Category Archives: landscape

adventures, landscape, nature, nature|wildlife, photography, photography|wildflowers, photography|wildlife, quirky, running, running|adventures, san gabriel mountains, trails, trails|san gabriels, wildfire, wildflowers, wildlife

Three Bighorn Sheep, a Solar Eclipse, and a New Peak

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
Bighorn sheep blend into the rocky terrain near Windy Gap in the San Gabriel Mountains
Bighorn sheep blend into the rocky terrain near Windy Gap

Had they not dislodged some rocks, I doubt I would have seen the three bighorn sheep in the photo above.  They are easier to see in this zoomed-in photo of the sheep descending the rocky slopes just below Windy Gap (7,588′) in the San Gabriel Mountains. They crossed a brush-covered rib and disappeared from view.

A partially-eclipsed sun crests a ridge east of Windy Gap.
The partially-eclipsed sun crests a ridge east of Windy Gap.

A few minutes after seeing the sheep, I reached Windy Gap and stopped to put my arm sleeves away. It had been cool at the trailhead — about 40 degrees — but the temperature had warmed as I worked up the trail. As its name suggests, the wind can be fierce at Windy Gap, but this morning there was almost no wind, foretelling nearly ideal weather for today’s adventure.

Windy Gap was still in shade, and the sun was just peeking over the ridge to the east. You couldn’t tell, but the eclipse had already begun. The eclipse would be nearly total in parts of Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas. In the Los Angeles area, the moon would obscure more than 70% of the sun’s disc.

Partially eclipsed sun from the PCT in the San Gabriel Mountains
Partially eclipsed sun.

From Windy Gap, I headed east on the Pacific Crest Trail toward Mt. Hawkins. From time to time, I would stop and check the progress of the eclipse using eclipse sunglasses. In sunny areas, I looked for lensed images of the sun in the shadows of trees but didn’t see any. Having needles instead of leaves, conifers don’t produce the myriad images of the eclipsed sun seen under trees with leaves.

A few minutes before the eclipse reached maximum, I took this photo of the eclipse with my iPhone, using eclipse glasses as a filter.

With nearly three-quarters of the sun obscured, the light from the sun had become enfeebled. The feeling was more than that of a cloud passing in front of the sun. I stopped and listened… to nothing. It was eerily quiet. No birds called or sang, and only chill zephyrs of wind wafted about the area. Somehow, the sun was broken.

The south ridge of Mt. Lewis can be accessed from the CalTrans shed at Dawson Saddle.
The south ridge of Mt. Lewis can be accessed from the CalTrans shed at Dawson Saddle.

As the eclipse slowly waned, I continued east in the corrupt light, past Mt. Hawkins and Throop Peak, to the PCT’s junction with the Dawson Saddle Trail. In what seemed fitting for the day, instead of continuing to Baden-Powell, I turned left and headed down the trail toward Angeles Crest Highway (Highway 2).

Why? Angeles Crest Highway was closed from Red Box to Vincent Gap, transforming Dawson Saddle into one of the more isolated areas of the Angeles National Forest. I hadn’t been on the Dawson Saddle Trail in years, and with Highway 2 closed, it would be a quirky way to climb Mt. Lewis. Instead of having one of the shortest approaches in the San Gabriels — a few feet from the CalTrans shed at Dawson Saddle — it would involve a trail run of nearly eight miles just to get to the base of the peak.

Angeles Crest Highway from the shoulder of Mt. Lewis.
Angeles Crest Highway from the shoulder of Mt. Lewis.

The eclipse was nearly over when I reached the bottom of the Dawson Saddle Trail on Highway 2. From the trailhead, I ran up an empty Angeles Crest Highway a short distance to Dawson Saddle. Mt. Lewis’ south ridge was accessed from here.

Only about a half-mile long, the south ridge isn’t technical, but the first third is steep and rocky. The elevation gain from the saddle to the summit is about 500′. Offset from the crest of the San Gabriels, the flat summit of Mt. Lewis has unique views of the crest extending from Mt. Baden-Powell to Mt. Islip and beyond.

After a few minutes enjoying the summit, I turned southward and began working my way back down to Angeles Crest Highway, up to the PCT, over to Windy Gap, and back down to the trailhead in the Crystal Lake Recreational Area.

Here are a few photos taken along the way.

Some related posts:
Solar Eclipses, Saros Cycles and Chumash Rock Art
Boney Mountain Eclipse Run
It’s Mid-July And There Is Still Snow in Los Angeles County!

landscape, los angeles, nature, photography, weather, weather|southern california

Looking For Local Impacts of Tropical Storm Hilary

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
New grass in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (Ahmanson Ranch), 10 days after the passage of Tropical Storm Hilary
Rare Summer grass at Ahmanson Ranch as a result of Hilary’s rain.

Update September 14, 2023. Mustard is sprouting along Ahmanson’s fire roads, and more surprising — a few mushrooms.

Update September 8, 2023. The new grass from T.S. Hilary’s rain is coming in nicely at Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (Ahmanson Ranch).

Tropical storms are a different kind of weather beast than usually seen in Southern California. The warmer air associated with such storms can carry much more water and produce unusually high amounts of precipitation.

The first hints of Hilary approaching Los Angeles
The first hints of Hilary approaching Los Angeles.

The rain resulting from Tropical Storm Hilary shattered many daily and monthly records. Over decades of record keeping, most stations in the greater Los Angeles area had previously measured only a trace of rain on August 20 or 21, or at best, a few hundredths of an inch. Some stations had never recorded any rain on these days.

This Google Earth image with precipitation data from the California-Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) shows the remarkable rainfall totals across Southern California for the 24-hour period ending at 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 21, 2023.

A little mud in Las Virgenes Canyon after Tropical Storm Hilary. August 22, 2023.
A little mud in Las Virgenes Canyon.

The highest rainfall amounts occurred where the precipitation was enhanced by mountainous terrain. The northeast-facing slopes of the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, near Wrightwood, were ideally positioned in Hilary’s circulation to enhance rainfall. The Big Pine RAWS recorded over 6 inches of rain for the storm, Lewis Ranch slightly over 7 inches, and Lytle Creek nearly 10 inches.

Detailed observation and impact reports for Hilary are available from NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, NWS San Diego and the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes.

Crossing of Las Virgenes Creek, south of the pipeline station, on August 22, 2023, following Tropical Storm Hilary.
This crossing of Las Virgenes Creek was about the same as before Hilary.

Curious to see some of the local impacts of the storm, I ran at Ahmanson Ranch on August 22 and then a few days later at Malibu Creek State Park.

My West Hills weather station, about three miles from Ahmanson Ranch’s Victory Trailhead, recorded 3.86 inches of rain for the storm. After an initial technical hiccup, the Cheeseboro RAWS, overlooking Las Virgenes Canyon, recorded 3.52 inches of rain. This and other data suggest rainfall amounts in the Ahmanson area of at least 3.5 – 4.5 inches.

My Ahmanson run started at the Victory trailhead, went out East Las Virgenes Canyon, through part of Las Virgenes Canyon, and then up to Lasky Mesa. With that much rain, I was sure I would be wallowing in the mud and wading the creek crossings. But my shoes didn’t even get muddy!

Dry streambed of Las Virgenes Creek, north of the Las Virgenes Trailhead, on August 22, 2023, after Tropical Storm Hilary
Dry streambed of Las Virgenes Creek, north of the Las Virgenes Trailhead

There was certainly some mud, puddles, and a little erosion, but the impact of Hilary on Ahmanson was surprisingly minor. The ground must have been desiccated because Las Virgenes Creek had almost no increase in flow. The creek crossings near the pipeline station and south of the station were essentially the same as before Hilary. Even more surprising, there was no water at the crossing a little north of the Las Virgenes Trailhead.

As Hilary moved northward in California, the counterclockwise circulation of the storm increased the rainfall in the Santa Monica Mountains. Automated RAWS stations in Topanga, the Malibu Hills, and in Malibu Canyon recorded 4.0 to 4.5 inches of rain during the storm. CNRFC gridded precipitation data indicated higher amounts in some parts of the range.

Las Virgenes Creek, about 5 miles downstream of Ahmanson Ranch, in Malibu Creek State Park, a few days after the passage of Tropical Storm Hilary.
Las Virgenes Creek in Malibu Creek State Park, about 5 miles downstream of Ahmanson Ranch.

On August 27, I ran the Bulldog Loop in Malibu Creek State Park. The run started at a small parking area at the junction of Malibu Canyon & Piuma Roads. As I was running up the Tapia Spur Trail, I wondered if State Parks had — as a precaution — removed the seasonal bridge across Malibu Creek on the Crags Road Trail. On August 19, the day before Hilary drenched the area, the bridge had been in place for the Bulldog Ultra. If it wasn’t removed, did Malibu Creek get high enough to damage it?

Once again, I need not have worried. The bridge was just fine, and the reeds in the water near the bridge suggested only a modest increase in streamflow.

Slopes along Bulldog fire road following Tropical Storm Hilary.
It’s unusual for the slopes along Bulldog fire road to be this green in Summer!

It looked like Malibu Creek State Park received more rain than Ahmanson Ranch. There was slightly more erosion on the dirt roads and some small sluffs/slides, including one tree that slid onto Mesa Peak Mtwy fire road. A tree had also fallen near the beginning of the Forest Trail.

Back at Ahmanson on August 31, things were drying out, but it was beginning to look like Spring. Grass was sprouting all over Ahmanson Ranch. It will be interesting to see if the grass survives the inevitable heat and grows enough to turn the hills green. The little bit of rain and cooler weather over Labor Day weekend will help. Some out-of-season wildflowers could also result from a false Spring.

Yesterday, I did a run in Topanga State Park, and the story was much the same. There was some minor erosion on the fire roads, but none of the larger sluffs and slides seen during the rainy season. There was no new damage to the Musch or Garapito Trails. It did look like the flow had increased on Garapito Creek with Hilary’s rain, and there was a still little water in the mainstem of the creek.

adventures, landscape, nature, old trees, photography, running, running|adventures, san gabriel mountains, trails

Manzanita Trail Plus Mt. Baden-Powell

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
Approaching Dorr Canyon wash on the Manzanita Trail, on the way to Vincent Gap.
Wash in Dorr Canyon

Update September 3, 2023, 1:15 p.m. Caltrans Quickmap is showing Angeles Crest Highway (Hwy 2)  is now open between Grassy Hollow and Vincent Gap.  Caltrans Road  Conditions says the closure is “5 mi west of Big Pines.” Google Maps and Waze still show the section between Grassy Hollow and Vincent Gap as closed.

Update August 23, 2023. The Big Pines RAWS recorded 6.26 inches of rain, and Lewis Ranch RAWS 7.04 inches from T.S. Hilary. The heavy rain on the north-facing slopes of the eastern San Gabriels may have produced debris flows in the washes crossed by the Manzanita Trail. Excessive runoff may have done more damage to stabilized sections of the Manzanita Trail where it crosses steep slides above Paradise Springs. According to CalTrans, the previously open section of Angeles Crest Highway (Hwy 2) between Grassy Hollow and Vincent Gap is currently closed.

Bigcone Douglas-fir cones, dripping with protective resin.
Bigcone Douglas-fir cones, dripping with protective resin.

I’d been thinking about doing the South Fork Loop, a challenging loop that I usually start at Islip Saddle. The route descends the South Fork Trail to South Fork Campground (4,565′) and then climbs all the way to the top of Mt. Baden-Powell (9,399′), using the Manzanita Trail and PCT. From the top of Baden-Powell, the PCT is followed back to Islip Saddle.

But there were a couple of problems with this idea. First, the road to Islip Saddle — Angeles Crest Highway — was closed. More importantly, parts of the South Fork Trail were burned in the Bobcat Fire, and heavy snow and rain may have damaged the South Fork Trail or Manzanita Trail.

One of the washes crossed by the Manzanita Trail, about a mile below Vincent Gap.
Wash crossed by the Manzanita Trail, about a mile below Vincent Gap.

The road closure would be easy to work around — the loop could be started at Vincent Gap. But I definitely needed to check the condition of the South Fork and Manzanita Trails. The loop is difficult, even when the trails are in good shape.

I decided to check the Manzanita Trail first. If that trail had issues, then the condition of the South Fork Trail didn’t matter.

So that is what I was doing today. The plan was to run the Manzanita Trail from Vincent Gap down to South Fork Campground, then turn around and — just like on the South Fork Loop — take the Manzanita Trail and PCT to the top of Mt. Baden-Powell.

Brush and debris deposited on the Manzanita Trail a couple of miles below Vincent Gap.
Manzanita Trail obstacle course.

I woke early on Sunday and arrived at Vincent Gap at about 6:45 a.m. With much of Angeles Crest Highway closed, I shouldn’t have been surprised that the main parking lot was already full. I nabbed the last spot in the overflow area across the highway. I could only imagine what it must be like on the trail up Baden-Powell.

But I didn’t have to worry about that — not for a while. I grabbed my pack from the back of the car and started jogging down the Manzanita Trail. On that trail, I probably wouldn’t see anyone!

Gooseberries along the Manzanita Trail.
Gooseberries along the Manzanita Trail.

As would be expected on a little-used trail after a hard Winter, the Manzanita Trail was a bit of a mess. In addition to being generally overgrown, there were fallen trees, brush deposited on the trail by runoff or avalanches, minor washouts, and other damage. These slowed the pace but weren’t too much of a problem.

On the other hand, there is a section of the Manzanita Trail that could be a serious issue. It is where the trail crosses several steep, loose, stabilized slides. This area is about 4.4 miles from Vincent Gap and 1.4 miles from South Fork Campground. This section of the trail is almost always damaged, but on past adventures, had always been passable. How bad was it going to be today?

Damaged section of the Manzanita Trail about 1.4 miles above South Fork Campground.
Damaged section of the Manzanita Trail.

The answer is — pretty bad. As I started across the first slide, it looked like it would go just fine, but then I looked closer. One of the abutments on the down-slope side of the trail had completely given way. The trail had collapsed, leaving only a narrow slice of crumbling dirt along the base of the up-slope barrier. I would have to use the barrier to get past, and it wasn’t in the best shape. I’m sure people have done this, but it seemed like a bad idea. I could see no straightforward way around the collapsed trail. Disappointed, I turned around and started working back up the trail toward Vincent Gap.

Spiral scar on a tree on the Manzanita Trail that was recently been struck by lightning.
Tree on the Manzanita Trail that was struck by lightning.

I’d been running for a few minutes when I came across a “lightning tree.” These are trees that have been struck by lightning and have a scar spiraling down their trunk. I’ve photographed a number of them. Some are in a location that you would expect to be struck by lightning, but just as many are along seemingly unexposed sections of trail. Once, I was running down the PCT below Mt. Hawkins, well below the crest, and a tree 50 yards down the slope was smoking from just being struck.

On the way back up to Vincent Gap, there would be a little route-finding fun. The Manzanita Trail crosses some small debris-filled washes. Over time, paths develop through the rubble but can be intermittent and indistinct. Debris flows can destroy a part of nearly all of a path.

Debris-filled wash in Dorr Canyon that is crossed by the Manzanita Trail.
Dorr Canyon wash.

The wash in Dorr Canyon is the largest crossed by the Manzanita Trail. Keeping in mind that Tropical Storm Hilary may have changed things, on August 13th, the path across the wash was mostly intact. One gotcha was that on the west side of the wash, the path ended short of the Manzanita Trail.

Did I mention the gnats, stinging nettle, and Poodle-dog bush? Oh, the gnats. On the way down the trail they weren’t too bad, but as the temperature warmed, they became increasingly annoying and persistent.

Blue Ridge and Pine Mountain from the PCT on the north side of Mt. Baden-Powell.
Blue Ridge and Pine Mountain from the PCT on Mt. Baden-Powell.

When doing the South Fork Loop, I usually stop for water at the stream that feeds Icy Springs. The trail was overgrown near the stream, and mixed in with the greenery was some stinging nettle. Even knowing it was there, I managed to brush against it on the way down the trail and then again coming back up.

There was also a little Poodle-dog bush on the trail about two miles down from Vincent Gap in a small area that had been burned. As long as you noticed it, it was easy to avoid.

The Wally Waldron Limber Pine, near the summit of Mt. Baden-Powell.
The Wally Waldron Limber Pine.

What the heck? As I topped out at Vincent Gap, the sounds of revelry came from across the highway. It was party time in the Baden-Powell parking lot! A large group of people were gathered at the west end of the lot, near the trailhead. Were they preparing to do a mass ascent of Baden-Powell? I quickly refilled my hydration pack, grabbed some food, and headed up the PCT.

San Gorgonio Mountain, and Pine Mountain, from Mt. Baden-Powell.
San Gorgonio Mountain, and Pine Mountain from Mt. Baden-Powell.

Once I escaped the craziness of the parking lot, it turned out to be one of the most pleasant ascents and descents of Baden-Powell I’ve done. Even with the machinations of the Manzanita Trail earlier in the morning and the additional vertical gain, Baden-Powell couldn’t have gone better. Very few hikers were on the trail, everyone was super-friendly, and when I reached the summit, it was empty — at noon, on a Sunday, in August!

Some related posts: Manzanita Trail Morning, South Fork Adventure, Bear Cubs on the South Fork Trail, San Gabriel Mountains Running Adventure

landscape, photography, running|adventures, san gabriel mountains, trails, trails|san gabriels, weather, weather|southern california, wildflowers

Dealing with the Heat on Strawberry Peak and San Gabriel Peak

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
Early morning view of Strawberry Peak from the Strawberry Trail, near Lawlor Saddle.
Strawberry Peak from the Strawberry Trail, near Lawlor Saddle.

Last weekend I’d considered doing a run from Red Box, but finally decided to go to higher elevation and do a combination run and climb.

Blazing star near the bottom of the Bill Riley/Mt. Disappointment Trail
Blazing star.

The puzzle to solve this weekend was to find a run that was closer to home, higher than the Santa Monica Mountains, and had a “decent amount” of elevation gain. The solution put me right back at Red Box, doing two of the most popular peaks in the Front Range — Strawberry Peak (6164′) and San Gabriel Peak (6161′).

I’d done these peaks as a duo several years ago. The basic details remain the same and are described in this post.

The main difference is that the 2018 run/hike was on a cool day in March, rather than a hot day in August. In 2018, I did San Gabriel Peak first, then Strawberry. The order didn’t matter. The temperature on both peaks that day was mostly in the 40s.

Mt. Disappointment (left) and Strawberry Peak from the San Gabriel Peak Trail.
Mt. Disappointment (left) and Strawberry Peak from the San Gabriel Peak Trail.

Today, it was essential to do Strawberry first, and get started early. The use trail between Lawlor Saddle and Strawberry’s summit faces south and east, and has very little shade. It’s steep and strenuous an no fun at all in the hot sun.

I left the Red Box parking lot at about 6:00 a.m. On the way up, the temperature ranged from the mid-50s to the mid-70s. On the way down, in some places it was already in the 90s. While it was hot in the sun on the upper part of the mountain on the descent, the traverse around Mt. Lawlor on the Strawberry Trail was still mostly in the shade and a relatively cool 75 to 80 degrees.

San Gabriel Peak isn’t the solar oven that Strawberry is. Much of the Bill Riley/Mt. Disappointment Trail faces north and a scrub oak forest provides some shade. Continuing up San Gabriel Peak after doing Strawberry, the temps were generally in the low to mid-80s.

Some related posts: Front Range Duo: San Gabriel Peak and Strawberry Peak, Blazing Star

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!

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
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

first published & last updated
Click on thumbnails for more info & larger image.
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