Potato or why we want to live in SoCal

TRs for the San Gabriel Mountains.
Post Reply
User avatar
JeffH
Posts: 1169
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 7:09 am

Post by JeffH »

November 22, 2019
I haven't been out much lately due to a knee injury but with the great weather I figured I would make an excursion. Since I live in Claremont I was just going to walk the Wilderness Park but on the drive up there I could see the snow-capped mountains and decided to hit Potato Mountain for the better views. There really isn't much to this little bump on the front range, with a fire road leading to a water tank at the summit. I took the less-traveled East ridge up, which is a pretty good workout since it's just a mile to go up the entire ~1100 feet. I used to call this the secret route but in the last few years it has become much more popular, there were a couple groups of people well ahead of me when I arrived. After spending a few minutes on top with my Snickers bar snack I walked down the fire road. All of the Spanish Broom has been cleared out of the road, making it plenty wide to pass people walking three across with their dogs. Short day but great views and as the subject says, it's why we want to live here.
IMG_6634.jpg
Potato from my parking spot across Baldy Road.



IMG_6637.jpg
First little plateau on the secret route.



IMG_6642.jpg
This little guy was less than two inches nose to tail. I spotted him only because he was tumbling down a drainage.



IMG_6648.jpg
Second rest point, it's about to get a little steeper.



IMG_6652.jpg
It's a great feeling when your head pops up to spot the actual trail.



IMG_6654.jpg
Summit area.



IMG_6665.jpg
Posing. I wore a jacket on the early shaded part.



IMG_6666.jpg
The LNT principles are not followed here. This is the largest batch of taters I have ever seen up here.



IMG_6667.jpg
Great view.


Potato_112219.jpg

AllTrails route info.
"Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours".
Donald Shimoda
User avatar
ReFreshing
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2018 1:00 pm

Post by ReFreshing »

Nice pics! Not sure how I feel about the potatoes up top. At least they're consolidated in one spot lol. I never been up to potato mtn before but I definitely need to try out the "secret route"! Hope your knee heals soon!
User avatar
CrazyHermit
Posts: 343
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2015 1:03 pm

Post by CrazyHermit »

Awesome photo of the horn toad. I rarely see those anymore. The taters are hilarious.
User avatar
Sean
Cucamonga
Posts: 3787
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 12:32 pm

Post by Sean »

Yeah, never seen that many potatoes on the tank. If we plant them in the ground maybe we'll get a potato patch up there.
User avatar
JeffH
Posts: 1169
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 7:09 am

Post by JeffH »

Next time I go up there I'm bringing the stove!
"Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours".
Donald Shimoda
User avatar
JeffH
Posts: 1169
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 7:09 am

Post by JeffH »

Same picture a week later.... I went up there today for my #OptOutside thing.
I was surprised to see snow up there, the elevation is listed at 3422 feet. I heard from some people that Baldy Road was closed at the Village.
IMG_6745.jpg
"Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours".
Donald Shimoda
User avatar
Sean
Cucamonga
Posts: 3787
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 12:32 pm

Post by Sean »

Frozen potatoes, yum yum.
Post Reply