T O P I C R E V I E W |
broken part |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 16:06:31 FB said he used to hike around Santa Monica Mountains when he wrote TOTY. Since I'll soon find myself in that part of the world I wouldn't mind some inspirational scenery. I'm thinking of climbing San Jacinto or San Gorgonio but it'll be the first time hiking in the US. Has anyone been around that area? Any advice on the trails, conditions, difficulty? It will happen in June so it will be boiling hot but what about above 6000ft? Do you have bears (or any other dangerous wildlife)?
I saw floops road rage page but I had to refrain myself from reading too much. Do folks there habitually drive like morons or is it isolated seldom occurance?
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9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
BLT |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 20:29:25 I've been on top of Baldy in late June and there were patches snow. Usually it's gone by then, though.
If I had only one day and wanted a great hike, I would take the Palm Springs tram up to San Jacinto. It lets you off above 8,000' and you can hike to the summit, which is about 10,500'. It's about 11 or 12 miles round trip.
Also Baldy via Devil's Backbone is a good day hike. That's an envigorating trail up a narrow ridge with some ancient limber pines. You can take the ski lift part of the way. |
broken part |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 17:01:42 But hey BLT, will they be snow capped in June? I read that the thow comes late in El Nino years but they are not year-round snow-capped, right?
Moderate will do me. I don't mind strenuous but the thing is that I have only one day to do this (albait it can be a very extended day - I don't mind sleeping in the car at the foot of the trail before departure and on arrival). So I'll be limited as to how much I can cover. If it will be hard I must cover it on one day, I won't be camping out.
Also, I have been a low level dweller for about a decade. I'm kind of worried about altitude sickness since I won't have the time to aclimatise. I've never had problems with it but I haven't climbed in a very long time. I am training for this so my legs should be up for the job. But isn't altitude sickness something inherent of you (like jet pilots - some have a natural higher tolerance level to pulling Gs). Or will the level of exhaustion also play a part?
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floop |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 16:52:13 quote: Originally posted by broken part
Thanks guys.
Floop, why is it a secret. Does something exceptional happen? Like that's where you get your zen powers form?
i'd love to be able to tell you about it but.. well, you know. .. (cough) sorry.
ist es möglich für ein quesadilla skrotum zu lecken? beim sprechen der quesadillas von LBF, ja. ja in der tatheheheheheheehehee! |
BLT |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 16:50:21 Also...I don't know how soon you're arriving, but most of the forest roads are closed right now. The torrential rain has done lots of damage. There is a weather station at a place called Opid's Camp, situated at about 4000' in the San Gabriels, that has registered 107 inches (2.7 meters) of rain since July. |
broken part |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 16:45:01 Thanks guys.
Floop, why is it a secret. Does something exceptional happen? Like that's where you get your zen powers form?
Actually I'm with you on that one. If you find a nice place keep it to yourself. It's really annoying to hike to a nice spot just to find there some noisy half-drunk louts completely spoiling the moment. |
BLT |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 16:43:58 I hike in the San Gabriels all the time. The San Gabriels and San Bernardinos have black bear-- over the years I've seen scat and tracks but I've yet to actually see the bear that made them. I've encountered plenty of rattlesnakes (even up at over 7,000 feet in the summer) and even a couple bighorn sheep.
I haven't been to the top of Gorgonio or Jacinto but the snowpack this year is pretty outrageous. We're well on track for the most precipitation in history. The snow starts around 6000' and gets thicker from there. I can see the top few thousand feet of Mount Baldy (aka San Antonio, 10,064') from my window here at work. It is solid white.
Do you want moderate, strenuous, or extremely strenuous hikes? The hard way to Gorgonio is the Vivian Creek Trail, which climbs 6,000' in about 7 miles. It is probably the toughest California hike south of the Sierra. Of course there are infinite other options. |
floop |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 16:28:53 ps. i've never heard that quote about TOTY, but i remember him saying that about the DITS / BLACK LETTER DAYS era. whispering weeds is (at least partially) about hiking in Leo Carillo
ist es möglich für ein quesadilla skrotum zu lecken? beim sprechen der quesadillas von LBF, ja. ja in der tatheheheheheheehehee! |
floop |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 16:24:49 broken part,
i've never hiked in those mountain ranges, but i do know some great hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains (where i usually go), including my "secret hike," which i could take you on but i'd have to blindfold you on the way.
this is a great book to invest in if you're planning on doing some extensive hiking this book
in all my (fairly frequent) hiking i've never seen a mountain lion once. i think your percentage of getting attacked by a mountain lion is somewhere in the range of being struck by lightening. plus, you know you could take one of those motherfuckers if you had to. . they're not that big.
as for idiot drivers.. like darwin said, it's mostly not. Southern California has the best drivers in the world. but there are those who ruin it for the rest of good drivers. just be zen..
happy hiking
ist es möglich für ein quesadilla skrotum zu lecken? beim sprechen der quesadillas von LBF, ja. ja in der tatheheheheheheehehee! |
darwin |
Posted - 02/25/2005 : 16:12:44 Dangerous animals in Southern California are rattlesnakes (try to not put your hands where you can't see and if you have a choice don't be the second person in a line of hikers) and mountain lions (look big and be loud and maybe don't hike by yourself if they're in the area). I don't think there are any bears in those areas. You shouldn't worry too much about the animals. We're lucky out here to not have much lyme disease or chiggers.
Drivers: there are alot people so there are many morons, but I think California drivers overall are pretty friendly. |