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Dudes on Burnt Peak

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 7:34 am
by Sean
Madison, Jeff and I celebrated the new year with a hike to Peak 3221, which is near Switzer, off the Gabrielino Trail. Lizzie Miller, in her 1895 book The True Way, referred to it as Burnt Peak.
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Based on minimal scouting, I thought we'd encounter a quarter-mile of dense brush, so we went prepared, bringing loppers and a machete.

Starting at 8am meant that we found a nice parking spot in the lower lot at Switzer. We headed down the Gabrielino, enjoying the early morning and peaceful vibe of the uncrowded canyon. The water was flowing strong, but not too strong. The crossings posed very little challenge. At the old camp we noticed new furnishings fashioned out of oak branches. We chilled on the couch before ascending out of the canyon bottom.
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Our second leg took us up and around Switzer Falls, which was partially visible through the trees and brush. Then we came to Lizzie's Vista, where Rose Peak and the Bear Canyons come into view.
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Continuing along the trail we soon hit our launching point for Burnt Peak. At first it looked like the wall of brush that I had promised the dudes.
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But while I was peeing, Jeff and Madison found a hidden entrance to an already cut path.
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The route follows a very narrow ridge, referred to as "the backbone" by Lizzie Miller. The cut path weaves through head-high chaparral. It resembles lines quickly created by firefighters for practice, but it might also be someone's personal project to their favorite, secret peak. While the trimming was substantial, the tread had not been worked much, if at all. Approaching a small bump we missed a bypass segment and had to negotiate a steep drop on the other side.
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On the return we found the bypass and trimmed the overgrown entrance which we had missed.
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Despite having a precut path, it was slightly overgrown, and we did put our tools to work improving the clearance here and there, especially on the final push to the summit.
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The summit already had a rock pile, but no register or benchmark that we could find. There were a couple anchors with attached wires, and along the ridge we found pole stumps, so there must have been a telephone wire back in the day, probably going to Pasadena via Oakwilde.

We trimmed a space for lounging around the summit and then set out the liquor.
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Yes, the dudes imbibe.

Madison brought a bottle of Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog, and the three of us polished it off like it was candy.
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I brought Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey and beer. It's safe to say we got fairly hammered and were happy to be on a new peak for the new year. We left a register, but by then I was pretty drunk and forgot to write the peak name at the top.
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We stumbled around the summit admiring the views. I looked for a benchmark but couldn't find one. We were treated to some skywriting that endorsed Alabama in the Rose Bowl game.
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Then we gathered our gear and wobbled down the trail, thankful for the work done while sober.

Jeff had never been to Switzer, so we took a quick side trip to the waterfall before heading back to the car.
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We noticed a spring coming straight out of the rock near the picnic area. A sign clearly said the water was unsafe to drink. But Jeff drank some anyway, because signs don't mean shit to a real dude who does what he wants, where he wants.
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Re: Dudes on Burnt Peak

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 12:31 pm
by dima
Nice! I've wondered about that ridge above Royal Gorge. Can you see down into the river from there? Is there any sense you're above a "gorge"?

Re: Dudes on Burnt Peak

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 2:07 pm
by Sean
dima wrote: Tue Jan 02, 2024 12:31 pm Nice! I've wondered about that ridge above Royal Gorge. Can you see down into the river from there? Is there any sense you're above a "gorge"?
Yes, you can look down into it from the trail. It's very steep around that section of the ridge.

Re: Dudes on Burnt Peak

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2024 7:11 am
by Uncle Rico
Here's a few more from our inebriated adventure.
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Sean and Jeff on the Gabrielino Trail
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Early morning in Bear Canyon
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Sean and Jeff on the "backbone."
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Jeff down-climbing a steep spot
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Summit view east
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Sean bashing through the brush in a drunken stupor
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The Arroyo was not very Seco

Re: Dudes on Burnt Peak

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2024 9:49 am
by Nate U
I remember scouting the approach with Sean this past summer and it looked pretty darn thick with brush, so whoever got there first definitely helped ya'll out. Nice chill hike to celebrate the new year.

Re: Dudes on Burnt Peak

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2024 4:59 pm
by JeffH
Just a few more pics, once again a nice reminder why we like to live in SoCal.
Feet dry on this early crossing.
Feet dry on this early crossing.
View up the canyon toward Lowe etc. This alone is worth the walk.
View up the canyon toward Lowe etc. This alone is worth the walk.
Creek flowing at the bottom of the canyon.
Creek flowing at the bottom of the canyon.
Final approach to Burnt Peak.
Final approach to Burnt Peak.
I told Cecilia later that less time clearing brush meant more time for drinking.
I told Cecilia later that less time clearing brush meant more time for drinking.
Does anyone know the significance of the number 16? Are there others out in the wild?
Does anyone know the significance of the number 16? Are there others out in the wild?
Since I had wet feet I waded out into the pool for a Switzer Falls shot.
Since I had wet feet I waded out into the pool for a Switzer Falls shot.
Sean's new socks.
Sean's new socks.
Post-hike refreshments - Beer, pizza and ice cream.
Post-hike refreshments - Beer, pizza and ice cream.