Carlos & I tackled one of the more strenuous hikes in the San Gabriel's that we have trekked. It was straight out of my newest gift from my girlfriend, Trails of The Angeles (100 Hikes).
Following many unmarked, rock-slide, & snow covered paths we found our way from Red Box up and around Mt. Lawlor to it's north side, crossing to the saddle.
At the saddle just below Strawberry Peak, there is a junction to follow below the ridge-line to the right you wind down to Strawberry Meadow. Carlos & I chose the faint climber's trail to the left that followed up the ridge-line for a solid uphill mile long scramble.
Greeted at the summit with wonderful views deep into the Angeles & far out into the Pacific. Truly the best view from the front range I have had since moving to LA almost a decade ago.
After lingering for some time on the peak & really capturing the moment in my head, there was the traverse down to think about. Closing in on about a mile left in the trail you can seen in the photo below the sun setting while we are still on the trail. A wonderful glow came over the whole Angeles forest that eve.
1 comment:
UPDATE FOR AN EMAILER QUESTION - MARCH 18th, 2012
Thanks for the kind words. It is true that when we did the hike it was technically closed. Didnt really notice or know that until we saw the trail sign on our way out, closer to Red Box. I had chosen the hike from a book and not see via web sites.
As per the tracks and others hiking at the time, this was on New Years Day 2012, we found a geo-cahce box with several entries each month. Maybe looking like each weekend or so someone made it up there via Red Box or it Think Switzer Parking lot. None the less we didnt see a soul the day we went.
The snow was on the North side of Lawlor and wasnt really any trouble. The rock slides were on the western facing side that looks down on Angeles Crest (exactly where you had mentioned in your email). Mostly in small parts where the trails switches back into the small gullies of the canyon. There were obvious trails walked over them w/ not trouble navigating them. There is an attached photo, kinda large size, but once you get it, you can zoom in a bit and see my friend Carlos moving over one of the rock slides, quite sturdy, not going anywhere. More or less, boulders covering along the top of the trail, nothing that a little caution wont solve.
Once at the saddle where the trails splits to the peak or to Strawberry Meadow, I would say that mile or so to the top took a bit under an hour. There was some uphill to traverse that only led back down, causing more up hill to the peak we couldn't see initially from the saddle. The route was easy to follow, but quite thorny and over grown in some parts. Mostly trail winding up to about 10 to 15 foot rock scrambles. Nothing again terribly difficult with slower caution. There is plenty of places to get out of the sun and wind via rocks, but not to many large trees.
With all this said and done above, it is more of a report on the conditions on a good day from when hiked. This past weekends storm has brought tons of snow to the mountains. From a few views in the San Fernando Valley, it looks like there is snow on Strawberry Peak now. I myself, went snowshoeing at Baldy this Sunday and there was ridiculous amounts of fresh white stuff.
Hope this was helpful, feel free to get back to me.
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