31 Friday May 2013
Posted in Distance hikes, Outdoors, Peaks, Strenuous Hikes
The Wally Waldron tree is one of the oldest trees in the San Gabriel Mountains estimated to be older than 1,500 years.
It is named after Wally Waldron who was a member of the executive board of the LA area council of the Boy Scouts.
The tree is at the junction with the PCT and the trail that leads up to the summit of Mt. Baden Powell.
The Wally Waldron Tree viewed from the PCT
04 Thursday Apr 2013
Posted in Outdoors, Uncategorized
Tags
Hiking, nature, OC Parks, orange county, outdoors, Santiago oaks
Deer Trail
Santiago Oaks is one of my favorite parks to visit for a quick day hike. The nearly 2,000 acre park is on the border of wilderness and residental areas making it easly accessible. There are many trails within the park one of my favorite is the Deer Trail. At under a mile this small detour is worth the visit.
The trail can be access via Burnham Ridge or as you come down Robbers Peak. This is some what of a spur trail but there is also another trail that leads up and away from the canyon but that will take you to Weir Canyon so avoid that trail.
Meadow at the bottom of Deer Trail
The trail quickly descends the backside of Santiago Oaks and parallels this nice meadow and Oak grove. Make sure to pay this beautiful trail a visit on your next visit to Santiago Oaks.
13 Thursday Sep 2012
Posted in Distance hikes, Outdoors, Strenuous Hikes, Waterfalls
Tags
falls, Hiking, JMT, John Muir trail, mist trail, nature, Nevada, outdoors, sierra, trail, trek, vernal, waterfall, Yosemite
VERNAL AND NEVADA FALLS
During my last trip to Yosemite my buddy Hugo and brother Fidel decided to check out these two waterfalls.. Seeing as they were the only two left that still had flowing water we decided to tackle both of them in one hike.
The first of these two waterfalls is Vernal Falls which is 317 ft and is the smaller of the two. The waterfall first comes to view just .8 miles into the hike. Here on the Vernal Fall Bridge you will get your first glimpse of one of Yosemite’s many beauty’s!
Vernal Falls Bridge
The next .7 miles are far from easy! The Mist Trail consists of hard granite steps that seem to get higher and endless with every step! The beginner or average hiker might find this section a bit difficult.
Mist Trail leading to the top of Vernal Falls
Getting to the top of Vernal Fall is a nice hike all in its own . One could turn back once at the top and have a very rewarding 3 mile hike checked off their list, orrrr………..
Top of Vernal Falls
You could continue up the Mist Trail as we did for 1.9 miles to the Larger and more impressive Nevada Fall. At 594 ft this magnificent waterfall almost doubles the height of Vernal fall. Along the way we stopped to check out Emerald pool. Considering it was late August and the weak winter there was still a substantial amount of water.
Emerald Pool
After our quick detour we picked up the trail again and continued on. Views are Nevada Falls begin to appear giving you that extra motivation just in case thoughts of quitting are crossing your mind. Just remember, start early, take your time and drink lots of water… 3 keys to finishing any hike!
First glimpse of Nevada Falls
The image above is all I need to keep me going. When it comes to exploring I am a very driven individual. I never doubted myself not even once.. I wasn’t going to let a few measly granite steps keep me from accomplishing this goal.
Finally! We reached the top! We went over to the top of the falls overlook and took in the gorgeous scenery that is the Sierra Nevadas. Looking down on the 600ft beast was a very humbling experience..
Looking down Nevada Falls
Getting here was not easy but the payoff was about to come in the form of the JMT! (John Muir Trail)
We had two options for our return trip, A) go back the way we came orrrrrr B.) venture off onto the JMT and doing a lollipop loop back to Vernal Fall Bridge.. Yeah we went with option B.) lollipopping it adds about an extra mile but it is well worth it!
Entering the JMT
Anytime you have the opportunity to loop a hike I go for it! Every step and turn offers something new. Its like 2 hikes in one. The JMT section descends down the opposite side of the canyon than the way you came up. The scenery and views are totally different. This section of the JMT is well shaded and gradually switchbacks it’s way down to the start of the mist trail. (A lot better than returning via the Mist Trail).
Nevada Falls can be seen from this side with great clarity. No obstructions what so ever!
Nevada Falls from the JMT
All in all we did about 8 miles round-trip. Explored new trails, saw 2 amazing waterfalls hiked on the JMT and still made it back to camp in time for lunch! This, like most hikes, was an amazing experience! Its definitely a must do for any hiker visiting Yosemite.
Happy Trails,
Alex G
To get to the trail-head one can take the Yosemite Valley Shuttle to the Happy Isle shuttle stop or you can drive to the parking lot just before the shuttle stop. The parking lot does fill up so arrive early.
06 Thursday Sep 2012
Posted in Distance hikes, Outdoors, Peaks, Strenuous Hikes, The 10 Essentials, Waterfalls
OC Trail Hikers on the summit of Mt. Whitney 14,508 ft!
Where do I begin… Lets see..
This was the biggest hike of my life and it was far from easy… It wasn’t physically tough but more mentally challenging. The hike to the summit is 11 miles with an elevation change of around 6,000 ft. The hike itself is relatively easy but the higher you get the harder it becomes to breath… and you get really high! In fact, at 14,508 ft., its the highest point in the lower 48!
The Fantastic 4
Our plan was to start hiking at midnight so that if we encountered any difficulties along the way we would still have plenty of time to recover. That idea I was fine, but the idea of getting to the portal and sleeping during the day before our hike totally backfired on us! We spent all day trying to sleep and couldn’t even squeeze in a minute of shut eye. Before we knew it it was already 11pm !
We geared up and hit the trail by 1130pm. Hiking in the dark is something I had only done a couple times before but only for 2 hours at the most… This was going to be a 7 hour hike in the dark until sunrise. It was nice to hike under the cover of darkness but the only downfall was that we missed all the nice scenery on the way up.
Sunrise at Trail Camp
We arrived at Trail Camp just in time to see the sunrise. After a quick break we refilled our water and continued on to the infamous 99 switchbacks. The switchbacks arent so bad on the way up.. The way down is a different story!
Switch-backing it up to Trail Crest
As you can tell by the look on my face the lack of sleep was starting to take its toll…
When you reach Trail Crest you are overcome with this feeling of accomplishment and joy and you almost feel untouchable!
Finally reached Trail Crest!
That feeling lasts about 2 minutes!… as you make your way down, yes down, Trail Crest you begin to realize that getting to the summit is going to require a little more work than a measly 99 switchbacks! If you made it this far, there is no reason to stop here although you might be slightly discouraged, just keep on trekking!
Along the Trail Crest/JMT you will have amazing views into Sequoia National Park. The views are like no other that I’ve experienced on any of my hikes Just plain amazing!
A look into Sequoia National Park
My lovely wife and myself on the Trail Crest / JMT Trail. Sequoia National Park in the background
On Trail Crest/JMT
The final push to the summit is an amazing feeling… Knowing that all your hard work, training and sacrifices are about to pay off, makes that moment one that you will never forget!
Me making the final push to the top!
This was a wonderful journey I was fortunate enough to share this experience with my beautiful wife Martina and my hiking buddies Neal and Scott.
Our total hike time was 19 hours including breaks and stops to regroup. The altitude played a big roll in our long trek. Dealing with elevation sickness and the extreme headaches was something that required us to slow down and take lots of breaks,very frequently. It took us 11 hours to summit and 7 to return back down.
A permit is required to hike to the summit of Mt Whitney. Click here for info on entering the lottery.
Permits can be picked up at the MT Whitney Ranger Station/Visitor Center
Click here for directions to the trailhead
28 Thursday Jun 2012
Posted in Distance hikes, Outdoors, Peaks
Tags
Deer Springs, distance hike, mountain, peak, San Jacinto, Taining for mount whitney, trail, Wilderness
Me on San Jacinto Peak
This was probably up there on the list of tough hikes. I don’t know if it was the late 9:30 am start or the warm summer day or a combination of the two… But I had a hard time on this particular hike.
Anyways, Deer Springs Trail is located off of highway 243 and is actually on a turnout off the main highway. A forest adventure pass is required. You will also need a wilderness permit to day hike in the San Jacinto wilderness. You can pick one up at the ranger station a few miles down the road past the Trailhead. (Follow the signs on the roadside)
This a wonderful trail and I cant wait to bring my wife back to experience it. We have reached the summit before via the Palm Springs Tram which was a wonderful hike but this trail is my new favorite way up to the peak. The 9.3 mile trail makes its way up the west side of the mountain so an early start is recommended or else the sun will be beaming down on you as it was on me.
The trail is well marked and almost impossible to lose. The First marker is always such a drag… nothing but a reminder of how long you have left!
2.3 miles down…. 7 more to go!
The scenery on this trail is absolutely some of the best! Tall pines, lovely creeks and amazing rock formations
Large Boulder on the trail
Usually climbing out of the tree covered forest is not one of my favorite things… sometimes i wish i could stay there wondering around all day.. but on this hot summer day i knew that getting higher meant cooler weather. So we kept pushing on passing trail junction after trail junction. Finally! blue skies in the distance! This is when you finally get a real feel for how much elevation you have gained..
Little windows like this were breathtaking!
view of The Santa Ana Mountains to the West
View of The Santa Ana and The San Gabriel Mountains
The views were amazing!!
We passed a lot of streams along the way making note of them and their distance just in case we needed to refill on the way back.. (which we did)> The last water source before the peak was at The Little Round Valley Campground. From here it is about 1.3 miles to the top. On our way back we refilled our 3L waterpacks here before heading down.
The climb out of little round valley was tough about 1,100 ft in in 1.6 miles. Not to worry The views from here were great! I got s sneak peak of my soon to be next hike San Gorgonio! (which was easier than expected)
View of San G
The Final Push! This was the longest 1.6 miles EVER! But being that close to the peak is nothing but motivation to keep on going.. So thats exactly what I did.. Reaching the last trail junction is always such a good feeling especially when it reads……
.3 MILES TO GO!!!
This is the Longest, Hardest .3 miles around! At least from my experiences.. The trail leads to the emergency shelter and from there its a rock scramble to the peak. Take your time and be careful the high altitude can get you even at this point. I saw a guy sick as a dog throwing up just before the peak. I made sure to take some advil every 3 hours or so to prevent the killer headaches associated with high elevations hike.
Happy Trails!
AlexG
27 Wednesday Jun 2012
Posted in Distance hikes, Outdoors, Peaks, Strenuous Hikes, Waterfalls
Tags
distance, Hiking, manker flats, mount, mount baldy, mount whitney training hike, mountain, outdoors, peak, san antonio, San Gabriel Mountains, ski hut, strenuous, trail, waterfall
SAN ANTONIO FALLS
With my Mount Whitney hike fast approaching I decided to get serious about my training. Already have done Mt Baldy (via Old Baldy Trail) which was a butt kicker I decided to try out the shorter but equally as hard route to the summit. At 4.2 miles and with a gain of 4,000 ft. This is the shortest and quickest way to the top.
The trail begins at the intersection of Mt. Baldy Rd and Falls Rd. there is plenty of parking and a Forest Adventure pass is required. The first mile of this hike is on a road. At .5 miles you will reach San Antonio Falls. On this particular May day the falls were less impressive than I had imagined.. but hey it was a pretty dry winter.
After making a sharp right turn past the falls the roads turns to the left and at about .8 miles there will be an unmarked steep single track trail to your left. This us the Ski Hut Trail. If you aren’t paying attention, you will miss it. We almost did if it wasn’t for a fellow hiker.
The next 3.5 miles are unbelievable, amazing and breathtaking! (Especially the breathtaking part) As soon as I started I immediately knew it was going to be a tough hike. I caught myself stopping more frequently than ever before.
It felt like the torture would never end!
What seemed to be an eternity was really only like an hour and a half of hiking… Finally through the cover of the clouds I got a glimpse of the ski hut.
FIRST VIEW OF THE SKI HUT ON A CLOUDY MORNING
Finally! The halfway point… great place to rest, re-energize, take a bathroom break and carb up before continuing on the final half of the hike.
ONE OF THE MANY PLACES TO REST AT THE SKI HUT
After a nice 30 minute rest. We geared up and continued on our mission! Just 2 more miles! Sounds easy but there is still one last hard section before the final push!
My buddy Neal
Winding our way up the mountain through a series of boulders and pines. There was no snow left on the mountain but there was a lot of ice covered trees. Which made for great photos.
After the last hard part the trail becomes relatively easy and the blue skies begin to open up indicating that the top of the ridge is getting closer. This usually gives me that extra motivation to keep on trekking!
NEARING THE TOP
YOURS TRULY, ON THE SUMMIT
This is probably the best 4.5 mile hike around. It offers a bit of everything.. A waterfall, a steep incline, beautiful scenery and an amazing view! Definitely a must do for all serious hikers!
RETURN OPTIONS:
10 Thursday May 2012
Posted in Distance hikes, Outdoors, Peaks, Strenuous Hikes
Tags
california, climbing, hike, Hiking, hiking group, los angeles, mount baldy, mountain, mountain range, Mt. Baldy, peak, san antonio peak, San Gabriels, snow, summit, trail, Trails, views
This past April our group decided to hike up to the summit of Mount Baldy (officially Mt. San Antonio). There are 4 ways to reach the peak. With Mt. Whitney just a few months away, we decided to challenge ourselves and take the Old Baldy Trail which is 6.4 miles long and has a gain of about 5,800 ft making it a very challenging and difficult hike.
The parking lot for this hike is located right next to the Mt. Baldy Village Church. A forest adventure pass is required.
After a quick bag check we started up Bear Canyon Rd for about .4 miles to the trailhead.
Trailhead at the end of Bear Canyon Rd
After enjoying the the sounds of the creek and sights of the cabins for .4 miles we left the paved road behind and continued on the dirt single-track trail that is Old Mt Baldy Trail. Our next destination was Bear Flat (1.8miles) here we regrouped and took a short break before continuing on for the remaining 4.6 miles.
The First 1.8 miles are the easiest…
The rest of the hike has a gain of 900 feet per mile making it very difficult. As soon as you leave Bear Flat you start to switchback up the south side of the mountain leaving you exposed to the sun , so bring a hat and pack on the sunblock! Views of Ontario Peak are all you can see from here.
Ontario Peak
After about 2 miles we hit the end of the switchbacks and continued up the ridge. This is where SoCal began to reveal itself.
getting higher and higher.. The Santa Ana Mountains are starting to reveal themselves!
If you make it here.. Just keep on going as the hardest part is now over. My favorite part of this hike(other than reaching the peak) was when we I reached the Narrows Ridge This was an Amazing experience with awesome views!
My Wife making her way up Narrows Ridge
View of Mt Baldy from Narrows Ridge
When we reached the top of the ridge my jaw dropped!
Jaw is Dropped! top of the Narrows Ridge
Up until here we were on a dirt trail which was easy to follow and easy to walk on.. This was a first for me.. hiking in the snow.. it sounds nice in ones head but the fact of the matter is this stuff was slushy and knee deep in some places.. With Baldy in our sights we had no choice but to fuel up and keep on trekking!
Once we hit the saddle between West Baldy and Baldy we had a choice to visit WB but we were just too drained, so we continued to the right and made the final push up to Baldy!
WE MADE IT!!!!
My krew and I on the highest peak in LA
Happy Trails,
Alex G.
02 Monday Apr 2012
Posted in Distance hikes, Outdoors, Strenuous Hikes
Early this week I was lucky enough to be able to join the IRC on their Limestone Canyon Grand Tour hike. This hike covers all trails exterior and interior within the boundaries of Limestone Canyon Open Space Preserve . Totaling a little over 16 miles this is a long hike with multiple ups and downs. The trailhead for this hike is located at the Augustine Staging Area just off of Santiago Canyon Road. This hike is only available by signing up on the Activities page on the IRC website.
The Sinks from East Loma Ridge
This is a great way to see the whole park in its entirety with limited distractions. You will have the whole park to yourselves!
Dripping springs
Along the way you will make multiple stops
1. To catch your breath.
2. To visit Box and Dripping springs which have water year round (great opportunities to see wildlife).
3. Stop on Limestone Ridge and Loma Ridge to check out the views of The Santa Ana’s, Orange County and Catalina and the San Gabriels on a clear day.
4. Last but not least, to visit The Sinks! A natural landslide that occurred millions of years ago!
CLICK HERE FOR MAP AND HIKE DETAILS OF MY HIKE
20 Tuesday Mar 2012
Posted in Moderate Hikes, Outdoors, Peaks, Strenuous Hikes
Trailhead
Black Mountain is located just 30 minutes from the Las Vegas strip and at just under 7 miles this hike offers a great workout that can be completed in just a few hours, leaving you plenty of time left to enjoy the nightlife of Vegas.
This is a beautiful place to hike. The landscape is like nothing I’ve seen before. The mountain itself is volcanic in origin and that is evident as soon as you step foot on the trail.
The trail has a variety of desert plant life such as Joshua Trees, cactus and Creosote bush.
The hike itself is rather easy except for the last half mile or so. For the most part the ascend is gradual all the way up to black hill, it is from here that you will see the ridgeline before you and then the final push begins.
The Ridge line to the Peak!
This part of the trail has the potential to be pretty dangerous as the ridge line is very rocky and steep at some points. I had my trekking poles which I recommend for this hike.
Once you reach the peak you will hopefully see an American flag flapping in the wind, (it wasn’t there on this hike) and a military ammo case filled with notepads and geocache like items.. I signed it as did many other hikers before me
Looking East from the Peak
Looking North West from the peak
Mt Charleston in the distance
The views from the top of the 5,092 ft peak are amazing. Red Rock Canyon, Mt Charleston and Lake Mead are visible from here. The 360 views from here are breathtaking!
Black Mountain Peak 5,092ft
Las Vegas Valley, The strip is in the upper right hand side
• 7 miles roundtrip
• 5,092 ft peak
• Trekking poles recommended
• 2,100 foot elevation gain
Happy Trails,
Alex G.
17 Saturday Mar 2012
Posted in Moderate Hikes, Outdoors
Tags
The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias sits on an acre of land just to right of the Yosemites south entrance.
Grizzly Giant
The grove is home to over 500 full grown sequoias. The main attraction is The Grizzly Giant which is 210ft tall making it the 25th largest tree in the world.
The grove offers multiple trails for all skill levels. A tour of the whole grove should take about 3-4 hours.
A Fallen Giant!
The grove is home to other large trees both living and some no longer standing, as you can see in the picture above.
Tunnel Tree
The tunnel tree is another big attraction and it’s no wonder why. The thought of being able to walk through a giant tree had had me power hiking through the trails just to reach it.
Fallen Tunnel Tree
The fallen tunnel tree will really put the size of the trees into perspective.. This tree fell after a large snow fall in 1969 caused the weakened trunk to snapped under the weight of the snow. It’s estimated age is 2,300 years!..
We hiked every trail in the grove and were left in amazement at the size of these magnificent trees. It was truly a great way to end our trip to Yosemite.
Happy Trails,
Alex G
• 6 mile loop
• 4 hours to complete
• Difficulty level – easy/moderate
• Over 500 giant sequoias
Your Favorite Hiker 