Mount Baldy via Bear Flat Trail

Date Hiked: June 22, 2010

For my friend J's birthday (late June 2010), I agreed to hike Mt. Baldy's Bear Flat Trail (5800' gain over 12.8 miles), which was my last major hike before day-hiking Mt. Whitney. J (who completed the 3 Saints-- Baldy, Jacinto, & Gorgonio as well as PCT) says this Baldy trail is by far the toughest of the three.

I live on the eastern-most part of LA but this is REALLY east-- near Claremont off of the 210. DON'T be like me & drive precariously towards the trailhead on an empty tank. There are no gas stations in the vicinity.
Although we're seasoned hikers, we had a late start. Make sure your Adventure Pass is handy-- this is Angeles Crest territory. I heard people park at the church-- do so at your own risk. I parked in front of the visitor center (it doesn't look like a parking space) & went inside for an outdated but still useful map. There are teepees behind the visitor center (& restrooms!).

This is the least traveled of the Baldy trails which means-- 1) the trail is overgrown (you'll want a machete), 2) this is strenuous, & 3) few people sightings (we only encountered an ultra-marathoner & backpacker).

After the disappointment from multiple false summits, we finally made it to 10,064 ft! I suffered from allergies, sun sensitivity, and altitude sickness (I'm prone to it above 8000') so I advise you to pack your first aid kit, trekking poles, & tons of water, & be prepared for anything!

Mount Wilson

Date Hiked: May 29, 2010
During Memorial Weekend 2010, my hike's start was delayed due to Sierra Madre's Mount Wilson Trail Run. This is a difficult enough hike (14-15 mi RT), so I'm not exactly sure how people complete this as a trail run. If you're doing this hike in May, make sure to check the calendar or be prepared to wait around.

After a quick nap & some playground play (we street parked nearby), T, J, & I weren't able to access the trailhead until 11:30. It was hot & humid and poison oak grew rampantly (make sure you can identify it). Once we reached First Water, we realized it was a mistake that we had forgotten the mosquito repellent at home. We were bombarded by mosquitoes which had no qualms about flying into our eyes or mouths. If you're going in spring, make sure to bring repellent!

On the upside, the wet winter provided for a lush spring with vibrant flowers & flowing waterfalls. There were sections that reminded me of the lush Lost (in reality, Hawai'i) scenery. It also proved to be a good training hike since J & I were training for Whitney.

We lunched at 4pm, failed to find the observatory, napped, & returned by 8pm. T found out the hard way about upside down hikes & a 4,680 ft elevation gain. If you don't want to find out, you might want to skip this hike.

Mt. Lowe Trailway: Echo to Inspiration

Date Hiked: May 22, 2010

Four friends & I hiked from Echo Mountain to Inspiration Point via the Mount Lowe Trailway (11.4 mile RT hike) on a Saturday May morning in 2010.

This was one of our early Whitney training hikes. I deem it a moderate hike, especially if you make it all of the way to Inspiration Point. It was pretty crowded as our group made it up to Echo Mt.

What awaits you: An echo phone you can yell (or yodel if you're JWo) through. A few yards away, lies the graffiti-riddled "gladiator/gangster pit." You can easily climb in & out. This is a great photo op!

Once you reach Inspiration Pt, there are numerous tubes you can look through which will shows you sights such as Santa Monica or Venice. The wind deterred my numb hands from checking those out. It was so cold & windy that the boys had to whip out the emergency blanket for JWo!

On the return route (it's a loop, not out & back), we were able to look out at the wildfire ravaged area & appreciate the beauty of the juxtaposition of the extinguished & damage area with the lush, vibrant greenery.

If you see orange silly string, that's dodder, a parasitic plant.

Snow Hike: Mount Waterman

Date Hiked: December 17, 2007

Trail Canyon Falls

Dates Hiked: February 25, 2007; March 29, 2009

San Gabriel East River Fork

Dates Hiked: July 15, 2006; June 3, 2007; April 24, 2010

I've completed the San Gabriel River East Fork (10 mi RT) 3x: July 2006, July 2007, & April 2010.

The first time (with Bungee America) the water was knee-high (a little higher for me since I'm 5'0"). The second time, the river completely dried up which made it difficult to find the trail. After last year's wet winter, I encountered COLD waist deep water (remember, I'm short) because my idiotic coworker crossed at a bad location. When my friend called the Visitor Center, they told us not to attempt the hike. We didn't listen. Neither did the crowds.

Since we're having another wet winter, I anticipate the water will be pretty deep during early spring. If you do it right, there should be 7 river crossings before you reach the Bridge to Nowhere. Apparently, my entourage (of 8 with their assortment of water shoes) ended up making a whopping 20 crossings!

Take the 210 to Azusa and drive up the 39. There should be ample parking. Make sure you have an Adventure Pass, otherwise you will have to backtrack. Look for the swan rock, attempt a rock climbing move instead of wussing out & adding an additional, unnecessary crossing, keep a lookout for a bighorn sheep, & definitely go down & play below the bridge (it goes to nowhere because the road washed out in the early 1900s).