New trail from Dawn Mine to Tom Sloan Saddle

TRs for the San Gabriel Mountains.
Post Reply
User avatar
Girl Hiker
Posts: 1330
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:46 am

Post by Girl Hiker »

The Restoration Legacy Crew has been volunteering their time and working hard almost every weekend on the new trail from Dawn Mine to Tom Sloan Trail. No more bushwhacking, no more deadfall to climb over and no more annoying yuccas to be poked by as you are walking along the trails. The crew has cleaned up this beautiful trail that was once almost impossible to hike through from Dawn Mine. They have built rock stairs, made some areas safer to walk through, and they have cleaned up lots of graffiti. The trail is once again beautiful!
My friend Bob and I have been watching their progress over the past year and the trail is finally free and clear for all to enjoy. On Saturday we hiked from Chaney Trail~Dawn Mine~Tom Sloan Saddle~Mt. Lowe Fire road~Alpine Tavern and back to the upper parking lot of Millard Canyon. If you are in the mood for a beautiful, relaxing hike with some elevation gain, then I suggest checking out the newly restored trail.

The yuccas were nicely trimmed.
20180217_110639.jpg

20180217_111521.jpg

They did an awesome job at cleaning up the graffiti and placing a new register.
DAWN MINE TO TOM SLOAN TRAIL 02172018.jpg

Thanks Restoration Legacy Crew (Brenda, Bob, Lauren & the rest of the crew) for restoring the trail for all of us to enjoy!
20180217_123432.jpg


Stats: 12 miles approx. 2700' gain.
20180217_105059.jpg
20180217_105523.jpg
20180217_103437.jpg
20180217_102126.jpg
User avatar
Uncle Rico
Posts: 1402
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:48 pm

Post by Uncle Rico »

I went up Tom Sloan today to the saddle. The trail is indeed in fine shape. Water was running in the canyon bottom nicely too.

Met a group of ladies at the saddle who spent the night at Bear Canyon and came up to visit Brown Mountain from there. They said the Bear Canyon trail is in decent shape and is being worked on. They had no trouble navigating the canyon or keeping track of the track.
User avatar
Girl Hiker
Posts: 1330
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:46 am

Post by Girl Hiker »

Sweet! I am glad you could check it out. The crew is fixing up the trails in the area. I know the crew personally so if anyone is interested in volunteering to help let me know.
User avatar
Rudy Rodriguez
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:06 pm

Post by Rudy Rodriguez »

I'm glad to hear these reports of that trail. Past few weeks, I've been eyeing my maps focusing on the loop from Millard canyon to JPL...through Tom Sloane: basically I'd just loop around Brown mtn. I was worried about the poison oak mostly. Now, this is good news
User avatar
Girl Hiker
Posts: 1330
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:46 am

Post by Girl Hiker »

No poison oak when I was there.
User avatar
Uncle Rico
Posts: 1402
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:48 pm

Post by Uncle Rico »

Rudy Rodriguez wrote: I'm glad to hear these reports of that trail. Past few weeks, I've been eyeing my maps focusing on the loop from Millard canyon to JPL...through Tom Sloane: basically I'd just loop around Brown mtn. I was worried about the poison oak mostly. Now, this is good news
I saw poison oak in Millard Canyon but it never encroached onto the trail. Not a problem.

FWIW, the last time I was out in the Arroyo (mid-December), the Gabrieleno Trail was still closed from Oakwilde to the junction with the Bear Canyon Trail. But it was being worked on from both the Oakwilde and the Switzer ends so maybe its open now (or will be shortly).
Post Reply