Even with the warm weather, it was beginning to feel a little like Fall in the San Gabriel Mountains. Yellow goldenrod and red California fuchsia bloomed along the trail, and the canyon live oaks were covered in green acorns.
I was back on the Three Points – Mt. Waterman Loop and having a better time of it than in June. The June run had been near the Summer Solstice, with in-the-sun temperatures reaching 100°F. Today’s run was a few days away from the Fall Equinox. Not only was the temperature about 10 degrees cooler, the sun was lower in the sky and less intense.
But much was the same as in June. There was still plenty of whitethorn on the first couple of miles of the Three Points – Mt. Waterman Trail — and a few prickly passages for anyone wearing shorts and short sleeves. Some trailwork had been done higher on the mountain, but a few fallen trees were still on the trail. Most of these were easy to step over, around, under, or through.
There was very little monsoon rainfall this Summer, but consecutive wet rainy season and a tropical storm had already recharged the seeps and small creeks. The creeks were only slightly lower than in June, and the places that had been wet and muddy in June were still wet and muddy. At Waterman Meadow, a few late-season blooms of sneezeweed beamed yellow in the midst of the greens of the grass and ferns.
The high point of the Three Points – Mt. Waterman Trail is near the junction with the trail to the summit of Waterman and the trail that comes up from Highway 2. It’s at an elevation of about 7686′. Including detours to get around downed trees, the junction is a bit more than 6 miles from Three Points. The junction marks the start of a nearly 2000′ descent over 4.7 miles to the PCT in Cooper Canyon.
This morning, I encountered no one on the Three Points – Mt. Waterman Trail and only one pair of hikers on the normally busy Mt. Waterman Trail. Buckhorn Campground was nearly empty. I topped off my water at a convenient faucet at the campground and then started down the Burkhart Trail.
The creek in the canyon below the Burkhart Trail happily bubbled and gurgled, its water easily outpacing me as I descended to the PCT. Some work had been done on the trail to help those hiking to Cooper Canyon Falls cross the muddy seeps. Near one seep, a patch of dazzling red California fuchsia contrasted sharply with the coal black of a tree burned in the Bobcat Fire.
I wouldn’t say the trail has been abandoned, but it’s been quite a while since any trailwork has been done on the PCT between the Burkhart Trail and Cloudburst Summit. A mass of trees is still blocking the trail near the creek crossing at the bottom of Cooper Canyon. As expected following a fire, trees continue to fall on the trail. Parts of the trail along the creek or near seeps are overgrown with “Hey Bear!” willows.
The PCT in Cooper Canyon has been isolated by the 19-year closure to protect the critically endangered mountain yellow-legged frog. In December 2005, Angeles National Forest “temporarily” closed the Williamson Rock climbing area and the PCT between Eagle’s Roost and the Burkhart Trail. This Summer, the Forest Service extended the closure to at least December 31, 2026.
It’s difficult to accept that the Forest Service, conservation groups, and involved agencies have not agreed on a solution. Can’t the short stretch of the PCT that impacts frog habitat be rerouted? Only a few climbs at Williamson Rock directly impact the frog habitat. Does the entire climbing area need to be closed? Can’t bridges, walkways, and other structures be used to protect and even enhance frog habitat? There has to be solution. In 2005, I could not have imagined that 21 years later Williamson Rock would still be closed, and I might not have the opportunity to climb there again.
On this run, it wasn’t necessary to stop at Cooper Camp to cool off. Although the temperature was in the 90s on the south-facing slopes traversed by the PCT, there was a bit of a cooling breeze. This and the lower sun angle made it far more pleasant than earlier in the year.
Continuing up the trail above Cooper Camp, I could see smoke from a flare-up on the north flank of the Bridge Fire. Closures related to the Bridge Fire will further isolate the Cooper Canyon segment of the PCT. Multi-year closures are common on the Angeles, and often the closures include popular trails that were not burned.
From Cloudburst Summit, it’s a little over five miles of (mostly) downhill to Three Points. Most of the running is on an old road bed. Although it can be tedious — especially when it’s hot — the segment is relatively fast-paced. Depending on the year, there are usually a couple of places to soak a hat and pour water over your head. But, as I learned one hot day, a rattlesnake may take exception to your intrusion!
Some related posts:
– Bridge Fire Perimeter and Some Area Trails
– Facing a Future of Runaway Wildfires in Southern California
– Hot Weather on the Three Points Loop
– Williamson Rock
