Telephone Trail to Idlehour

[Sean]

I dropped into Eaton Canyon on the Telephone Trail from Henninger. I had seen the path from afar on the Gooseberry Trail but this was my first time actually on it. It has a lush section in the beginning and then it gets rocky as you drop into the canyon bottom. The final drop is super steep. Thankfully the canyoneers left a rope assist here.

At the bottom I scrambled upstream to Idlehour. The newts were out and looking for mating partners.

On the way back I took the Idlehour trail and photographed a bunch of flowers.

The maple trees are blooming.

Whoever's in charge of controlling the poison oak on the Idlehour, it's getting tough to avoid.

On the way down the Wilson Road there was a giant gopher snake. The couple ahead of me thought it was a rattlesnake, which is a common mistake. They seemed shocked when I walked right up to the snake to get a good picture. The 5-footer crossed the road and climbed up the near-vertical slope.

[HikeUp]

Did the horny newts have their way with you?

Cougarmagic once had a trail cam on that route (a long time ago).

[Sean]

Did the horny newts have their way with you?

They tried to recruit me for their in-pool orgy, but I said no thank you.

[HikeUp]

Here's a view of the telephone route...(2009)...

[ReFreshing]

I love seeing newts in the gabes! What's the story behind this "telephone trail"? Old unused trail?

[Sean]

I love seeing newts in the gabes! What's the story behind this "telephone trail"? Old unused trail?

It's still used, just not very well maintained, and the last mile to Idlehour is gone. It used to be the way to Idle Hour Camp, back in the day. It was a road and you could drive to within about a mile of Idle Hour Camp, then hike in on a trail along the creek. I think it's called Telephone Trail because there are still telephone poles on the route.

[Girl Hiker]

Nice wildflowers!

Wallflowers
Purple nightshade
Canterbury bells
Indian paintbrush
Baby blue eyes & wild cucumber are some of my favorites.

[ReFreshing]

I love seeing newts in the gabes! What's the story behind this "telephone trail"? Old unused trail?

It's still used, just not very well maintained, and the last mile to Idlehour is gone. It used to be the way to Idle Hour Camp, back in the day. It was a road and you could drive to within about a mile of Idle Hour Camp, then hike in on a trail along the creek. I think it's called Telephone Trail because there are still telephone poles on the route.

Ahh interesting. Thanks!

[CrazyHermit]

Nice writeup. That area between the Telephone Trail and Idlehour is one of the most beautiful in the San Gabriels. Here's a few old photos of Henninger, Upper Eaton and Esme (the canyon the Telephone Trail starts in)

[Sean]

Is that old shack at Henninger?

[CrazyHermit]

Yeah, that's called the First House, built in 1875. They moved it all the way from La Crescenta. Thats not Henninger's house, Henninger was just a gold prospector who was squatting on the land. That's why there's so much mining equipment up there.

[Sean]

I guess I should wander around more next time I'm up there. I only went inside the main building once to get a soda.

[CrazyHermit]

These old tracks are the back wheels off the OM & M (One Man & Mule) railway, next to the old lookout tower. The front wheels are under the shelter at Inspiration Point. And behind those wheels is a cool little trail that takes you around the side of Henninger. There's a lot of deer up there.

[HikeUp]

And behind those wheels is a cool little trail that takes you around the side of Henninger. There's a lot of deer up there.

This is an amazingly peaceful place that very few know of or visit...hence the deer.

[Sean]

From Paul Ayers I have learned that there was a "fire phone" at Telephone Flat, and the road was referred to as the "flood control road."

Christopher Brennen seemed unaware of this, but gave the trail and flat an appropriate name based on the remaining telephone lines.

I have a theory about what the trail between Telephone Flat and Idlehour used to be called, but I'm still trying to confirm it...

[CrazyHermit]

I've seen those thin green telephone lines up there. Never knew about the fire phone. Cool photo. I have one somewhere of an old lodge up at Idlehour.

[HikeUp]

Another view of the Telephone Trail taken from the road that goes to the heliport above Henninger.

[HikeUp]

More threads about those water tunnels in upper Esme...

esme-canyon-tunnel-access-path-t6061.html


idlehour-caltech-cyn-esme-cyn-water-tun ... t3207.html

Crap...my pics don't show up on that linked report.

Here are a couple of shots from the water tunnel area - accessed easily from a spur trail off of Mt. Wilson Toll Road just below the trail to Idlehour.

[HikeUp]

Esme-Telephone.bmp

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[HikeUp]

And behind those wheels is a cool little trail that takes you around the side of Henninger. There's a lot of deer up there.

This is an amazingly peaceful place that very few know of or visit...hence the deer.

[HikeUp]

Some additional information about Eaton Cyn. (I think I posted a link to this before, but if I did it is probably broken now because I think he moved it to a new site).

https://davylawyer.appspot.com/eaton_can_hist.html

[Sean]

I have a theory about what the trail between Telephone Flat and Idlehour used to be called, but I'm still trying to confirm it...

There were actually two trails between Telephone Flat and Idle Hour Camp. One was called the Windsor Trail, which was built by a cabin owner named "Old Man" Windsor in the 1930s. This was a "level" route following the 2600' contour. It was still being used in the early '70s.

Then there was a trail built that switchbacked down to the creek where there was Sugar Bowl Camp. It then continued upstream to Idle Hour. I believe this was referred to as the "lower" trail, but really it was more of a connector route, as there had been an established creek route from the bottom of the canyon using ladders to climb the waterfalls.