Beyond Limits on Foot!

Seeley Creek Trail – San Bernardino National Forest

Where:	San Bernardino National Forest
Mileage:	1.4 miles
Elevation gain:	200 feet
Difficulty:	Easy

Directions: From the 210 freeway, take exit 76 (Waterman Ave). Drive north on Waterman Ave. After 2 miles this becomes Highway 18 (Rim of the World Highway). At about 11 miles, take the exit onto Route 138 West. Drive about 2.6 miles through Crestline. You will hit the entrance of Camp Seeley. Turn left onto Forest Service Road 2N03 past the camp. The road is dirt here. Go about 0.4 miles from Route 138; you will hit a gated area. The trail to Heart Rock begins next to the marker labeled 4W07.

Description
You’re probably thinking, wait, there is a heart formation in the forest? Yes, there is. In the past I’ve seen pictures with the waterfall, but when we went there was absolutely no running water.

We didn’t have a hard time finding the place. It was a nice little walk in the woods and perfect for an afternoon hike if you’re staying at Silverwood Lake or even Lake Arrowhead.

Pros:
1. No permit is required to hike to Heart Rock.
2. It is free to park at the trailhead.
3. Trail is dog friendly.

Cons:
1. Too much graffiti
2. Too much trash (take a trash bag, help clean)
3. No water (go during spring/early summer)

Note to self: Go early to avoid crowds.

Cheeseboro Canyon – Santa Monica Mountains

Where:	Santa Monica Mountains
Mileage:	13.1 miles
Difficulty:	Easy
Recommended:	Good for trail run or mountain biking

To get to the trailhead: From the coast take Topanga Canyon Blvd east. Turn left on Mulholland Drive. Get on the 101 North and exit onto Cheeseboro Rd. Turn north onto Palo Comado Canyon Rd then right on Cheeseboro Rd. Pass the park entrance and turn right and follow the road to the parking lot.

Description:
Cheeseboro Canyon sits at the northernmost outskirts of the Santa Monica Mountains. Many of the original trails before expanded by cattle ranchers were Chumash trails built by the Chumash Indians. This was their habitat for many years.

This area is very popular to trail runners and mountain bikers. This was one of my first trail runs. I started at about 0800, it was crispy and misty outside. I was only going to do 10.25 miles, but circumstances changed my hike to add on almost 3 extra miles. Oh well, now I can say on my first trail run I ran a half-marathon.

I started at the Main Park entrance and took Modelo Trail to Palo Comado Connector Trail to the left. I continued on Palo Comado Canyon Trail all the way to Sheep Corral Trail and made a right. There was a bit of uphill on this portion. I was about 7 miles at this point and decided to take a quick break.

I continued on Sheep Corral Trail to the East and missed the turn off on Cheeseboro Ridge Trail so ended up taking Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Trail back South. I encountered a number of runners, but many more mountain bikers. This portion of the hike was completely out in the open.

The sun was beaming at this point. I took the Cheeseboro Canyon Trail connector and reached the Canyon Trail. Here is where I looked for my phone to take a photo. My phone, my phone, my phone was gone. Well, might as well keep running and retrace my steps. Half a mile, nothing. Another half a mile, nothing. Now began the uphill and about another half a mile up, there it was laying in the dirt. PHEW, I got lucky. Zipped it up safely into my backpack and headed back down to my car.

I got back to the car around 1100. I didn’t feel my legs were that tired until I had to start driving my car (manual); legs shook a little. Either way – must make this a routine, come out for a long trail run instead of always the same old gym.

Note to self: Put phone inside backpack and bring more water for a long run like this.

Devil’s Chair – San Gabriel Mountains

Where:	San Gabriel Mountains
Mileage:	7.5 miles
Difficulty:	Easy
Recommended:	Go early in the day

To get to the trailhead: Take Interstate 5 North. Exit onto 14N toward Palmdale. After 30 miles or so, take exit 30 to Pearblossom Highway. Turn right onto 87th Str. Turn left onto Fort Tejon, right onto Longview, and left on Tumbleweed. Here you will find a parking lot. Parking is free, but closes at sunset.

Description:

Devil’s Punchbowl County Park is situated in a remote area on the northern side of the San Gabriel Mountains. The rock formations in this area are a direct result of the San Andreas and Punchbowl Faults.

0845 start – 1015 finish – I zoomed through this trail as I had to get back to town. I would recommend spending some time here.

Begin at the north end of the parking lot for about .9 miles on a fire road. You’ll catch a few glimpses of the Devil’s Punchbowl as the trees allow. After the first .9 miles you will hit the Devil’s Chair trail; this is considered high desert area. The trail stays level on the side of the mountain at about 5,000 feet. There are some slight descents and ascents during the middle section of the trail. Most of this part of the trail is more exposed and provides views of Antelope Valley –lucky for me it was a clear day.

Finally at the last portion of the trail I ran into the first hiker on her way out. She had the right idea. I sat at the edge looking out while I snacked and had a refreshing drink.

The Devil’s Chairs gives a 180 degree view of one of the most active rift zones in the world and what happens to the ground. On the way back I saw a few crowds were coming in.

Note to self: Come early in the morning to beat the heat and the crowds. During summer months it can get extremely hot.

Ratikon Tour

Where:	Switzerland
Mileage:	~40 miles
Difficulty:	Strenuous

Hut to Hut Ratikon Tour

See video of trip below.

The Rätikon is a mountain range situated on the borders of Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The highest peak is under 3000 meters, the advantage to this range is that almost every mountain can be easily reached without crampons and/or an ice axe. It is famous for their breathtaking views and many people take a multi-day trip to enjoy this area.

Relaxing night before hike we stayed at Hotel Turna in Malbun, Liechtenstein. Hot tub, steam room and great view, I’ll take it. 3 countries in 4 days.

Our route:
Day 1: Malbun – Sareiserjoch – Nenzinger Himmel – Amotschonjoch – Paludhütte
Day 2: Palüdhütte – Brand – Lünersee – Saulajoch – Heinrich Hueter hütte
Day 3: Heinrich Hueter hütte – Lünerkrinne – Totalp hütte – Gamsluggen – Schesaplana hütte
Day 4: Schesaplana hütte – Hochjoch/Gr. Furka – Pfalzer hütte – Malbun

Day 1: Malbun – Sareiserjoch – Nenzinger Himmel – Amotschonjoch – Paludhütte

Breakfast at hotel in Malbun, Liechtenstein (1600m). Sun behind the mountains we headed towards Sareiserjoch (2000m); it took about an hour to reach. Climb began on pavement passing by small homes, cows, sheep, llamas and marmots. This was Alpine territory. The word alp signifies a high mountain pasture where cows are taken to be grazed during the summer months. Being that we were hiking through Moo Moo country, it was a challenge to stay on trail because of the tracks left from the cows. It was also a challenge to hear each other as the cow bells were making a lot of noise.

From Sareiserjoch you have a view of two different countries: Malbun, Liechtenstein on one side and Nenzinger Himmel, Austria on the other. My sister unable to hike this part of the journey took the ski lift up on Alp Sareis. We were able to find her through my camera lens waving at us on the joch. She would later meet us on the Austrian side. Joch’s a funny word and after much discussion on its translation, I decided to research it. A joch is a col and it refers to the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks. That much was apparent, but I’ve never heard the word col until now. The translation was not a notch, pass, gully or even a saddle. Cols usually lie on the line of the watershed between two mountains, usually on a prominent ridge.

The weather grew warmer on our descent to Nenzinger Himmel (1400m). On this part of the trail we hit the border of Liechtenstein and Austria. Of course we would stop for a picture sitting right on the border. We crossed over Schalanza stream and could see Stüber Fall. We reached Nenzinger, a summer settlement of 200 homes, 1 guest house and hotel business, a café and a grocery store.

Amotschonjoch (2028m) was the next obstacle and was quite the climb. During the gruesome ascent we ran into about 50 hikers with children and a herd of cows on the hiking trail. We scurried off to the side to get ahead of the traffic. Hirschsee was a tiny bit off-trail. We ate lunch sitting by the tiny turquoise lake with towering cliffs above. Quite the view.

Headed back towards Amatschonjoch ridge through a meadow with views of Gamperdonatal Valley and the joch itself. The path narrowed as we crossed sever small creeks/waterfalls. On the way down to Palüdhutte (1660m) was wet and slippery. On the slop of the mountain Chamois (goat-like animals) were grazing. We arrived to the hut and enjoyed a nice cold radle with our sister. 16 kilometers (10 miles) down.

Palüd is a French word meaning wet spongy ground or land that is covered partially or entirely with water. The hut is owned and operated by a family of three generations. They clean, cook, etc. Dinner was a three course meal.

Day 2: Palüdhütte – Brand – Lünersee – Saulajoch – Heinrich Hueter hütte

Good Morning Austrian Alps! It was crispy outside when we woke up. After breakfast we split into two groups: two headed down to Brand on the chair lift and two hiked down to Brand. On the trial we passed by a horse scratching his back on the trail sign and of course cows loitering on the path.

To reach Brand we walked through a dense forest; the ground was covered in moss. The descent was 600 feet in 50 minutes to Brand (1007m). Stop at ATM for Euros. Check.

Schattenlagantweg path is the route to Lünerseebahn. We walked alongside Alvierbach stream with a view to the west of 4 waterfalls. From Lünerseebahn to the reservoir, Lünersee and Douglashütte (1976m) it was 414 meters of ascent. The path turned from dirt to limestone rock as we climbed the switchbacks. Towards the top chains and ropes were put in place for safety.

It leveled out as we hit a waterfall and a few more switchbacks we reached the top. Beauty, exquisiteness, splendor, grandness should I find more words from the thesarus. I can’t explain exactly what my eyes saw at that moment. The sky decided to cool us off with sprinkles as we reached Lünersee surrounded by the peaks of Zaluandakopf, Kirchlispitzen, Schesaplana and Seekopf.

There were many people at Douglashütte as it is an easily accessible route because of the cable car. Off we went to Heinrich Hueter hütte (HHH) from here after a small snack. There are two routes to HHH, we took the harder strenuous route. This climb was straight up on the side of the mountain to Saulajoch (2065m) just under Saulakopf (2516m). Parts of the hike were dangerous as one side was a mountain wall and the other nothing but air.

This area is home to a wide range of flowers (Enzian, Türkenbund lilies, Alpenrosen) that bloomed on Saulajoch. Heinrich hütte (1766m) welcomed uswith a large wooden terrace. The view from the terrace was incredible as the sun set in the valley below us. Another 16 km done! Unlike the last hut, this one seems to be much more popular and was completely full for the night. Good night Vorarlberg, Austria!

Day 3: Heinrich Hueter hütte – Lünerkrinne – Totalp hütte – Gamsluggen – Schesaplana hütte

Destination today Schesaplana hütte. Since yesterday we came through Saulajoch we decided to head back to Lünersee the Lünerkrinne way. Lünerkrinne (2155m) is a narrow gap in the ridge. From here we turned left on the path around the lake and headed up to Totalphütte (2385m). This 45 minute stretch was quite challenging. At Totalphütte we warmed up with Speckknödel- a favorite in the mountainous areas of all European countries in the Alpine regions. Speckknödel (Austrian Bacon Dumplings) is a traditional Austrian recipe for a classic dish.

Totalphütte is open every summer from mid-June to early October; since there is no road to get up here, food procurement is done by helicopter and a ropeway that delivers weekly fresh goods. Before 2010 the hut was fueled with a diesel generator, two pv systems and a small wind turbine, but since there is high amount of guests they had to connect it to an electrical grid.

To reach Schesaplana hütte we faced the climb to Gamsluggen (2380m)- not the most predictable standard path. Snow covering the north side and stairs cut into the limestone on the south side. The path was incredibly steep and narrow with chains to utilize to reach the top. Perfect view of Lünersee and the Swiss side. On the descent the path was unstable, rocks joining us as we slipped down the trail. Finally reaching the flat portion of the trail we were now in Switzerland.

Schesplana hütte was originally built in 1898 and sits below the cliffs of the Schesaplana. The place is owned and run by three generations of a family that cooks, cleans, serves, etc. Food and drinks were just right!

Day 4: Schesaplana hütte – Hochjoch/Gr. Furka – Pfalzer hütte – Malbun

We missed the rain overnight. Heading northwest to Hochjoch/Gr. Furka (2359m) it was colder and cloudier. On the trail up we saw an animal I had never seen before, an alpen salamander- shiny, black color. They live in the Central, Eastern and Dinaric Alps and only above 700 meters which is just close to 2,300 feet.

As we got near the peak of Gr. Furka we crossed back into Austria. Naafkopf (2571m) marks the point at which the three countries (Liechtenstein, Austria and Switzerland) meet. Continuing north in the haze to Barthümeljoch- we were on a flat and rocky section with reddish formations within the grey stone. This area is known as Rote Wand translating into Red Well. It was here that we sighted male and female Alpine Ibex. Their sight is very infrequent especially the males.

We reached Pfälzerhütte (2108m) which lies on the Bettlerjoch ridge- border of Liechtenstein and Austria. Quick stop to warm up and dry our shoes. We decided to peak Augstenberg (2359m). The route took us up and then leveled out for about 45 minutes until we reached the peak. The view, the view, the view. 360 panorama.

We took the ridge until the descent to Malbun. An hour and a half later it was over. Our feet soaked in the freezing river for only a moment as it was astoundingly cold. Goodbye Ratikon Tour!

Note to self: Buy new hiking shoes.

Check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDMYcVyq_60.

Convict Lake Backcountry – Inyo National Forest

Where:	Inyo National Forest
Mileage:	25.9 miles
Difficulty:	Strenuous
Elevation gain:	6000 feet

Description:
Map – Mammoth High Country Map (Tom Harrison)
Permits – Quotas in effect May – Nov; available online in advance: $5/person

Day 1: Convict Lake to Mildred Lake
After a good 5 hour drive we arrived at the trailheads parking lot which had one lone car sitting in it. Start time 1830 with around 5 miles to go and 2000 feet up. This would unfortunately put us in the dark for half of the climb up.

Convict Lake sits at 7,621 feet. The lake’s name originated from an incident that occurred in 1871, where a party of convicts escaped from the Carson City prison. Mount Morrison above the lake was named after Robert Morrison who was killed in an encounter when the Deputy Sheriff led a group to find the escaped convicts.

Before we left we weighed our packs one more time: 41 lbs. Success – less than last year’s. Off we were to Mildred Lake only to see the sun for a couple hours. Looking passed the lake, you couldn’t see a trail beyond it and to think we were entering that, well it was exciting per say.

After about 3.8 miles we hit the river crossing, luckily it was before darkness was upon us. At this point it was 2030 and we had to put our headlamps on after drying our feet and putting our boots back on. The rest of the way was uphill to Mildred Lake, much more rocky and strenuous then the first part of the trail. We didn’t know how steep it was until the last day, climbing on top of a landslide with sharp rocks that sound like glass under your feet.

We reached Mildred (9,450 feet) around 2200 and pumped some water, then hiked around to see where there would be a good camp spot. With no trees around, we decided to go right under Mildred back down the trail to where there was a comfortable looking campsite in the sand and under the trees. We made some soup after setting up our tents and finally after tying up all our food, we finally called it a night around 2300.

After crossing the river

41 lbs

Campsite on first night

Day 2: Mildred Lake to Lake Wit-So-Nah-Pah (Dorothy, Bighorn and Constance Lakes)

730 rolled around as we made our coffee and packed up to head to Mildred to have our breakfast. After pumping water and eating our Mountain House (Scrambled Eggs and Ham in a tortilla) we headed to look for the trail that looked like it didn’t exist. GPS says it was there, map says it was there, but we couldn’t see it on the mountainside. Finally after a bit of scrimmaging around, we hit the trail up, climbing all the way up to 10,300’.

The first part of the “short” 1.3 mile climb was treacherous as we were climbing on sharp rocks that made sounds like we were dropping glass under us. Once we reached 10000 feet, the view emerged of Mildred with the towering walls of granite and slate around it. Mildred sat in a vast valley of streams and meadows. The further we went up, we entered a luscious green area that felt as if we were walking in a rainforest. Of course the normal towering trees lingered above us as well keeping us in the shade and a little cooler.

We hit a junction at about 10,300’ and turned left as we were headed towards Lake Wit-So-Nah-Pah not Lake Genevieve. Lake Dorothy (10,350’) sat in a bowl that was formed by rock slides of the granite and red slate. Dorothy was a little over a mile long and is 150 acres. Once we reached the end of Dorothy the trail was not as maintained; good thing we had the Garmin with us. After a gruesome climb we had an almost full view of Dorothy below us. Bighorn Lake was much smaller than Dorothy.

After passing Bighorn, we climbed up a tiny gully following our GPS to find Lake-Wit-So-Nah-Pah lingering right below us to the right and a vast valley to our left. We reached Wit-So and found our campsite (only real flat spot on the north side of the lake). After a snack we decided to head up all the way to Constance Lake. Constance Lake is a massive lake that is formed from the runoff of a glacier. After enjoying its presence we stumbled across the many boulders back down to our campsite at Lake Wit-So-Nah-Pah. After some soup and some stargazing we all passed out, but were awaken multiple times by the strong winds. I could have sworn that our tents were going to fly away with us.

Just below Lake Constance

Lake Constance

Lake Wit-So-Nah-Pah

Day 3: Lake Wit-So-Nah-Pah to Lake Genevieve (Dorothy, Edith and Cloverleaf Lakes)

After not much sleep we packed up our things after a small snack and headed down the same way we came to Bighorn then Dorothy. It was on the way down where we were able to see the vastness of Dorothy below us. After about an hour we reached the split to go left to Lake Genevieve. There was a short climb up 200 feet and then down 300 feet.

This side of the Convict Lake Backcountry the mountains were more red slate colored. We must of hit 10-15 switchbacks on the way down, which did not excite us for the way back at all. Down we went and first task was to find the campsite for the night. We found a spot and took a short nap after eating breakfast for lunch. Once we napped we headed up to Edith Lake and Cloverleaf Lake. Even though the mosquitos were eating us alive we made it to Cloverleaf checked it out and kept going.

Cloverleaf was more of a swampy lake, but the water was completely clear and you could see a good amount of large fish swimming to safety as we arrived. Edith Lake was the larger of the two. Both had great views of Bloody Mountain standing above us a little over 12,000’. Hurrying back down to our campsite we took a quick swim in Genevieve and soaked up a bit of sun.

Looking at the sky it filled up with clouds that were getting darker and darker. It was time to possibly get rained on, though the clouds were moving fast and left us dry the entire night.

Lake Wit-So-Nah-Pah

Lake Dorothy

Fish in Lake Genevieve

Lake Genevieve

Day 4: Lake Genevieve to Convict Lake Trailhead

The next morning we packed up and headed back to the cars. It was muggy and drizzly when we headed up 300 feet towards Dorothy. Mosquitos were out to get us as we sped through the only uphill portion of the day. After reaching the top we took a short break and headed down to the junction back to the car or to Lake Dorothy.

We turned left and headed down to Lake Mildred. The view was incredible from atop looking down into the valley that Mildred sat in. We stopped at the waterfall dropping out of Mildred for a little snack. We were excited to see what it looked like on our way down, since we came up in the dark on Thursday night.

We grabbed our packs and headed down to discover what we climbed the first day. Staggering down from an elevation of 9600’ to 7600’ we were overwhelmed and surprised at the stunning views ahead of us. It was inconceivable that we had gone up in the dark on Convict Creek Trail. The creek was on our side as we staggered down on the trail with enormous walls stretching high and around as we dropped in elevation.

After 7.6 miles we finally hit the cars, took off our shoes and looked back into the valley recollecting the journey we just took. 25.9 miles later, climbing over 6000’ feet we took off our shoes, socks and backpacks as a few more drips from the clouds cooled us off from the humid hike down.

Convict Creek: waterfall coming out of Lake Mildred

Note to self: Pack a little more raingear and mosquito repellent, especially in July!

General Grant Tree Trail – Kings Canyon National Park

Where:	Kings Canyon National Park
Mileage:	.86 miles
Difficulty:	Easy
Recommended:	Camera

Directions: Going east from Fresno on the 180, after about 50 miles, you will reach Big Stump Entrance Station. 1.7 miles after you will reach and intersection, turn left to stay on Route 180 and drive another 1.6 miles and turn left on Grant Tree Road. You will reach the Grant Grove parking Area at the bottom of the road.

The trail is shaped almost like the figure 8. We started on the trail to the right this time towards General Grant Tree. Before heading there we passed by the Fallen Monarch, you can walk through this tree; it was quite the feeling walking through a tree that had been living for so many years.

We reached General Grant Tree’s Photo Point. This is where you can capture the grandness of General Grant Tree. The lowest branch of this majestic tree is 129 feet off the ground. General Grant Tree has a volume estimation of 46,608 cubic feet, weights over 1,250 tons and is 267 feet tall. Usually a story is no more than 10-12 feet. This would be as tall as a 27 story building. Make your way here at least once in your life to experience such vastness and tranquility.

The General Grant Tree is the world’s third largest tree, known as “The Nation’s Christmas Tree” and named after Ulysses S. Grant, America’s 18th president and victorious Civil War General.

Passing by some other historical experiences including: Gamlin Cabin (built in 1872), Centennial Stump (tree cut in 1875 – sent to Philadephia Centennial Exhibition of 1876) and Twin Sisters (joined together at their bases).

Note to self: Come early in the day to beat the crowds.

Buck Rock Lookout – Giant Sequoia National Monument

Where:	Giant Sequoia National Monument
Mileage:	.82 miles
Difficulty:	Easy
Recommended:	Binoculours

Directions: Heading south on General’s Highway (198) to Big Meadows Road. Turn left onto FS 14S11. After 3 miles you hit Horse Camp campground, turn left onto FS 13S04. Follow signs to Buck Rock, it is about 2.5 miles. There are restrooms and picnic tables, no water on site.

We’ve been coming to Hume Lake for years and finally made it out to see this giant granite dome resting at 8502’. All we knew about this place was there was a rock with a tiny hut on it. Well curiosity brought us here to Buck Rock Lookout where a 360 degree view of the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada and the San Joaquin Valleys ranges to the west can be appreciated.

As we climbed 172 steps to the top of the rock, we discovered that this “hut” was actually a Fire lookout developed in 1912 as one of the first permanent fire detection locations in the Sierra Nevada. Before this platform was built in 1923, a ranger would have to climb onto it scanning for smoke only using the following: binoculars, a compass and a map. Now the hut is fully equipped with radios and a telephone to report fires and other emergency situations.

Buck Rock Foundation worked with the Forest Service to obtain grants, recruit volunteers and renovate. It is staffed seven days a week during the fire season. No more than 6 people at a time are recommended on the lookout.

Heather Lake – Sequoia National Forest

Where:	Sequoia National Forest
Mileage:	8.40 miles
Difficulty:	Moderately Strenuous
Elevation gain:	2400 feet
Recommended:	swim suit, lunch, and camera

To get to the trailhead: Going North on 198, make a right onto Wolverton Rd. Park in the lot next to the trailhead 1.5 miles in.

After reading about Lakes Trail in Backpacker Magazine, I decided to take a couple people with me on this regions (Sequoia National Park) finest weekend hike. Decision: Day hike.

Wolverton Parking Lot sits at 7,303 feet. We took our first steps here towards Heather Lake. I scrambled a bit for about .2 miles trying to get my tracks to start on my new Garmin64st (GPS). To be honest I probably should have figured out how to use it before, but was able to get the track started in time to enjoy my time with some friends and the encompassing area. Trailhead stated 4.1 miles to Heather Lake.

The trail was a steady uphill until we hit the Watchtower trail. This was the more “picturesque” way, but was closed due to icy conditions. We continued up to the right and took Hump Trail, which allowed us to stay cool and sheltered by the Sequoias covered in moss and the creek nearby. The more we gained elevation, the more snow there was! Yes, snow in May in California is still possible. Every step we took the views became even more astonishing as we hit the “Hump” of our hike at 9,400 feet. At this point we were rewarded with a view of rising peaks of granite looming 2000 feet above the Tokopah Valley base.

Less than ¼ mile away from Heather Lake, we snapped some photos and staggered 200 feet downhill to the secluded bowl of water inhabited with rainbow trout and hidden marmots. Surrounded by towering trees and granite cliffs the lake’s reflection was unfathomable with the snow covered boulders lying peacefully. The lake was somewhat of a surprise as most of our mileage till now was spent staggering in the forest.

Lake = water = swimming. The couple we passed on the way up was right behind us and apparently heard us take a dip into the freezing lake; I guess those screams can be heard from a mile away! The lady mentioned “It must be refreshing to get into the cold water on a nice day like this after a hike up…” later mumbling to herself, “Not for me though!” She has a point that it is refreshing; it always is when you get into a lake in the wilderness, a feeling that I can’t explain with words.

Some moments later we decided to try to take the Watchtower trail down only to find ourselves abandoning it and climbing over the hill to the original ascended trail. Why? Ice/Snow. Maybe we should have listened to the sign on the way up, except that if we did not go this way, we would not have seen Tokopah Valley through the eyes of Watchtower Trail. I will definitely make an effort to come back on this trail and take the route that sadly remained unseen in our eyes.

After climbing 200 feet and scrambling across the forest, we found the trail we initially came on; thank you Garmin for showing us the direction of the tracks we formed on our way up. Intermittent rain was upon us as we descended cooling us off quite a bit. It was all downhill from here; we reached the cars and as we snacked it rained. The skies above us cleared up a few minutes later and we headed back to camp.

Note to self: 1. Return to take the Watchtower Trail. 2. Hit the other 3 lakes. 3. Listen to warning signs on trails!

Timber Mountain via Icehouse Canyon – San Gabriel Mountains

Where:	San Gabriel Mountains
Mileage:	9.00 miles
Difficulty:	Moderately Strenuous
Elevation gain:	3400 feet
Recommended:	Depending on weather, warm clothes towards summit

To get to the trailhead: On the 210 Freeway, driving east, Exit on Baseline Road and turn left. After one block turn right on Padua Avenue. Continue 1.7 miles and turn right onto Mt. Baldy Road. After 7.2 miles you will hit Angeles National Forest Mt. Baldy Visitor Center. If you do not have a permit stop here for the Forest Adventure Pass. Continue another 1.5 miles to the Icehouse Canyon entrance. Make a right and park in the large parking area. Come early as this parking lot gets full.

I left home a little later than expected and only hit the trailhead at 1000. By this time the parking lot was full and lucky me entered the parking lot exactly when someone was leaving. From what I read before this is one of the best hikes in the San Gabriel Mountains. But what does “best hike” mean? It’s different for everyone. I most definitely thought this was one of the more scenic hikes I’ve done in the Southern California region.

From the beginning of the trail there are many different kinds of trees and plants including oak, fir, spruce, alder and even pine. The first mile or so was spent passing by old cabins and cabin ruins while listening to the creek (yes, it had water). 1 mile in I hit the Chapman Trail crossing and continued on straight on the Icehouse Canyon Trail. Once you enter the Cucamonga Wilderness the forest opens up a little more. The further you go on the trail and climb elevation, you’ll begin to enjoy views, so make sure you make the time to turn around and take a breather to check out that view.

At this point when you hit Columbine Spring again, the trail will get… STEEPER. Yes, STEEPER meant switchback after switchback until reaching Icehouse Saddle. It was only 1130 when I reached the top and I decided to take the extra mile up to Timber Mountain. I only stopped for a moment as there was a rather large crowd at this Junction disrupting the enjoyable “silence” of the outdoors.

I took the trail left and reached the top of Timber Mountain only to find a larger group gathered around the sign showing the elevation, made it quite difficult to get a lone picture of the sign and myself. Timber Mountain sits at 8,303 feet. I spent a good 15 minutes at the top enjoying the silence by taking the trail a little further and finding a standalone rock. After refreshment and a little food, I decided to jog the 4.5 miles down. I was in my car by 1400.

Note to self: Spend a little more time at the top soaking up the sun.

Gold Mountain – San Bernardino Mountains

Where:	San Bernardino Mountains
Mileage:	6.25 miles
Difficulty:	Easy to Moderate
Elevation gain:	1000 feet
Recommended:	Binoculars

To get to the trailhead:
Take 18 across North in between Baldwin and Big Bear Lake. Make a right on the 18 until you hit Holcomb Valley Rd. Make a right here and continue up the mountain until you hit a intersection, make a left and look for parking as soon as you hit a “mill”.

To be honest, before we ended up here, we drove 25 miles past the hike we were going to do, we decided late enough to check out Gold Mountain. Starting out on a dirt flat road the remains of a mining operation in the range were in sight.

Gold Mountain is one of the prominent peaks on the northeast side of Big Bear Lake sitting at 8,235 feet. Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin a millionaire from San Francisco struck a deal to construct a mill that started a “gold rush” in 1874. The mill ran for 20 years because the cost to recover the gold exceeded the profit.

Heading up from the mill on the dirt road we finally hit the 4 wheel drive trail that would take us all the way to the top. After about a mile we hit the Pacific Crest Trail. Staying on the Gold Mountain trail we headed up 1000 feet to a panorama view overlooking the town of Big Bear and Big Bear Lake with an array of views of San Gorgonio’s white range in the distance.

Note to self: Check map from initial move, though