Page 1 of 1

Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:03 am
by Sean
They say it's the little things in life that matter the most. So by that logic tiny things should matter the mostest, since they are smaller than little things.

For example, on Monday I drove up to Crystal Lake for the solar eclipse. But I hadn't bothered to acquire those special glasses that allow you to stare at the sun without going blind. So at first I caught only tiny glimpses through my normal sunglasses. Then I noticed the sun's wee reflection in the tinted window of my SUV. The moon's partial outline could be clearly discerned upon the face of the sun's reflection. This contented me for awhile, until Ranger Nick rolled up in the Cafe parking lot and offered to share his special glasses. Alas, I was finally able to stare straight at the sun, which appeared as a shrunken spot of light in a black sky. Now, I know the sun is actually a huge celestial fireball without which there would be no life on Earth. Yet what mattered mostest was its miniature appearance through Nick's special glasses. Therefore, in this way, even the sun is more significant when it's tiny.

Indeed tiny things focus one's attention on what really matters. And the way I experienced that eclipse turned my attention to all the other itty-bitty things around Crystal Lake. For example: the piddly amount of water in the lake itself.

Image

Water is that one resource whose value increases as its availability decreases. Imagine if all the water were gone. That would not be good.

Also, I spent some time considering the puny honey bees and other insects that live along the scum-covered shoreline.

Image

It would also not be good if all the insects were gone. But personally I wouldn't mind if the ants and mosquitoes went extinct.

Rather than admiring a flower as a whole, like I usually do, this time I analyzed and objectified all the teeny private parts, such as the pistil and the stamens.

Image

Isn't sex great?

I mean, isn't a tiny amount of sex great? A large amount means you're probably a whore. Of course I'm talking about plants only. Plants that are prostitutes.

Continuing my search for all things great and tiny, I eventually came upon a miniscule pool next to a pipe feeding the lake with fresh water. The steady flow had created a shallow depression in the ground above the shoreline. I sat down and relaxed in the cool water. And that's when a knot of microscopic toads emerged from the poolside vegetation.

Image

I guess they weren't technically microscopic in size. But I've run out of appropriate synonyms for tiny. Furthermore, I can't believe I just used the word knot in reference to a group of toads. Clearly I'm way too into my own pretentious head, and it's time to put this article out of its misery.

In summary, tiny equals awesome.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 5:45 am
by Gene
Nice!

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 9:14 am
by AW~
Forest bathing at Crystal Lake? Its all so zen .???

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 9:40 am
by David R
I've got bad news for you, you're getting old.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:38 am
by Sean
David R wrote: I've got bad news for you, you're getting old.
Yeah, my next piece will probably highlight the virtue of hiking slowly. You know, not rushing from place to place and making sure to "take in one's surroundings."

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:56 am
by Sean
AW wrote: Forest bathing at Crystal Lake? Its all so zen .???
I asked myself: what would Squatchy do?

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:34 am
by AW~
Sean wrote: I asked myself: what would Squatchy do?
Is that Squatchy....or is it the creature from the black lagoon, who is also of San Gabriel mountains origin(a little known fact)?
If you didnt know that, thats your new knowledge for the day:) It was captured on film at Baldwin Lake, a natural spring at the base of the San Gabes in Arcadia....and then the govt smartly turned the coverage into a comedy/film.
Its interesting that Baldwin Lake is also a highly recommended place for forest bathing hehehehe.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 1:01 pm
by Sean
AW wrote:Is that Squatchy....or is it the creature from the black lagoon...
He does look a little like the Creature when his hair is wet. Hard to tell them apart.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 7:20 pm
by CrazyHermit
Gorgeous photography.
That lake isn't much to look at, but you can find some interesting things anywhere if you look hard enough.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 11:41 am
by SGBob
The flower is Mentzelia laevicaulis

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 12:07 pm
by Sean
SGBob wrote:The flower is Mentzelia laevicaulis
Thanks. How about that unplanned irony: photographing a Blazing Star flower during the solar eclipse? Perhaps I should have focused on the flower as a whole.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2017 12:26 pm
by CrazyHermit
Sean wrote:
SGBob wrote:The flower is Mentzelia laevicaulis
Thanks. How about that unplanned irony: photographing a Blazing Star flower during the solar eclipse? Perhaps I should have focused on the flower as a whole.
Blazing Star taken in the East Fork, with a beetle in the middle

Image

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 8:21 am
by Uncle Rico
The "lake" as of yesterday.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 8:56 am
by CrazyHermit
Uncle Rico wrote: The "lake" as of yesterday.
Nice shot. Supposedly it's the only naturally occurring lake in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 10:01 am
by Sean
CrazyHermit wrote:
Uncle Rico wrote: The "lake" as of yesterday.
Nice shot. Supposedly it's the only naturally occurring lake in the San Gabriel Mountains.
It might be the only remaining natural lake in the entire San Gabriel Watershed. Mission/Wilson Lake was filled in to create Lacy Park in San Marino. Baldwin and Legg lakes are artificial. Can't think of any others that might be confused for natural.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 8:31 pm
by Uncle Rico
Crystal Lake today.
1_Crystal Lake.jpg

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 10:04 pm
by HikeUp
Uncle Rico wrote: Crystal Lake today.1_Crystal Lake.jpg
TR or else!!!

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Sun May 19, 2019 7:16 pm
by Uncle Rico
HikeUp wrote:
Uncle Rico wrote: Crystal Lake today.1_Crystal Lake.jpg
TR or else!!!
Ok, so Saturday I went out for my annual mid-May walk-about. I chose the Islip Ridge Trail because....well, I don't really know. Something to do with ridges that I don't understand. Sean can confirm. My better half did join me and she hadn't been to Crystal Lake so that had something to do with it.

Anyhoo, we left the house at a leisurely 10 a.m., partly on account of the fact that the weather was gray so we didn't have to worry about heat. Coming up canyon out of Azusa, we were pleased to see both Morris and San Gabriel reservoirs pretty much at capacity. We made acceptable time to the entrance to the Crystal Lake area when we got stopped on account of an automobile-motorcycle collision which cost us time. We waited while fire trucks, ambulances, cops, etc. all flocked to the scene. It didn't seem like anybody died or anything, but it was still a big first-responder kerfuffle. After a relatively short delay, we were at the parking lot for Crystal Lake and on the trail.

As my pic shows, the lake itself has a decent amount of water in it, although I don't know that I'd call it full. The trail itself is in great shape all the way to Islip with only minor obstacles to overcome (in places, the Buckthorn is trying to intrude into the path and there are 3-4 downed trees to negotiate, but nothing major). Whoever maintains that trail is doing a damn fine job of it.

Somewhere around the 3 mile mark, we stopped on a rock overlooking Bear Canyon for a snack. I could have stayed there all day and been happy the views were so fine. But we had committed to go to Islip so we roused ourselves from laziness and continued on. At the intersection with the La Cienga Trail, we stopped to chat with a nice gentleman who said he was retreating before the weather turned foul.

Just before the trail intersects with the path coming from Little Jimmy, the wind started to kick up and the fog began to creep upslope. When we arrived at the summit, the fog completely enveloped us for a time so we donned jackets. There appears to be a register of sorts on the summit being held down by a bunch of rocks, but I didn't bother with it because it looked like such a mess.

As we were getting ready to leave, a couple and their kids arrived and we each acted as photographer for the other for obligatory summit pics.

Really like this trail. Nice, sustained climb; amazing views for most of the way; not very many people; well maintained trail.

Total mileage was roughly 10.4. Gain was roughly 2700'.

Some pics.
20190518_132708.Resize.jpg

Looking east toward Hawkins Ridge
20190518_134042.Resize.jpg

Bear Canyon and East Twin from our snack-break location
20190518_134108.Resize.jpg

Clouds rolling in over the Hawkins Ridge
20190518_143404.Resize.jpg

Cystal Lake area from above the La Cienga Trial junction
20190518_145747.Resize.jpg

Fog approaching Islip summit
20190518_145818.Resize.jpg

Mt. Williamson and the ACH from the summit
20190518_150958.Resize.jpg

Smells like...victory.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Sun May 19, 2019 9:58 pm
by HikeUp
Thanks for the report - I really like that trail too!

Nice pics.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 7:12 am
by JeffH
Despite the clouds you still had really nice views. Looking up from where I live in Claremont I figured everything up there would be socked in. Seems like you also timed it well to miss the rain - great day on the trail.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 9:11 am
by Sean
Uncle Rico wrote:Ok, so Saturday I went out for my annual mid-May walk-about. I chose the Islip Ridge Trail because....well, I don't really know. Something to do with ridges that I don't understand. Sean can confirm.
I confirm. Rico doesn't understand ridges.


Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 11:04 am
by Anthony
Nice trek!

But wait, you hiked from Crystal Lake to Mt. Williamson and back and it was only 10.4 miles with 2700 gain? It seems like it would be more than that. Do you have a recording?

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 9:26 pm
by Uncle Rico
Anthony wrote: But wait, you hiked from Crystal Lake to Mt. Williamson and back and it was only 10.4 miles with 2700 gain? It seems like it would be more than that. Do you have a recording?
We only went as far as Islip.

Re: Tiny Things @ Crystal Lake

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 9:43 pm
by Anthony
Uncle Rico wrote:
Anthony wrote: But wait, you hiked from Crystal Lake to Mt. Williamson and back and it was only 10.4 miles with 2700 gain? It seems like it would be more than that. Do you have a recording?
We only went as far as Islip.
Ah, I read it wrong. Makes sense now!