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Resolving to hike 100 times by 2010.

Archive for May, 2009

Hike 9.5 – Big Trees Trail

May 31

Posted by Kolby in hikes | View Comments

Because of the rules I set for myself when I began this project, this “hike” does not count towards my 100 hikes. It wasn’t at least two miles in length and it was done on mostly paved trails.

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Big Trees Trailhead


Although the Giant Forest has some nice rugged trails for hikers, the Big Trees Trail is not one of them. The trail was  designed in mind for those of limited mobility who want to “explore” one of the largest and most famous sequoia groves in California. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the time on the trail, but to call it a “hike” would be an insult to hikes. It would be more aptly defined as a nature walk.

The difference between the park on Thursday and Saturday was amazing. For hike #8, I was one of the few in the Giant Forest that evening.  But today, the lot was not only full but cars were lining the sides of the Generals Highway.  Starting Thursday evening, a great surge of visitors rolled into the park in their RVs, SUVs, station wagons, and motor cycles. The park staff – many who started their season on Wednesday – didn’t know what hit them. The line for checking into the Lodgepole Campgrounds was at least 20 vehicles deep, some sat idle for over 30 minutes, making me wonder why the staff didn’t suggest for them to turn off their engines. Included in the traffic were my friends. They started to arrive into the park soon after I finished hike #9 yesterday. There would be eight of us in total, some who would just camp for a night and a few who would spend the entire Memorial Day Weekend.

On Saturday, all of us took advantage of the free shuttles and headed to the heart of the Sequoia Forest, known as the Giant Forest.  On the ride down, as I was pointing out the meadow where I photographed a bear a few days earlier , which was shown in the photos of hike #8. We spotted another in the same meadow but it would be gone by the time we hiked to it. All of us had our own pace and our own interests along the trail.  Some wanted to take time to read each of the informative boards placed along Round Meadow while others sat on the wooden benches along the trail.  A few of us were shutter bugs and spent a lot of time with cameras in front of our faces.  When we started concentrating on the small creatures of the undergrowth, we spent quite some time snapping photos. (I’ll be posting the insects I photographed in Sequoia up on my other blog, bugshutterbug.com.)

We all met back at the shuttle stop near the Giant Forest Museum and headed back to camp.

What I learned on the hike:

  1. Hiking in groups can be fun, but much slower than solo hiking.
  2. The rangers do not want people to get right up under the sequoia trees.  When my friend jokingly hugged the Clara Barton Tree, a ranger explained that walking on the hump of soil surrounding the base of the tree will cause it to break apart, which could potentially affect the amount of water the tree receives.  We all looked at each other and walked away.  One friend said he was tempted to respond to the ranger why, if that was true, the park has roads that practically touching the sequoias.
  3. We saw an American Marten (Martes americana) in Round Meadow!  I’ve never heard of this type of weasel until seeing one, so it was pretty exciting.  What a beautiful creature.
  4. On my first day in the park, I purchased a copy of The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada. I must have spent over eight hours thumbing through the awesome book during the trip.

Hike #9.5 Trip Stats:

  • Date of hike: May 23rd, 2009
  • Location: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, California
  • Length: 2.0 miles (more like 1.7)
  • Duration: 1 hour, 47 minutes
  • Average speed: ±1.1 mph
  • Altitude at start: 6,393 feet
  • Altitude min.max: 6,393/6,499 feet

This map was made with the data my GPS captured on the hike.
For a more detailed trip report map, check this out.

Photos:

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A small meadow in the Giant Tree Forest


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We found this big sequoia off the trail near Round Meadow


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Peter getting a good angle for a shot.


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Nathan in Round Meadow


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Round Meadow


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One of the ancient sequoias along the Big Tree Trail.


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I'm taking a picture of Peter taking a picture of Nathan taking a picture of a bug.


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Nathan sizes up a sequoia.


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Taken after the hike near Lodgepole Campgrounds.


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Cooking up some campfire food after our hike.

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Hike 9 – Panther Gap via Wolverton Trailhead

May 30

Posted by Kolby in hikes | View Comments

This would be a true test of my solo hiking abilities.

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Standing in front of the Great Western Divide at Panther Gap


I’m happy that this hike ended with me back at my car because it could have ended in disaster.  I almost fell into a heuristic trap, or a situation where one assumes that they are doing the right thing because a similar situation in the past ended in a positive outcome.  Hikers run into this trap during a few different scenarios.  Here’s a few quotes you might have heard on the trail (or coming out of your own mouth):

  1. Familiarity – “I hike here all of the time.  I won’t have any problems.”
  2. Commitment – “I promised myself I would get to the top of this mountain.”
  3. Expert Halo – “I’m not sure about this route, but he’s better and I’ll trust him.”
  4. Conformity – “Everyone else is OK with doing this so I’ll do it as well.”
  5. Scarcity – “Despite the bad weather forecast, I’m hiking anyway because this is my only trip this year.”

I found this list in one of my old Backpacker Magazine recently (I don’t recall the issue) and it came to me half way through this hike.  I had been hiking for about about three miles and realized a few things:  I was driven to complete a route even when previously unknown variables presented themselves: the length of the trail was longer than on map and there was snow at higher altitudes (a.k.a “Commitment”).  Also, I was hoping to complete the loop because I didn’t know when I would be back to Sequoia (“Scarcity”).  I talked to a hiker coming off of Alta Peak and he said I shouldn’t have any problems with my route (“Expert Halo”).

When I reached Panther Gap, I came to my senses and made the decision to turn around.

And on top of all of this, I was only wearing shorts (no change of clothes), I had not told anyone where I was hiking, and I didn’t pack a first-aid kit.  I was disappointed that I did not make the originally planned route, but I felt like I made the right decision.  Survive today to hike tomorrow.

Despite the mental and psychological dilemma, the hiking was majestic.  The trail was slightly busy -  I saw about 20 or so people during the 5-hour trek – but I was one of the few solo hikers and the only one wearing a bear bell.  A bear bell makes it so a hiker won’t startle a bear in the woods.  It won’t necessarily scare a bear away, but it will make your presence known.  I learned that it also does a good job of keeping other hikers away.  For me, the jingle becomes almost white noise, but I suppose it can sound annoying for others who came to enjoy the solitude and quietness of the forest.  I’d rather not be attacked by a startled bear so it’s not a big concern for me on how they feel about it.

What I learned on the hike:

  1. (see heuristic trap info above)
  2. I love the taste of unfiltered spring water near the source.  This too might be another heuristic trap, but I have yet to get sick with Giardiasis or other bacteria, which might or might not be found in these waters.
  3. I should have packed a patch of Moleskin Bandage.  I was starting to get hot points on my feet.
  4. I should have also brought a roll of duct tape for the holes in my boots.  Walking through streams and snow made my toes wet, then cold. Both of these items were back at the campsite.
  5. I should have packed an emergency blanket.  If I sprained my ankle or the weather made a turn for the worse (which it looked like it was), I would have been stuck without any cover.
  6. I’m getting pretty quick in my pace.  For the last 1.5 miles of my hike, I was going about 3-4 mph on average.

Hike #9 Trip Stats:

  • Date of hike: May 22nd, 2009
  • Location: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, California
  • Length: 7 miles (more like 5.5)
  • Duration: 5 hours, 11 minutes
  • Average speed: ±1.3 mph
  • Altitude at start: 7,213 feet
  • Altitude min.max: 7,213/8,511 feet

This map was made with the data my GPS captured on the hike.
For a more detailed trip report map, check this out.

Photos:

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I was surprised by the snow (see it in the background?)
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Beautiful meadow with patches of snow.
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The Lakes Trail Junction
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Another beautiful meadow with a babbling spring.
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I’m a sucker for flower photography.
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At about8,200 feet, patches of snow covered the trail.
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Panther Gap junction.  The mileage didn’t seem right, but I was willing to trust it over my map.
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Panther Gap with the Great Western Divide in the background.
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Near The Lakes Trail Junction.  It looks like someone built a shelter recently (notice the green branches).
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More remnants of the winter lurk in the forest.

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Nowhere to hike in California?

May 29

Posted by Kolby in motivation | View Comments

Arnold Schwartzeneggar is looking to kill our parks.

I’m so upset about this, I can’t even write straight – so I’ll let Pete Thomas from the Los Angeles Times tell you all about this and how you can help:

“Beginning July 1, the governor plans to cut core funding for 279 parks in half (by $70 million), and during the next fiscal year he intends to cut all funding. If the cuts are approved by the Legislature, more than 200 parks could be forced to close.

Without staffing and human traffic, trails will vanish and homeless encampments and illegal pot farms might take root. (Do not expect enforcement of no-trespassing ordinances.) Fire danger might substantially increase and that could, in turn, lead to lawsuits against the state.

The California State Parks Foundation, which is lobbying to keep funding open, states that the general fund budget utilized by state parks accounts “for less than one-tenth of one percent of the entire state budget” and if that’s true then the meager savings do not justify the action.

Elizabeth Goldstein, Cal Parks president, called the measures “awful and draconian.” She points out that more than 80 million people visited state parks last year and that for every dollar that funds the parks, $2.35 is returned to the state’s general fund via economic activities in nearby communities.

“That means eliminating all funding for state parks could actually result in the state losing over $350 million in revenue,” Goldstein said in a website posting. Goldstein said this is the greatest threat the state parks system has faced in its 150-year history, and urges those wanting to learn more and join the fight to keep funding in place to visit the website.

As someone who appreciates the importance of maintaining state parks in such a cluttered society, I hope common sense prevails and that they’re allowed to remain open.”

Here is a direct link to SIGN THE PETITION.

In a related note, Ken Burns, historian and documentarian known for his award-winning Civil War series, is wrapping up a 6-year filming odyssey on our National Park system. The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is scheduled to air on PBS this fall. I only wish that it came out sooner to help promote our parks to those with the power to make change in California.

From the clip comes this poignant line from writer Nevada Barr:

“I think the value in the future of the National Parks will be the past. Right now is the future of yesterday and you can travel back in time in the parks. And if we cut those off – if we trash them, if we get rid of them, if we don’t support them – when we get to looking back, it will be gone.”

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Hike 8 – Sunset Rock

May 27

Posted by Kolby in hikes | View Comments

From Paradise Creek to Eli’s Paradise, this is my second hike in one day at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park.

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Rockin' the sunset at Sunset Rock


This might be the easiest hike out of the hundred. I had to get creative to turn a hike down the 0.8 mile-long Sunset Rock trail into a 2-mile trek: I took a lap around the parking lot and hoofed it around on another trail. I arrived a bit later at the trailhead than expected. On the drive from the Lodgepole campgrounds to the Giant Forest, I passed a meadow with a bear dining on flora. If you see a bear in a meadow in Sequoia, I believe it’s a requirement to stop and take photos. After all, the bear expects nothing less. As with most bears in Sequoia, this one didn’t mind me and my camera watching it eat. The late afternoon sun through the giant trees added to the magic of the moment.

My hike started at the empty parking lot near the Big Forest Museum at 7pm. At first I thought the lot was closed since there weren’t any other cars. Two California mule deer took advantage of the human-less asphalt to snack on the shrubs in the middle of the lot. It’s beautiful to see nature ignoring the unnatural additions we have added to the forest and making the best of it.

After a 2/10ths of a mile hike around the lot and down a paved path, I joined the Sunset Rock trail. The afternoon was quiet and the forest was void of other people. The couple I passed at the trailhead would be the last I would see for the evening. The trail has a slight drop down to the Little Deer Creek before a slow but steady gain all the way to Sunset Rock. Along the way is Eli’s Paradise, a small meadow with a fallen sequoia and a large granite boulder. I took a detour and trekked into the meadow, careful not to tread on the spring wildflowers.

Saying that Sunset Rock is just a rock would be a major understatement. It is in fact a large exposed granite dome almost flat enough on the top to play a game of soccer (don’t lose control of the ball!) If sports aren’t your thing, Sunset Rock makes a nice place to sit and watch the sun go down beyond the wooded hills across a large canyon. It’s not the most impressive views for a sunset (look for my post on Hike 11 to Moro Rock) but it was nice to share the rock with nothing else but my thoughts.

What I learned on the hike:

  1. I can carry my SLR without being too distracted from hiking.
  2. The world would be a better place if everyone took the time to hike during sunset in the woods. It is peace and beauty beyond words.
  3. I forgot to bring water or wear a bear bell. I obviously forgot my brain as well.

Hike #8 Trip Stats:

  • Date of hike: May 21st, 2009
  • Location: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, California
  • Length: 2.2 miles (more like 2.0)
  • Duration: 1 hour, 22 minutes
  • Average speed: ±1.6mph
  • Altitude at start: 6,534 feet
  • Altitude min.max: 6,392/6,546 feet

This map was made with the data my GPS captured on the hike.
For a more detailed trip report map, check this out.

Photos:

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The bear in a meadow kept me from my hike because I had to stop to photograph it.  Stupid cool bear in beautiful meadow.  How dare Mother Nature stop me from my hike.
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Not 100 yards into my hike (the parking lot) and these two mule deer show up.
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Sunset Rock trailhead
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The crowded trail at sunset.
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Sequoias in the forest
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Standing in Eli’s Paradise.  It sure was.
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Stoic poses are a requirement at Sunset Rock at sunset.
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Moments after sunset.

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Hike 7 – Paradise Creek Trail

May 27

Posted by Kolby in hikes | View Comments

This is the first of a handful of hikes I completed in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park during an extended Memorial Day Weekend.

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Along Paradise Creek


It isn’t often that a place lives up to its name. Case in point: I’ve been in Los Angeles for almost two decades and haven’t found any angels. But the Paradise Creek Trail really does take one into a little bit of paradise. The Paradise Creek Trail is a 2.3 mile path under the cover of a dense forest cover. It is accessed from the Buckeye Flat campgrounds located in the low-elevation foothills of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. I hoped to get a good workout on this trail in preparation of the longer, harder hikes to come on this 5-day trip to the park, but that wouldn’t happen. Spring was in full swing and life was everywhere. Wildflowers, bumblebees, moths, butterflies, birds… they were all out on this beautiful day. Within the first 100 yards of the hike, I spotted a California Quail on the trail. Many stretches of the trail were flanked by yellow, white, blue, and purple wildflowers (I’m not yet up to par on my wildflower names, but I’ll get there.) I saw these strange little black moths with white stripes which had long antennae that were twice the length of their bodies. I turned over a fallen log and discovered a whole community of creatures, including a scorpion. The Paradise Creek Trail was well groomed but the draw of the creek was too irresistible.  I found myself exploring small wooded meadows where songs of birds could be heard over the murmuring of the creek.

I think the only way I could have done this hike at a quicker pace was to do it blindfolded or late at night.

At 11am, I turned around. It would have been nice to have traversed the entire length of the trail, but I had a late start and needed to get back to check out of my campsite by noon. I’m happy to have done the hike in the morning where the entire path was in the shade.

What I learned on the hike:

  1. It’s a great feeling to be able to start a hike at your campsite. Just roll out of your tent, strap on your boots, and pick a direction. “Still round the corner there may wait, A new road or a secret gate.” J.R.R. Tolkien.
  2. I can’t resist stopping to look at the nature. The natural sights were just too beautiful to be passed without a good long look. Leaving my SLR in my car helped keep me from a lot more stops, but I still stopped and used my small point-and-shoot quite a bit.
  3. I discovered that my camera (Canon 1100 IS) has a custom timer. It can take up to 10 shots in a row after a delay of up to 30 seconds. So no more running like mad to get into place!
  4. My copy of the book Scats and Tracks of the Pacific Coast States has finally become useful: I identified bobcat scat and tracks along the trail. I’m not excited to look too closely at crap, but I think it’s good idea to know what it came from. Finding a fresh pile of mountain lion scat might make you react differently than seeing a pile of deer poo.

Hike #7 Trip Stats:

  • Date of hike: May 21st, 2009
  • Location: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, California
  • Length: 2.6 miles (more like 2.4 miles)
  • Duration: 2 hours, 36 minutes
  • Average speed: ±1.0 mph (more like 1.8 mph)
  • Altitude at start: 2,771 feet
  • Altitude min.max: 2,771/3,187 feet

This map was made with the data my GPS captured on the hike.
For a more detailed trip report map, check this out.

Photos:

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The view out the top of my tent in Buckeye Flat Campground.
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The Paradise Creek Trailhead.  No dogs riding bikes, please.
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The Middle Fork Kaweah River looking east. I’m standing on a fairly new footbridge to take this photo.
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Paradise Creek
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Bloom goes the dynamite!
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Edyth’s checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha)
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Chinese houses flowers (Collinsia heterophylla)
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Picturesque flowers along Paradise Creek Trail.
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Paradise Creek
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A scorpion found underneath a log.
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To this katydid(?), this flower’s name is Lunch.

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Hiking 101

May 19

Posted by Kolby in motivation | View Comments

The great thing about hiking is just about anyone can do it.  All you need to do is lace up them boots, get outside, and start hiking.  But with anything, there are different techniques and levels of skill.  Most of the basics have never left my noggin’, but I know there is a lot to learn about the fine art of hiking.  So I’ve hit the books.  I’ve dug into the pile of boxes in my room marked “You’re Eventually Going to Use This Stuff So Don’t Throw It Out” and found my library of hiking and camping-related texts.  Amongst the stuff was my collection of National Geographic Adventure magazines, some dating back to their earliest issues.  I found a whole bunch of hiking books: The Best in Tent Camping: Southern California, The Best in Tent Camping: Oregon, The Hiking Engine, and the Holy Bible of outdoor life, Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills.

Since finding this loot, I’ve spent hours pouring over the pages of the books and magazines. Some of the articles are a bit beyond their expiration date, but hiking news rarely goes sour.  In fact, I’ve been able to gather a few ideas for my upcoming multi-day trips, expecially my Sequoia trip which starts on Wednesday.

Along with my hiking-related books and magazines, I’ve also gone through all of my hiking and camping gear. I’m a total gear head and have enough camping stuff, I call my closet my own personal REI. I’m currently going through everything and seeing what I need to bring for five days of car camping in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.

I found a long-lost book amongst the winter gloves, gaters, and medical kits: my copy of Sequoia National Park: A Complete Hiker’s Guide. Inside the book are sticky notes of places I hiked (and wanted to hike) on my first and last trip to the park in 2007. Also stuffed within its covers was a waterproof topographical map of the park, an informative pamphlet on the park, and handwritten notes (by me) on where to stay, important phone numbers, and other useful bits of info that I’ll be able to use on this trip. Jackpot!

This will be my last post for a while. I hope to come home from Sequoia next Monday with enough hiking reports to double what I currently have. Happy trails!

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Hike 6 – Mishe Mokwa Trail to Sandstone Peak

May 17

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I bagged my second peak!

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At the top of Mt. Allen (Sandstone Peak)


Hike number six was probably my favorite hike to date for this project.  The gentle gain along a well-groomed trail amongst a rare coastal Mediterranean ecosystem made for a very enjoyable hike.  The blooming flowers, fluttering butterflies, and other active wildlife made it difficult to concentrate on hiking rather than photography – but what is hiking without stopping to enjoy the surroundings?  I stopped and enjoyed it many times, capturing  plants and insects I have never seen.  And the views!  The views were spectacular in every direction.  To the north and east, the Conejo and San Fernando Valleys spread out below.  To the west, the mountainous Santa Barbara area.  And to the south, the great Pacific, shrouded in a marine layer where only the Channel Islands revealed themselves in the distance.

Chris, a friend of mine, suggested that I hike Sandstone Peak (officially known as Mount Allen) during my quest to hike one hundred times by the end of the year.  I took him up on his suggestion and invited him to join me for a Saturday afternoon hike.  However, it was more of a challenge to find the Mishe Mokwa Trailhead than it was to traverse on it.  Although Chris has mountain biked Sandstone Peak before via another trail, he didn’t know exactly where the Mishe Mokwa trailhead was located.  I had read about the trail on LocalHikes.com, where they mentioned it is  “one of the most beautiful hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains.” I had printed out the topographical maps, but didn’t think of printing out the directions to the trailhead, located deep in the 4,000-square mile Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Again, like hike number four, it was a case of knowing a lot of the small details, but missing one important piece of info. After a few wrong turns and a little guesstimating, we found the trailhead around 4:15pm, two hours later than we had planned.

But the timing couldn’t have been better. The weather was a pleasant, with a slight ocean breeze.  The sun was much lower in the sky than it would have been earlier in the day, allowing for the terrain and foliage to provide shade along the trial. Many of the visitors had already come and gone, leaving the trail virtually empty.  We had originally planned to do the strenuous six-mile round trip hike, but instead opted for the shorter and faster route leading straight to Sandstone Peak.  We spent a half-hour on the jagged summit, ate some snacks and took photos before heading back down.  We got back to my car at 8:00pm, just before sunset.

I’m definitely planning on going on more hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains before the end of the year.

What I learned on the hike:

  1. Always print directions to the trailhead and bring a map of the area.
  2. The Santa Monica National Recreation Area provides free pamphlets at all of their major trailheads that include information on the area and trail maps!
  3. My new KEEN boots do a terrible job of hiking downhill.  I’m afraid that they are too short for my size 15 feet, causing my toes to hit the front of the boot on downhill treks.  I’ll be packing my older Columbia boots along with me for my Sequoia trip next week.
  4. I had a high amount of energy and stamina on this hike compared to earlier hikes.  Am I getting into shape?  Time will tell.

Hike #6 Trip Stats:

  • Date of hike: May 17th, 2009
  • Location: Mishe Mokwa Trail to Sandstone Peak, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California
  • Length: 3.41 miles
  • Duration: 3 hours, 44 minutes, 1 second
  • Average speed: ±0.9 mph
  • Altitude at start: 2,066 feet
  • Altitude min.max: 2,066/3,111 feet

*GPS Data (above) is not accurate due to frequent stops, mostly at the summit.

This map was made with the data my GPS captured on the hike.
For a more detailed trip report map, check this out.

Photos:

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The Conejo and San Fernando Valleys from the trail
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The rugged coastline with the Pacific veiled in clouds.
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Echo Canyon from the trail, home of Balancing Rock, a school-bus sized boulder (upper left)
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Chalcedon checkerspot butterfly larvae (Occidryas Chalcedona)
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Chalcedon checkerspot butterfly pupa (Occidryas Chalcedona)
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Chalcedon checkerspot adult butterflies (Occidryas Chalcedona)
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At the summit of Sandstone Peak.  Number six!
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Chris at the top.
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Hiking down Mishe Mokwa Trail

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Hike 5 – Lower Arroyo Seco

May 13

Posted by Kolby in hikes | View Comments

Finally, a nice and easy hike!

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Melanie and I at Fern Canyon


On Wednesday morning, my friend Melanie joined me in Altadena for a hike up the Lower Arroyo Seco. We started at a trailhead at the end of West Altadena Drive. From there, we took the Gabrieleño Trail north, passed the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as very smart people were arriving to work, and headed into the wooded canyon. We were both thankful that the trail was flat, with only a 530 foot elevation gain in 1.5 miles. The trail parallels a gentle stream shaded by sycamores, white alders, oaks, maples, and steep canyon walls. Despite the incredible natural beauty, there are many signs that we are on the edge of a large civilization: chain-linked fences, dams, above-ground pipes, and remnants of human habitation as early as the 1920s. The Gabrieleño Trail heads 15 miles into the Angeles National Forest, but we turned around after just a mile and a half of easy trekking.

Along the trail I heard many birds but only saw a few. Melanie spotted a black-crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) fishing in one of the reflective pools along the stream (see photo below). I heard the distinctive sound of an acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) before seeing it in a tree. We also saw a spotted towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) foraging through the dry leaves for its breakfast.

While watching the small bird raking the leaves with its feet, a hiker walked up and greeted us. He was about 70-years old and said he was happy to see someone else stopping to look at the wildlife. I understood what he meant, having seen quite a few Angelinos on this trail concentrating more on their loud and obnoxious cell phone conversations than their surroundings. (I even overheard one woman say into her phone that she wanted to stay on the line “in case I’m attacked by a wild animal on this trail.”)

The local man told us that he hiked this trail every morning and that quite a few times he has mistaken the sound of this bird rustling around in the brush for a deer due to the amount of noise they make. He also pointed out that the nearby oak once had a bee hive in its trunk, “before someone unfortunately plugged shut the hive entrance.”  He seemed disappointed by this, adding that “these sort of people are also the type that would kill a rattlesnake if they saw one on the trail.” I related to this man, also believing that animals shouldn’t be killed simply because they are dangerous.  Each species of animal is a crucial link in the ecology. If, say, rattlesnakes were to disappear, the food chain would be broken causing problems that we can’t even imagine today.  We are in their territory, not the other way around.  I bet if we joined him on the trail, he would have a story about every rock and tree along the trail, but unfortunately we were on our way out.

We ended the hike at around 9:30am, happy that the overcast morning was cool and the trail was easy.  I’ll be doing this trail again before the year is out, I’m sure of it.

What I learned on the hike:

  1. Check how your body will react to bug repellent by applying a “patch test” on a small quarter-sized area of skin. Unfortunately, I applied old bug repellent on my neck, arms and legs without testing it and I had a bad reaction to it. I ended up with a really nasty rash and a mild stomach ache for the rest of the day.
  2. Some Angelinos need to turn off their cell phones once in a while and enjoy their surroundings.

Hike #5 Trip Stats:

  • Date of hike: May 13th, 2009
  • Location: Lower Arroyo Seco. (Gabrieleño Trail), La Cañada-Flintridge, California
  • Length: 3.1 miles
  • Duration: 1 hour, 19 minutes, 17 seconds
  • Average speed: ±2.3 mph
  • Altitude at start: 1,259 feet
  • Altitude min.max: 1,160/1,341 feet

This map was made with the data my GPS captured on the hike.
For a more detailed trip report map, check this out.

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Looking upstream in Fern Canyon
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Arroyo Seco in bloom
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See the black-crowned night-heron? (near the center of the photo)
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Looking downstream in El Prieto Canyon
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Looking upstream in El Prieto Canyon

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Hike 4 – Mt Lowe Summit via Mt Wilson Road

May 12

Posted by Kolby in hikes | View Comments

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Nathan & I at the summit of Mount Lowe (5,603 feet)


Sunday’s hike marks the first hike of my quest where a friend joined me.  In fact, I don’t think I would have completed it without his subtle motivation.  Nathan was one of the first of my outdoor-enthusiast friends to ask if he could join me on my journey to complete 100 hikes before the end of 2010.  We’ve been camping together in the past, most recently in Joshua Tree a few weeks ago, but we haven’t gone on many trek-centric* journeys.  I let Nathan plan this one out and I just went along for the ride.  In fact, I didn’t look at a map of the route until we got to the trailhead.  We both thought it would be an “easy 2-3 mile hike”.  Just the day before I had hoped to take an easy hike and failed miserably, ending up going on an enjoyable-yet-sweaty 5-6 mile hike.

Funny how history repeats itself, isn’t it?

The trailhead is wll marked and just off of Mount Wilson Road.  The “path” at first is the Mount Lowe Road, a 4.6-mile long gravel road that connects Mount Wilson Road with Panorama Point.  The first surprise of the hike was the Mueller Tunnel, built in 1942 by the US Forestry Service.  The tunnel carves a hole 25 feet tall by about 200 feet into the side of Mount Disappointment and must have took a great deal of time to build.  It’s impressive that now almost seventy years later, it still stands here as good as new.

Both Nathan and I are pretty good at reading maps.  Plus, we’re both armed with a Garmin GPS.  So it’s embarrassing to admit that we missed the trail heading up to the summit of Mount Lowe.  No, “missed” isn’t a good way to explain our mistake.  We misread the sign.  The metal sign with soldered letters showed two arrows – one leading to the summit, one to the campgrounds.  We unfortunately didn’t see one of the arrows, so instead of an “easy 1-2 mile hike,”  we set into motion a 5-6 mile hike which included a trek up the Mt. Lowe East Trail, a 1.5-mile section that climbs 1,100 feet.

But we endured and bagged the summit of Mt. Lowe (5,603 feet)!  At the top, I was more thankful for the surprisingly comfortable ancient metal bench than the view of the surrounding area.   We hoped to sign the summit book, but it looks like it has been stolen.  Two other hikers made it to the top while we were there, one having done it frequently, but he too couldn’t locate the log book.  Bummer!

We took the shortest route back to the car, laughing about how much extra work we caused ourselves by misreading the old trail sign.  With it  all being said and done, I’m happy I did the extra mileage.  Sweaty and sore as I might have been that Sunday afternoon, it felt great to have spent a few hours in the wilderness above Los Angeles with a good friend.

*Yes, I did make up the word trek-centric, which I define as a trip focused on hiking.

What I learned on the hike:

  1. Sadly, my hiking boots might be a tad too short. I hope that they work because I don’t think I can return boots that have been used for 12 miles of hiking.
  2. I really need to start using my CamelBack.

Hike #4 Trip Stats:

  • Date of hike: May 10th, 2009
  • Location: Mount Lowe via Mount Wilson Road – Angeles National Forest, California
  • Length: ±6.31 miles* (more likely 6.5 miles)
  • Duration: 4 hours, 38 minutes, 52 seconds
  • Average speed: ±1.4 mph* (more likely 1.2 mph)
  • Altitude at start: 5,090 feet
  • Altitude min.max: 4,574/5,603 feet

*These stats were gathered with my GPS, but due to the terrain, the data might not be accurate.

This map was made with the data my GPS captured on the hike.
For a more detailed trip report map, check this out.

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About to enter Mueller Tunnel
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A view looking west.  The smoke is from a big 8,000+ acre wildfire in Santa Barbara.
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Not sure what flowers these are, but I like them.  Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!
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Another view to the west, this time from Mt. Lowe Road.
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Nathan starts up the 1.2-mile Mt. Lowe East Trail
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Up the Mt. Lowe East Trail
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Nathan admires the view
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Bagged the summit!  Mount Lowe (5,603 feet)
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Two coast horned lizards (Phrynosoma coronatum) which are listed by the state and federal governments as a “Special Concern” species.  I feel very lucky to have seen three of them in a week! (The first one was seen on hike #2)
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The reason these lizards are so spiky is to break up the outline of their body so they cannot easily be spotted by predators.  If that fails, coast horned lizards can shoot streams of blood from their eyes when threatened!
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The view west from the Mt. Lowe trail.  On the left is Mt. Lowe Road, the “detour” we took on the way to the peak.
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Facing south near the trailhead.

I’ll post a video of this hike at a later date.

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Farther Than The Eye Can See

May 11

Posted by Kolby in motivation | View Comments

I found a great documentary about Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to summit Mt. Everest. There was a line in it that really sums up into what I feel about hiking:

"Mountain climbing isn't necessarily fun.  I think if you said it was fun,
it would be the wrong word. It's everything. It's sort of everything that
life has to offer in one experience.  It's intense cold and intense heat
and exhaustion.  Sometimes total exhilaration.  It's everything put
together, mashed into one experience."

If you have 50 minutes, I recommend that you watch this highly motivational and inspirational video

Thanks to SocalHikes.com for pointing out this documentary. You have a new frequent visitor.

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