Historic Gabrielino Trail East Pt. 1 - San Gabriel Mts

*Read Part 2 of Historic Gabrielino Trail West*

Here we were again, Carlos, Collin & I waking with the sun to set up a thru hike in the San Gabriel Mountains. Parking the first car at Chantry Flats, we had another kind friend shuttle us up to Red Box, along the Angeles Crest Highway. We all chuckled a little during the 45 minute car ride, that we would eventually connect with a 15 mile hike.

Setting off down hill from the parking lot we can see deep into the West Fork & a rough guide of where we were headed. Most of the day was punctuated by some fancy helicopter maneuvers between 4 different choppers. We would learn later they were installing new electric/communication towers to string lines.

Enough of that, after all we are out in the woods to get away & live a much simpler life, even if it is just for a night. Alas, this specific adventure, the Gabrielino Trail, has a long history of Native Americans & early pioneers using its same pathways to live a much more simplified life in the hills outside the growing LA basin.

We were able to carry out a few balloons, some bottles & a can or two found along the way.

In 1970 this pathway was designated a National Recreation Trail & runs a total of 28.5 miles. We were descending down to Devore Trail Camp some 7 miles into our hike. Past reports had led me to believe the section between West Fork Camp and Devore would be overgrown and hard to follow, but we did not find that to be the case. Some hiker has flagged most of the crossings with bright tape & the trail is still visible at all times.

 

Reaching Devore at a fine afternoon hour we had plenty of time to collect wood & explore all the small nuances of our new home for the night. Though this was fresh to us three, Devore Camp is a storied place, named after an old married couple that operated 2 camps in the West Fork in the 1920's, producing all the lumber for their camps there at a mill in the canyon.

Reflecting on the first days travel, the most beautiful section I believe was from West Fork Camp to Devore. The trail crosses the creek often & clings the side of the cliffs when traversing close the  bends in the river.

The photo above was taken along the West Fork & the photo below was taken in an un-named canyon that leads out of Devore that we were exploring.

More canyon exploring below.

A hearty meal & a warm campfire is always a welcome friend, this time around we had two cans of Oskar Blues TenFidy... going on 2.5 years of aging. A delicious smooth drink to enjoy with some friends under the stars, in the woods, around the fire.

The next day we set out to conquer the last 8 miles of our trip. The first goal was to get to Newcomb Pass. The trail leads right out of the upper campsite at Devore, some kind folks have strung up a falling trail sign just so as to point in the right direction.

The mile & a half to the pass is a wonderfully forested section of sustained climb. There is very few flat moments & our thighs were burning after some time. While walking this shaded northern slope encountered the most wildlife on our trip. There were large flocks of birds conversing in the tree tops, especially the closer we got to the Pass.

Scrambling up the east side of the Pass we were able to get a better vantage of Santa Anita Canyon that were going to travel down next. Looking far to the east we could see Baldy capped with snow.

Descending down into Santa Anita Canyon is like a slow shift back into city life. We began to see a couple more hikers here & there. Then more cabins & family began to emerge. The trail is cut right into the cliff side at times, while other times it travels deep amongst the trees. The trails of the West Fork are much more wild, covered in acorns, years of leafs falling & debris from the steep slopes of Mt. Wilson. While the Santa Anita Canyon is well traversed & is almost entirely clear of any loose material at all.

 

After reaching the canyon floor near Sturtevant Falls it was a veritable zoo of people & their K-9s. We would have to paused at times for others to walk on the wide fire road & talked with several people about where we had come from. If anyone is familiar with Chantry, they know there is a wonderfully punishing asphalt climb, lined with day hiking familys gulping down water, wondering where they went wrong. Out of the canyon now, we only then have to walk down the busy mountain road to find our car in the hundreds that line the road... adding another half mile to the journey. Welcome back.

*Read Part 2 of Historic Gabrielino Trail West*

In Search of Tom Lucas Trail Camp

Shouldering our packs amidst the 1920's cabins that line the entrance to Gold Creek, our imaginations can't help but wander of the lucky few who own these stunning retreats strewn throughout the Gabriels. Collin, Carlos, & I are set for an overnight in a region we haven't visited & with a possibility of all types of weather. Following the path in search of a true San Gabriel pioneer, Barefoot Tom. An early grizzly bear hunter & one of the very first forest rangers for the Angeles National Forest.

A standard brown forest service sign at the beginning warns this is not a maintained trail & has not been for some time. The whole are was burnt over in 1975 by the Big Santa Anita Fire, but has made an amazing come back that we will soon be punished by. Many trees still line the canyon floor completely bare, but standing.

The first portion of the hike to Trail Canyon Falls is quite easy going & nice. I'm certain that if more weekend LA hikers knew of this waterfall it would be over run similar to Stuervant Falls on a weekend. A graceful whisping wall of water is rolling between a huge cut of boulders, plunging through green ferns lining its steep walls.

| Can you see Collin hiking? Left of center |

Once we had past the falls the trail easily falls into the "unmaintained" category. We begin more of a boulder hop up the creek, spotting small rock cairns that other hikers have placed. At times following the river banks to move around large plant crops in the river bed. With the recent rains, Gold Creek was flowing beautifully & cold.

| Beautiful canyon cuts looking towards Condor Peak |

| Some really nice yellow & green fall color in this corridor |

Here is a major factor for those that have never traversed this trail, bc we did meet people on our exit on a 2nd attempt. Past the falls a ways someone has place orange tape up as trail markers, eventually those markers split right & switch back north east up onto a ridge that eventually leads to Condor Peak. You will know these b/c the switch backs look home-made & are un-godly steep at first. The trail to Tom Lucas camp at this point cross the creak north west, up a tributary stream for about 30 feet & then follows the west bank up the creek.

| Dropping down towards Trail Canyon Falls |

Back on track now our group is growing to encounter more & more poison ivy. This is not small two or three plants of the whicked stuff though, we are wading through sections that are the size of a two car garage. There is a thin path of downed foliage every once in a while to help know that others have walked here some time in the past few months. Sometime after about 2.5 miles we dubbed one area the "Poison Ivy Staircase" due to two switch backs being covered in poison ivy ascending from the banks on to a bluff.

About a half mile after the falls the rock cairns had become non existent. Stopping for lunch, we looked closley over the one & only map we had, plus the John Robinson description of this hike, which seemed to be from something like 1986.

Gathering our things, we began to set up cairns every time we dropped away from the banks & at river crossings & trail junctions. The path was pretty much up to the traveler at this point. At times we could see paths animals had made going off in other directions along the creek, but we would just forage ahead best as possible.

| Orange markers leading to Condor Ridge Use Trail (more details in text) |

Eventually opening up to a confluence of a couple canyons we could really look & access our goal. Standing on a large rock pile, all three of us could tell we needed to head more north east up the canyon below the unnamed peak coming off of Condor's summit. At this point our first problem is that this canyon twits & turns a lot & one can't see more than a 100 yards or so down the canyon at a time.

| More thick business |

We begin our best at following the loose path that it seems one other person had hiked in the past few months, there was only one rained out boot print we would see ever 1/4 mile or so. The poison ivy became less frequent, but in larger growth when it showed it's teeth. I write this 7 days later, still itching on my lower legs. Since leaving the falls up to this point we have come across only two semi-flat spots that could serve as camp if the impending growth takes over our hike too much.

| Point where we turned around. Notice the thick brush up canyon |

We reach a nice upper portion of the old trail that is washed out, but runs 10ft above the creek, easily better than the walking in the canyon floor. By this time we have easily crossed the creek for the 20 some odd time, dropping more cairns, & continuing up on the north east side of the river.

For the first time, encountering a large field of actual grass, that was over head high. Once again, opening onto a river bend with large trees turn their fall colors. With another opportunity we take a look at the  map & judge or best move. However, the waning sunlight, the unknown curves of the canyon & the general lack of trail are all slowly weighing heavier on all our shoulders. Fifteen more minutes we gave ourselves. Bushwhacking past this open field and back into the stream bed, we gained about 60 yards in that 15 minutes.

Looking up towards our goal, the canyon walls are carved in just a way so as to hide what is around the next bend. Though tough to concede, it was time to make a break for one of those flat spots we saw back down stream a ways. Collin found lots of dry grass while heading back towards camp, with a large rain storm just the previous day we needed as much dry tinder as possible. Quite possibly the saving grace for getting the evening started once we squared away some flats places next to the creek deep in Trail Canyon.

| Camp in the upper reaches of Trail Canyon |

The evening passed, the three of us well fed on chicken mac n cheese & beef stroganof (spelling). We continued reminiscing of many places we had visited this past year & the lessons we had learned walking amongst mother natures wonderful mountains. I look fondly back on two local trips in particular; one to Pleasant View Ridge as an overnight & also hiking the Three T's as an overnight trip with a fun hitch hike involved. The clouds came & went that night, at time revealing the starry nights wonderful brilliance.

The next morning we woke to a light mist that fell from the clouds that hung low, disguising the upper reaches of the peaks above us. Not truly certain if the clouds would burst into a down pour or hold strong for our exit, we dawned our hard shells & began our bushwhack back to organized city life.

Strawberry Meadow Backpack Trip

There are some places on a map that beckon you to explore. The graded topo lines just giving enough information for ones imagination to run wild with thoughts of the next place to uncover. Noted historian, John Robinson & climbing legend John Mendenhall's words only aided the desire to explore a guarded section of the San Gabriel Mountains.

| North Face Strawberry Peak |

Never one to appose any proposed ideas, mustache aficionado, Carlos is along for an overnight trip to Strawberry Meadow. Making final checks at Red Box, loading two days of water, cooking & all, we set off from the lot. In all the preconceived visions of this trip I had, none of them included what the first 10 minutes brought.

| Local Hunters, Info Below |

Around the bend before we even had a chance to adjust out straps comes a hunter wearing camo & a sequined teal hat. Briefly mentioning that more hunters were ahead. Not more than two minutes go buy & we cross a young man with his kill (above). He & some of his family that were bushwacking down the game trail to meet up. It was their first kill of the season & this was my first encounter with any hunters in the Gabriels. These were also the last people we saw till getting back to the car the next day.

The first portion of the trail around the lower rocky enclaves of Mt. Lawlor have be worked by a trail crew sometime over the 2012 year. Rock falls have been smoothed & filled in solid & bushes cut back. This only lasts for the first mile after the first saddle.

| Nicely maintained Strawberry Peak Trail |

While closing in on Strawberry Saddle I kept looking at the deceptive ridge route that leads up to the peak. Knowing now it's rollercoaster up & down rock scramble. Favoring not to summit any peaks on this trip, we crossed onto the north east side of Strawberry Peak, losing elevation as the saddle disappeared behind us.

| Fern Waterfall |

We knew from our previous Strawberry Peak experience that people tend to sign into the register about once or twice a month. There was not a single human foot print in the dirt anywhere on our journey. In 2009 the Station Fire ravaged this area & over the years has been recovering with nature taking over. There were deer prints throughout the entire hike, leading in all directions.

| Last views into the inner Gabriels |

The trail tends to go as follows for some time, descending the shaded recesses were over grown & head high with several types of poking & prodding bushes, leaving their itching remnants stuck all over. On the other hand, the exposed sun sections were still manageable by normal hiking standards. As we progressed more fallen trees & soft rock wash outs in certain gullies.

| Lower Strawberry Meadow |

Rounding the last ridge we get our first glimpse of Lower Strawberry Meadow. Still bringing a great smile to our face, even lacking a single living green blade of grass. The last switchbacks down to the Colby Ranch Trail/Meadow Junction are a good combination of all the bushwacking skills & solid footwork that have been building up. I assume this entire trip with a day pack would be about 40% easier.

Stepping into the meadow we can't help but marvel at the views of Strawberry Peak. It's north face, seldom seen up close by travelers. Knowing from the beginning our goal was the upper meadow Carlos & I walked on into the canyon, following a very indiscriminate trail up a wash that would be full of snow in the coming months. Using the trail up the ridge, we encountered the worst section of overgrowth on the whole trail. The last 1/4 mile is over 7ft tall of dead flora & more that one huge downed tree.

| Middle Strawberry Meadow |

Does it sound like complaining? Because I truly was having the time of my life. Finally emerging onto the Upper Strawberry Meadow we reached our destination, hidden away from the millions of city dwellers in Los Angeles.

After exploring the area before nightfall, from a distance I saw an area of rockfall that looking like a nice cave. Moving closer due to human curiosity, I started to notice many large pine cones eaten to the core, then wasit & head high branches were broken on almost all the trees in the area. Still a good 30 ft from the "cave" I decided there were too many signs of larger animals to investigate further.

| North Face Strawberry Peak At Night |

The night ended with another interesting note for Strawberry Meadow. It seemed that it's positioning receives the moonlight fairly late after the sun setting behind the ridge. The darkness that falls over the area is like no blackness I had ever experienced in the outdoors. For almost two hours if one of us turned off our headlamp, we were gone.

The morning brought promising signs of winter coming. Frost covered the meadow in a small way, but beautiful none the less. I grabbed for my new down jacket & thanked myself for spending just a bit more for this techno comfort.

| One of many tree falls |

Armed with knowledge, we dawned pants & hardshells to tackle the worst of the bushwhack in the cool morning. BEST IDEA EVER! Making our way through the meadow section, past the Colby trail Junction & up the switchbacks to the long stretch of winding trail to Strawberry Saddle. On the way up hill we encountered; tree falls, bushwhacking, wash outs, rock slides & a large swarm of what could have been bees or hornets?

The last section from Strawberry Saddle to Red Box parking lot was uneventful, but stunningly beautiful all the same. Looking back towards Mt Disappointment, San Gabriel Peak & down into the LA city basin.

| Can You See The Hiker? |

Secret Stairs of June

So here's to a hot month with good friends dedicated to exploring our fair city. I know this post comes late, but it combines two different outings into one, so the reader has more photos to enjoy.

 

 If there is one thing ingrained into my mind about this walk months later is... "sweating". One time prior we attempted this loop & took a wrong turn, never completing our true objective. This time we were determined to have success.

With careful navigation we made it up to the numerous steps & onto the upper reaches of this thin mountain neighborhood.

 Curving slowly back down, we made sure to double check at each switchback turn to come out with a full work out on this trip.

The second adventure was an old walk with an old friend, for the first time. My friend Keith drove up from San Diego to take some photos & catch up on life.

We dove into the Alta Loma Terrace walk b/c it truly is one of the top five in the book. This was the fourth time walking the long shaded corridors & marveling at the 1930s elevator that accesses the neighborhood. This time was different b/c someone had photocopied & blown up the walk we were on!! (photo above)

After the standard walk we ventured across the street & circled Whitely Terrace for a bit more exploring. This was a really unique neighborhood with steep staircases. The photo below is looking at Alta Loma Terrace from Whitely Terrace. One of the more beautiful views in the cluster of Hollywood.