropped down into Saucer Canyon.

Spooky



up and down brown mtn ridge


Lots of bushwhacking, scrambling. You know, San Gabes style.

It looks like it would make a very beautiful canyoneering trip setting it up as a car shuttle, then ending at Millard Canyon side. I never seen Saucer Canyon Falls from that end but I'd love to check it out when its flowing.

The mine itself only went in about 30 feet.




I read on Christopher Brennan's site that there is an aircraft wreckage just below the second waterfall. I climbed to the top of the fall but didn't feel like climbing down. I heard some animal down there and I was kind of not looking forward to all that elevation gain going back to Brown Mtn ridge. (So much damn up and down).

All in all, a nice beautiful hidden canyon.

More info:

http://angelesadventures.com/saucer-canyon-mine/

Hey, Missy, nice job getting there and back! Amazing how wild and rugged something so close to town can be. I would love to see how that miner managed to build a cabin up in there.

I've recently been scoping out a loop through Saucer that seems doable post Station Fire. You can quickly reach an entrance to the upper canyon (but below the dryfall, I believe) by following Brown Mt. Road from Millard Campground to the first major rib/ridge and ascending directly to point 3981, then descending to the saddle with Brown Mt. and descending into Saucer from there. The hike up to 3981 and the saddle is steep, but almost completely clear since the fire. In theory, one could descend Saucer from there and take Brennan's bypass around the exit falls, returning to your vehicle at Millard CG via the Millard Canyon trail.

To get familiar with the exit route, I've made a couple of trips ascending into the lower section of Saucer Canyon. The bypass route itself requires attention so you don't go too high or put yourself in danger crossing a shallow gully high up on a crumbling slope. Once you enter the canyon via the bypass, the conditions inside this lower portion often get quite steep and loose. You don't want to go all the way to the creek bottom right away, it's a mess of deadfall, brambles and such. But you don't want to get too high up on the side, either. I got stopped fairly early on when I tried to climb up and around a washout on the east side of the creek just beyond some oak trees. I probably should have stayed closer to the rubble along the creek to traverse below it. My path took me way up towards the cliffs onto precarious terrain. In any case, it's good to exercise a lot of caution since everything seems to be in a state of flux since the fire shook up and rearranged things a bit.

Be safe and enjoy!

Cool trip, and thanks for the report. An ascent up Saucer Branch has been on my list for quite some time. Think I'll wait until the spring, though, when the stream and waterfall is in full flow.

Someone teach me how to do this canyoneering you speak of! Sounds like it'll open doors to some good stuff! Also. The First picture is sweeet!