Category Archives: landscape

adventures, landscape, los angeles, nature, nature|weather, photography, running, running|adventures, san gabriel mountains, snow, southern california, trails, trails|san gabriels, weather, weather, weather|southern california

It’s Mid-July And There Is Still Snow in Los Angeles County!

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Snow in the lee of the West Ridge of Mt. Baden-Powell.
Snow in the lee of the West Ridge of Mt. Baden-Powell.

You might not see it from the Los Angeles side of the mountains, but there is still some snow on the higher, north-facing slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains.

During and after storms, snow-laden southerly winds dump their load on the backside of the crest, creating deep drifts, cornices, and compacted slabs of snow. This snow is often the last to melt, not only because it doesn’t face the sun, but because there is more of it.

Mt. Burnham, Peak 9086, and Mt. Baden-Powell from near Throop Peak.
Mt. Burnham, Peak 9086, and Mt. Baden-Powell from near Throop Peak.

This morning, I was doing an out-and-back from the Windy Gap Trailhead in the Crystal Lake Recreation Area to Mt. Baden-Powell. The Windy Gap Trail climbs 1730′ in 2.6 miles, joining the PCT at Windy Gap. From there the trail follows the spine of the San Gabriels past Mt. Hawkins, Throop Peak, and Mt. Burnham to Mt. Baden-Powell.

I usually do this run from Islip Saddle, but with Angeles Crest Highway (Highway 2) closed between Red Box and Vincent Gap, the Islip Saddle trailhead isn’t accessible.

Snow on the west ridge of Mt. Baden-Powell. July 9, 2023.
Snow at about 9100′ on the west side of Mt. Baden-Powell.

Whether you start at Crystal Lake or Islip Saddle, the length of the run is about the same — a bit over 16 miles. The main difference is that the Windy Gap Trailhead is about 800′ lower in elevation. On the plus side, the Windy Gap Trail is very scenic; on the minus side, it faces south and can bake in the midday sun.

On today’s run, I encountered the first snowbanks at an elevation of 8870′, near the Dawson Saddle Trail junction. Out of curiosity, I tried to follow the trail and soon realized that was a mistake. I was more or less forced to skirt the downhill side of a lengthy and deep drift — it being too steep and icy to cross directly.

Mt. Baldy from the summit of Mt. Baden-Powell. July 9, 2023.
Mt. Baldy from the summit of Mt. Baden-Powell. July 9, 2023.

For the remainder of the run, I switched to the early season tactic of staying on the crest when the trail deviated onto shaded, north-facing slopes. These areas might have significant snow on the trail. This only happens in a few places, such as when the PCT works around Mt. Burnham. There is a use trail that ascends the west ridge of Mt. Burnham, and then returns to the PCT.

The conditions today are reminiscent of those found here in early July 2005. July 3rd of that year there was still snow on the summit of Baden-Powell, and there was deeper snow in the areas where there was snow today. We had a lot of storms this rain season, but in Rain Year 2004-2005 Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded about 9 inches more rain than during the 2022-2023 rain year!

Here is a short slideshow of some photos taken on the run. I’ve also included a few photos from the run to Baden-Powell in 2005 for comparison.

landscape, mt pinos, photography, running|adventures, trails

Escape to Mt. Pinos – An Alternative to Closed Angeles Crest Highway Trailheads

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Large Jeffrey pine and larkspur along the Vincent Tumamait Trail in the Chumash Wilderness.
Jeffrey pine and larkspur along the Vincent Tumamait Trail

A long stretch of Angeles Crest Highway (Highway 2) between Red Box and Vincent Gap remains closed because of storm damage. According to a tweet from Caltrans District 7, it sounds like it may be closed through Summer. Some affected trailheads include Shortcut Saddle, Three Points, Mt. Waterman, Buckhorn, Mt. Williamson, and Islip Saddle.

Starting down the Vincent Tumamait Trail, near the Condor Observation Site on Mt. Pinos.
Starting down the Vincent Tumamait Trail

Mt. Pinos is often overlooked as a trail running destination but offers several options for those that enjoy running or hiking in hilly terrain at higher altitude. Most of the runs at Mt. Pinos start at the Chula Vista Trailhead (8350′) at the end of Mt. Pinos Road.

Today, I was doing an out-and-back from the Chula Vista Trailhead to Mt. Abel/Cerro Noroeste (8280+’). The route includes short side trips to Mt. Pinos (8831′), Sawmill Mountain (8818′), Grouse Mountain (8582′), and Sheep Camp (8300′).

Snow plant along the Vincent Tumamait Trail
Snow plant along the Vincent Tumamait Trail

Including the side trips, the run/hike is about 15.5 miles long, with about 3700′ of gain/loss. Google Earth calculates the average elevation of the route to be 8434′. In comparison, the average elevation of the out and back from Islip Saddle to Mt. Baden-Powell is 8201′.

With triple-digit highs expected in some low-elevation areas, the temps on Mt. Pinos today were ever so pleasant — short-sleeves from the start and only a little toasty in a few exposed areas.

Chumash spirit tower on Sawmill Mountain., west of Mt. Pinos.
Chumash spirit tower on Sawmill Mountain.

Despite the harsh Winter, there were only one or two small trees down on the Vincent Tumamait Trail, and those were inconsequential. As elsewhere in Southern California, the wildflowers along the trail were sensational. After nearly drying up last year, the spring at Sheep Camp was running at full flow.

Explore the scenery and terrain of this out and back run from Mt. Pinos to Mt. Abel using our high resolution,  interactive, 3D viewer. The imagery is so detailed, it’s almost like being there! To change the view, use the control on the upper right side of the screen, the CTRL key and your mouse, or touch gestures. Track and placename locations are approximate and subject to errors. Snow, ice, poor weather, and other conditions may make this route unsuitable for this activity.

Lupine and other wildflowers along the Vincent Tumamait Trail, near Mt. Abel Road.
Lupine and other wildflowers along the trail, near Mt. Abel Road.

If you are looking to run longer, add additional elevation gain, or explore the area, running to Lily Meadows and back from Sheep Camp extends the run to about 21 miles, with around 5400′ of elevation gain/loss.

Another option for a longer run is doing an out-and-back to Mesa Spring Camp, instead of Mt. Abel. Including a stop at Sheep Camp on the way back, this run is about 20.5 miles, with about 4800′ of gain/loss.

Lily Meadows and Mesa Springs see far less traffic than the Vincent Tumamait Trail. The trade-off is that both places are at lower elevation and can be 15-20 degrees warmer than Mt. Pinos.

Some related posts:
Thirsty Mt. Pinos
Mt. Pinos to Mt. Abel Out & Back – Plus Sawmill Mountain, Grouse Mountain and Sheep Camp
Up, Down and Around on Mt. Pinos’ Tumamait and North Fork Trails
Mt. Pinos Adventure Run to Mesa Spring

landscape, photography, photography|wildflowers, pt mugu state park, running|adventures, trails, weather, wildflowers

A Really Overgrown Trail, Thirty Creek Crossings, and Thousands of Wildflowers

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Yarrow and paintbrush along the Old Boney Trail in Pt. Mugu State Park.
Old Boney Trail in Pt. Mugu State Park.

Starting at the Wendy Drive Trailhead, I’d crossed Satwiwa, run down Danielson Road, rock-hopped across Upper Sycamore Creek, and picked up the Old Boney Trail. The condition of the Old Boney Trail between Danielson Road and the Fossil Trail junction was better than expected. Maybe the trail was going to be in good shape after all.

A section of the Old Boney Trail overgrown with black sage following the wet rain season of 2022-2023.
A section of the Old Boney Trail overgrown with black sage.

Wrong! Once I passed the turnoff to the Fossil Trail, the vegetation closed in. In places it was so thick I couldn’t see the trail at my feet, much less a few yards ahead. All I could do is smile and work my way through it. Everything was overgrown — bushes, grasses, wildflowers. And everything was wet with dew. A hundred yards past the Fossil Trail, I was soaked from head to toe.

I tried to see the positive. It was an amazing display of the effect of a wet rainy season. Without trail work and use, it wouldn’t take long for the trail to be completely consumed.

The Old Boney Trail continued to be a tangle of chaparral for about two miles — until I reached the Backbone Trail at Blue Canyon. At that point, it becomes part of the Backbone Trail system, and I was relieved to see that some work had recently been done on the trail.

Coast live oak and fog along the Old Boney Trail in Pt. Mugu State Park.
Coast live oak along the Old Boney Trail.

As I worked up the Backbone Trail toward the Chamberlain Trail junction, I recalled other times I’d run to Serrano Valley using Old Boney. What would the condition of the trail be beyond this point? I’d been on that part of the Old Boney Trail following a wet rain season and knew how overgrown it could be. Some refer to that section of trail as “tick alley.”

But when I got to the junction, surprise, surprise, the Old Boney Trail had been trimmed. More than two miles of trail were groomed. It was good all the way to the Serrano Valley Trail and partway into Serrano Valley. The trail in Serrano Valley was a little overgrown, but NOTHING like the Old Boney Trail between the Fossil and Backbone Trails.

Part of the fun of doing this route is all the stream crossings in Serrano Canyon — what is it 13 or 14? Today, most of these could be done without getting your shoes wet — especially if you have poles. I didn’t have poles, and my shoes and socks were already wet, so I didn’t worry about keeping them dry. Some sections of the Serrano Canyon Trail were also overgrown, but not bad. However, there was a lot of poison oak, some of which wasn’t avoidable.

Paintbrush and golden yarrow along Sycamore Canyon Fire Road in Pt. Mugu State Park.
Paintbrush and golden yarrow

After getting a drink of water at the faucet at the junction of the Serrano Canyon Trail and Sycamore Canyon Fire Road, I headed up-canyon. Almost immediately, the fire road crossed Big Sycamore Canyon Creek. I did this first crossing without getting my shoes wet, but nine more crossings followed, and most resulted in soaked shoes. The water crossings and wildflowers helped distract me from the five mile run up Sycamore Canyon to the Upper Sycamore Trail.

Getting off Sycamore Canyon Road and onto the Upper Sycamore Trail was a relief. Whatever run I do from Wendy Drive, I always finish it via this trail. The trail gets enough use that it was in good shape. This time all the creek crossings could easily be rock-hopped.

Even with a few tedious sections, it was an adventurous and mostly enjoyable 20 miles. Here are some photos taken along the way.

Some related posts: Old Boney to Serrano Valley, Plus Fireline and Overlook; Looking for Ogres in Serrano Canyon; Running to Serrano and La Jolla Valleys from Wendy Drive; You Can’t Run Just Part Way Up Serrano Canyon

landscape, photography, photography|trail running

Sage Ranch Fun Run

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Running along upthrust sandstone rocks at Sage Ranch Park.

The photo above is of Brett running along upthrust sandstone rocks at Sage Ranch Park in the Simi Hills.

We followed the crest of the rock formation to the top of rock in the distance on the right of the photo.

Sage Ranch Park is adjacent to Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory. A portion of the park  has been closed for more than five years, pending the cleanup of lead shot and other contaminants from the site of a former shooting range. In 2017 a new trail was created to detour around the closed area.

Some related posts: Sage Ranch Micro-Wilderness, Grinding Mortars and Water Holes, Mountain Lion Saga

climbing, landscape, mountaineering, photography, running|adventures, san gabriel mountains, trails

Strawberry Peak Summit Loop – Spring 2023 Update

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The northwest ridge of Strawberry Peak just before the Class 2-3 rock climbing segment.
The northwest ridge of Strawberry Peak just before the Class 2-3 rock climbing segment.

Usually, I prefer to start the Strawberry Peak Summit Loop at the Colby Canyon Trailhead on Angeles Crest Highway. But it had been a while since I’d done the loop from Clear Creek, and I was feeling a little nostalgic. One of the aid stations for the ANFTR/Mt. Disappointment race is at Clear Creek, and the course climbs Josephine Fire Road.

I was also curious how my time to Josephine Saddle using the fire road would compare to the direct route up the Colby Canyon Trail. As it turned out, at a moderate pace it was about the same either way.

Foliated rock along the use trail to the northwest ridge of Strawberry Peak
Foliated rock along the use trail to the northwest ridge of Strawberry Peak

The use trail up from Josephine Saddle was in decent condition. It looked like it may have recently had a snip here and there. Part way up the path, an outcrop on the ridgeline provides a good warmup for the climbing higher up. The circuitous path eventually ends at the base of the steep, jumbled northwest ridge of Strawberry Peak. I was surprised to find two small patches of snow here.

It’s difficult to describe the route on the ridge since there are many variations. It’s not fear-mongering to say that people get into trouble on this section. A common comment about this segment is, “Don’t climb anything sketchy or difficult.” But what is an easy scramble for one person may be nearly impossible for another. With 50+ years of rock climbing experience, I still remind myself not to climb up anything I’m not 100% sure I can climb down. If you don’t have “real” rock climbing experience, go with someone that knows the route.

Snow on the NW side of Strawberry Peak on April 30, 2023.
Small patches of snow on the NW side of Strawberry Peak on April 30, 2023.

Following a wet, snowy, cold Winter, I took extra care while climbing. Solid holds and blocks can sometimes be loosened over the Winter and fail unexpectedly. This morning, I didn’t notice any obvious changes on the route I climbed.

The setting changes dramatically on the east side of Strawberry Peak. You go from the cool shadows of a steep, rocky face with (typically) no one around to a sunny, sandy, busy summit and trail.

As I approached the summit, a couple of people were setting up to do a video for a vlog. Another person had just reached the top, and another hiker wasn’t far behind. With snow in the high country, Hwy 2 still closed at Red Box, and the Bobcat Fire Closure still in effect, the trail up Strawberry was a popular option. The question of the day from the people coming up was, “How many false summits are there?”

Looking across the canyon to the Gabrielino Trail below Red Box, and Supercloud Canyon
Looking across the canyon to the Gabrielino Trail below Red Box, and Supercloud Canyon

Overall, the Strawberry Peak Trail was in reasonable shape. The trail needed a little work in a few places, but as far as mountain trails go, its condition was about what you would expect. In several places, the trail was carpeted with the remnants of old yucca leaves. Very nice!

Just before reaching Red Box, I snapped a photo of the snow on Mt. Baldy. At Red Box, all but one parking space was taken, and that one was snagged by an arriving car.

As I started down the Gabrielino Trail from Red Box, LASD Air Rescue 5 began to orbit overhead. Apparently, there had been yet another vehicle accident on Angeles Crest Highway. It wasn’t long until I heard the whaling sound of sirens coming up the canyon.

Upper Arroyo Seco at Switzer's Picnic Area.
Upper Arroyo Seco at Switzer’s Picnic Area.

Some trailwork had been done on the upper half of Gabrielino Trail between Red Box and Switzer’s. Quite a few small trees and limbs had been removed from the trail, and the bushes trimmed. Most of the work (as of today) ended at mass of fallen trees halfway down the trail.

Upper Arroyo Seco was flowing. The sound of water plunging over the debris dams made the flow seem higher than it was. There were a couple of minor creek crossings.

Switzer’s was busy — as usual. To finish the loop, I walked up the stairs to the access road and hiked up to the start of Nature’s Canteen Trail. It was a bit overgrown, but I was back at Clear Creek in a few minutes.

Some related posts: Strawberry Peak Summit Loop; Plan B: Barley Flats; Strawberry Peak, Switzer’s and the Old Colby Trail

landscape, nature|wildflowers, photography, running, running|adventures, san gabriel mountains, trails, wildflowers

Condor Peak and Fox Mountain Adventure Run

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Condor Peak from Fox Mountain
Condor Peak from Fox Mountain

The out and back trail run to Condor Peak (5440’+) and Fox Mountain (5033′) from Vogel Flat is an adventurous 17-mile, lower elevation run in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Exposed stretch of the Condor Peak Trail
Exposed stretch of the Condor Peak Trail

When I last did this run (May 2020), portions of the trail below Fox Mountain were washed out and overgrown. Later I learned that this was before the Condor Trail restoration project had been completed. Thanks to the hard work of the Lowlifes Trail Crew the trail has been brought back to life. Today, several groups — including hikers, bikers, and runners — were making their way to Condor Peak.

Hazy view of snow on Mt. Waterman and Twin Peaks from the Condor Peak Trail.
Snow on Mt. Waterman and Twin Peaks from the Condor Peak Trail.

As mentioned in my posts from 2007 and 2020, this adventure is best done when the weather is cool. It can really bake on the south-facing sections of trail. From the Vogel Flat Trailhead on Big Tujunga Canyon Road the trail climbs about 2600′ in 6 miles to reach Fox Divide. Much of this stretch is surprisingly runnable. As with most mountain trails, extra care is required because of steep drop-offs and other hazards.

Today, the trail was in the best shape I’ve seen in years. The weather was relatively cool and good for running. As has been the case in other low elevation areas, a colorful assortment of Spring wildflowers were blooming along the trail. With our copious Winter rain, two small streams were crossed on the traverse above Fusier Canyon. It’s hard to say how long they will last.

USGS Lidar-based 3DEP 1m contour map of Condor Peak
USGS Lidar-based 3DEP 1m contour map of Condor Peak

Condor Peak has twin summits. A register and summit sign currently reside on the west peak, but USGS 3DEP 1-meter Lidar-based data suggests the west and east peaks have virtually identical elevations – about 5441′.

This time, after climbing Condor Peak, I also climbed Fox Mountain. Although steep, it’s short, and doing Fox only added about 30 minutes to the total time.

Here are a few photos taken along the way. Additional info, photos, and an interactive map with 3D terrain can be found in the following related posts.

Some relate posts: Condor Peak Out and Back Adventure Run, Condor Peak Trail Run