Hiking Backpacking Stoke 2012

TeleKay · Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 3:35 pm Post subject: Hiking Backpacking Stoke 2012

So, it's spring/early summer in North America, and my thoughts are turning from skiing to other outdoor pursuits.

This summer, hiking is back as my sport of choice with some big goals for this fall: doing some epic SoCal day hikes: Cactus to Clouds and Badwater to Telescope Pk.

I hope to keep posting to this thread as I train for those big hikes, and invite others to post their own hiking & backpacking adventure stoke here.
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TeleKay · Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 3:47 pm Post subject:

Mt. Zion Hike, 5 May 2012...8 miles, 2500' elevation gain/drop, ~3.5 hrs roundtrip.

Chantry Flats is a popular trailhead...parking starts filling up before sunrise. I got there around 9am and the parking situation was a zoo as usual. Easy access to rugged mountainscape like this:

A paved road down towards the lower winter creek:

After crossing a bridge over the creek, the climb begins and the lower winter creek trail is in lovely shape now with water burbling in the creek and lush greenery:

There are a series of retaining wall like structures all along the creek:

And, some amazing little swimming holes that would be a perfect place to lounge on a hot SoCal day - be back here in a couple months:

After a couple hours, come out from the cool shade of the forest to the open trail with views of rugged canyons all around:

The final bend toward the Mt. Zion summit:

A somewhat anti-climactic view from the summit, looking up toward Mt. Wilson, another 2000 ft higher:

The wildflowers make it my favorite season to hike here in SoCal:

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a ship is safe in a harbor, but that is not what it is designed for.

SkaredShtles · Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 3:50 pm Post subject:

Planning on some full-fambly backpacks this summer. Thinking Buffalo Peaks Wilderness as well as possibly the Eagle's Nest Wilderness.

QuiverQueen · Joined: 22 Apr 2005 Posts: 3265 Location: Boulder

Nice photos, thanks. Headed for Pawnee Buttes in NE Colo tomorrow. Not too hot yet, flowers should be amazing, hopefully some birds and small critters. Looking forward to the solitude and the stargazing.
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TeleKay · Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 4:08 pm Post subject:

Mt. Wilson Hike, 12 May 2012...14 miles, 4000 ft elevation gain/drop, ~6 hours roundtrip hike.

Got an early start, about 7am and still had to park about 10 mins downhill from the trailhead. Gotta love seeing the sun slowly creeping down the hillsides:

It's easy to get away from the hustle and bustle at the parking lot - you just have to climb up:

The sun doing its thing - burning up the clouds and fog:

The upper winter creek trail is a slog with a steady uphill pitch, but the shade makes it awesome:

First view of the summit, way in the distance - the large number of radio towers on top are easy to pick out, although they are a tiny speck in this photo:

Getting closer:

Can start to see up at the observatories on top:

Not a great day to see the San Gabriel Valley and the LA basin down below:

That's Mt. Harvard with a couple antennas:

Can taste the summit now:

And, finally at the top:

The wildflowers still putting a grand show in the SoCal mountains:

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a ship is safe in a harbor, but that is not what it is designed for.

Grant · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 8581 Location: Firmly planted

Mother's day hike up Baker Peak. 6 miles r/t and 2000' elevation gain.

A mother looking out to Danby Mtn. and the Taconic Range. Still waiting for the trees in the upper elevations to leaf out.

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funhog · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 2:06 am Post subject:

First Hike of the season. Lots of snow up high so we are still skiing. Finding spots to hike.

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barkleydog · Joined: 19 Dec 2004 Posts: 1511 Location: In the doghouse

Nice pics! Stark contrast to the hiking we have here in western NC. Just made our first spring hike up Grandfather mountain last Saturday. The recent rain has caused an explosion of green in all but the highest elevation.

Sawyer · Joined: 27 Mar 2009 Posts: 921 Location: 802

In the 'Dacks.

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edgeworker · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 3301

From the Catskills last weekend under that big moon. There's a 600ft cliff 6ft in front of me

TeleKay · Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 9:16 pm Post subject:

Mt. Lowe Panaroma Point Hike, 19 May 2012...11.6 miles, 2600' elevation gain/drop, ~4:15 hours roundtrip including the time to smell the flowers and enjoy the views.

The lower portion of the trail up to Echo Mountain is very popular and is a good workout gaining 1200' in 2.5 miles...good views of the San Gabriel valley and LA basin that keep getting better as you climb further up:

The top of Echo Mountain was part of the Mt. Lowe railway line and there used to be a fancy schmancy hotel up there. Some ruins still there:

Expansive view from the top of Echo Mountain - must have been a good place to escape to:

From Echo mountain, I turned up the Castle Canyon trail and left behind the hustle and bustle of the Echo mountain trail and summit:

The Castle Canyon trail is beautiful and really showcases the ruggedness of the San Gabriel mountains:

Looking up towards the rest area at the junction towards panorama point:

A view of the Mt. Wilson radio transmitters from the panorama point trail junction:

I saw nobody on the 2.2mi roundtrip on the Panorama Point trail - nice to enjoy some solitude on a beautiful trail:

You need a super wide angle to capture views from Panorama Point:

Spring wildflowers still putting on a good show in the SoCal mountains:

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TeleKay · Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 3:14 pm Post subject:

Mt. Lowe Summit Hike, 26 May 2012...13.6 miles, 3800' up+down, 5:30 hours roundtrip.

I was originally going to hike up to Mt. Wilson again from a different trailhead that would have been a 4800' hike up, but the Mt. Wilson trail race was on and I had to turn around and change plans. I went up to Echo mountain and the Castle Canyon trail to Inspiration point as last week, but then hiked up another 1200' to the summit of Mt. Lowe. The clouds were constantly changing throughout the morning making for dramatic skies and views intermittently. On the summit, I was in the clouds! It was a gorgeous day to take a walk in the SoCal mountains. Some pics:

On the way up:

No views at the summit today:

Took the Sam Merrill trail down, and it was beautiful:

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a ship is safe in a harbor, but that is not what it is designed for.

Grant · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 8581 Location: Firmly planted

Enjoyed my local stretch of the AT/LT yesterday. Hiked from Mad Tom Notch over Bromley to Route 11. Lots of tourists and a few overnighters. We found our friends dog didn't like hikers with poles!
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Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

TeleKay · Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:49 pm Post subject:

Hiked up Chaney Trail and Sunset ridge trail today towards the Mt. Lowe fireroad - it was more of a scouting trip for an S24O trip (sub-24-hour bicycle camping trip made famous by Grant Peterson of Rivendell). A 15 mile bike ride with ~3000 ft of climbing from our home will get me to this camp spot (where the pavement ends in the picture) with a great view of both the San Gabriel valley and the San Gabriel mountains:

Other pics from today's hike:

A small waterfall across the canyon from the trail whose sound is magnified by the canyon walls and sounds oh so refreshing in the SoCal sun:

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a ship is safe in a harbor, but that is not what it is designed for.

Sawyer · Joined: 27 Mar 2009 Posts: 921 Location: 802

From the Sewards (in the ADKs)...our swankly appointed lean-to and campsite. Yes, my wireless apple telephone made this one:

TeleKay: Really like the second to last photo there.
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28 pages of blah, blah, blah. -Grant
Congrats. You've just discovered what [this] forum is all about. -x-eff
...
Tele will always be a coveted art form, and a certain segment will always gravitate towards it.-climbhoser