Tag Archive for 'Angeles National Forest'

4th of July in the Angeles National Forest

nullIt’s a holiday weekend, which means thousands of people who rarely or never set foot within National Forest lands are about to descend upon picnic areas like nature-loving locusts.

The ANF Rangers issued a statement today announcing some special road closures and restrictions:

- Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road are closed to vehicle traffic through Monday, July 7th. Bikes and hiking boots are allowed on the thoroughfare, however.
- Gates at Chantry Flats and Chaney Trail will be open only from 5AM to 6PM through Sunday.
- Turnouts along the Angeles Crest Highway above La Canada Flintridge will be closed on July 4th only.

In addition, ALL fireworks are prohibited on National Forest land — including lame ones like sparklers or those little black snake things. So don’t even think about having your own private pyrotechnic party in the woods this weekend.

Be sure to check the Angeles National Forest’s web site for further information on fire and road restrictions. And if you’re trying to find a camp site up there this weekend … good luck.

Stay safe, have fun … and don’t forget what this holiday is all about.

Hiking Waterman Mountain Loop

nullA 6+ mile, moderate loop on and off-trail in the middle High San Gabriels. While low on sweeping vistas, this hike features large stands of incense cedar, boulder formations typical of the area, ski slopes, and a great sense of remoteness.

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Hiking Kratka Ridge

nullA short but steep hike to a prominent ridge in the San Gabriel High Country. You’ll pass through a defunct picnic area, an abandoned ski resort, and top it off with outstanding views of the middle of the front range and San Gabriel Wilderness. While it might not be a Destination Hike, it’s well worth the detour if you’re in the area.

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Hiking Mount Akawie

nullA very short, relatively unimpressive mountain deep in the central high San Gabriels. Best when hiked in combination with other peaks in the area.

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Hiking Winston Ridge and Winston Peak

null A short 4 mile loop through the San Gabriel High Country. This route turns a very easily-bagged single peak hike into a moderately strenuous two-peak journey, with expansive views of the interior San Gabriels and Antelope Valley.

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Hiking Mount Lukens via Haines Canyon

A strenuous ascent up the south face of Mount Lukens - the highest point of elevation within Los Angeles City Limits. This particular route travels a secluded and steep, but rarely traveled and slightly overgrown canyon to the summit. A good leg-burner, but the bushwhacking and ticks may not be worth the trouble. There is, however, a shortcut trail that leads to a fire road, which is one of the nicest stretches of single-track trail I’ve seen in the San Gabriels.

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Hiking Shortcut Canyon to West Fork Camp

A tranquil route into a wooded canyon on the Silver Moccasin Trail. A good conditioning hike with beautiful campgrounds, streamside views for almost the entire run, and plenty of boulder-hopping and stream crossing along the way. This would be a great candidate for a first-time moderate hike - it’s easy enough for experienced beginners, but difficult enough to make you feel like you worked for it. It’s secluded enough to feel like your own corner of the forest, and fairly difficult to get lost along the way.

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Still Snow Up There

This morning, I made an attempt to hike Devil’s Canyon, deep in the Angeles National Forest. I figured since it was a north-south canyon, it would have a healthy amount of sunshine and less snow than the surrounding peaks.

Turned out I was wrong. About an eighth of a mile into the route, I ran into a snow-covered mess — complete with a steep drop off. If the snow were more powdery, I could have continued, but this was the stuff that’s been melted during the day and frozen over again at night — tough, slippery, and unsafe to hike on.

I ended up getting back in the car and heading into a lower canyon instead — but be aware that there’s still snow up on the mountains, even though we haven’t had precipitation in a little while.

On the other hand, if you want to take a trip to play in some plowed snowbanks, head toward the Angeles Crest Highway ASAP.

Hiking Sunset Peak

A winding fire-road hike to one of the front peaks near the Mt. Baldy Area. This is the longer but less strenuous of two routes, and offers outstanding, panoramic views of the Baldy Bowl and - on clear days - the seemingly never-ending sprawl of Rancho Cucamonga. At the peak itself are the remains of an old fire tower that burned down years ago.

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Bad Press for the Forest

If you’re reading local Los Angeles news, the forests around L.A. are portrayed as a dumping ground for bodies and playground for drunken vandals.

I swear, it’s not that bad.

The LA Times story is really interesting, if you’ve ever wondered just how they track down people who start forest fires. Long story short, some good ol-fashioned electronic detective work.