We set up a car shuttle along the ACH between Angeles Crest Fire Station and CCC Ridge. The group stretches together before each hike. We warmed up our leg muscles and by 8am took off down the CCC Ridge fire road to the trailhead for the Dark Canyon Road.
(Overgrown Dark Canyon Road on left next to the clear CCC Ridge road.)
(The group hikes down the Dark Canyon Road.)
(Some deadfall on the abandoned road.)
The road has received some attention lately. It's now a fairly pleasant trip down to the streambed, with the buckwheat only lightly brushing the lower body, primarily along the east side of the ridge. Once the road switches to the west side, the issues are minor rock slides, washouts, and some yucca that's easy to avoid. But the track is well-defined.
The group kept a good pace. We slowed down a little along the stream, due to deadfall and stops at a couple cabin sites.
Paul Ayers had asked me to look for some unfound cabin sites in Dark Canyon, and I located one with a big wall still standing.
After reaching the confluence with the Arroyo Seco, the group wanted to stop for a break. I introduced them to the Oakwilde picnic area. They have a snack ritual involving a table cloth displaying different snacks that each hiker brought to share. I filled up on various pieces of fruit and some pretzels. Someone brought a dessert and candles to celebrate Shawn's birthday.
With satisfied bellies we all marched down the Arroyo to Paul Little Picnic Area. En route we encountered Jim Lesh, volunteer Forest Service patroller, atop his magnificent horse, Tia.
I tried to empathize with his horse, who had to stand still while twenty-five humans slowly passed by on the trail. But Tia had quite the poker face, giving away nothing about the contents of her mind.
A few yards beyond the Paul Little sign we picked up the Station Ridge Trail, a rough, steep escape path which spit us out at the Fire Station where we had left cars earlier.
Considering how many people took part in this hike, I was impressed that we all finished in good time, around four hours total.
