3 Days Along the Gene Marshall National Recreation Trail

View North Down Beartrap Canyon from the Gene Marshall Trail

This was not what my fellow traveler Chris and I had in mind--a long weekend in the local forest. Instead, we had dreamed of spending a couple of days at 10,000 feet lounging along the shores of Lake Muir and exploring the Cottonwood Lakes Basin in the southern Sierra Nevadas. And we could perhaps be forgiven for naively thinking we could actually pull that off this early in the season given the paltry amount of snow California received this past "winter." But a last minute check with the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor's Center in Lone Pine forced us to scuttle those plans. Despite the absence of snow-pack, Inyo County, we were told, had yet to open the road to Horseshoe Meadows. Foiled again.

So we quickly re-configured and targeted the Gene Marshall National Recreation Trail (the "GMT") which cuts through the heart of the southern Los Padres National Forest. Beginning at its northern terminus near the Reyes Creek campground in the Lockwood Valley, and ending at Lion Campground along Sespe Creek, the GMT is a scenic 18 mile frolic through the riparian canyons and over the forested plateaus of the Pine Mountain ridge. It's not the Sierras, but defaulting to this option certainly wasn't settling for anything. It is a very worthy destination in its own right.



The Gene Marshall National Recreation Trail

Logistically, the GMT can be a bit of a challenge because of its out-of-the-way location and point-to-point configuration. Since we couldn't convince anyone to spend the better part of their day shuttling us to the trailhead, we needed two cars. Because the optimal way to walk the GMT is from north-to-south (the other direction involves a 3,000 foot ascent of the southern, sun exposed ramparts of the Pine Mountain ridge), we dropped a car Lion Campground where the Sespe Trail begins and then drove up the Maricopa Highway to the trailhead near Reyes Creek and Camp Scheideck. Along the way, a very healthy looking coyote and a couple of deer crossed our path. They would be the only wildlife we saw the entire trip.

The initial thought was to spend the first night at Haddock Trail Camp and the second night at Piedra Blanca. But at the recommendation of Los Padres explorer extraordinaire David Stillman, we decided instead to aim for Beartrap Trail Camp the first night and Pine Mountain Lodge the second. As it turned out, it was a good recommendation for a variety of reasons.

First Night's Destination

Second Night's Destination

End of the Trail :(

So on Friday afternoon, we departed the vacant parking area at the Reyes Creek trailhead and began our adventure. The GMT, which is well marked and well maintained here, tracks Reyes Creek as it gently climbs out of the Lockwood Valley foothills into the northern flanks of the Pine Mountain ridge. At an elevation of approximately 3,850, the landscape here was populated by sage, oak, ceanothus, and other flora typical of Southern California inland coastal valleys. Higher up and deeper into the more mountainous recesses of Pine Mountain, we could encounter stately cedars and magnificent ponderosa pine.

Trail View Along Lower Reyes Creek

Climbing Out of Lower Reyes Creek

View North Into Upper Reyes Creek

At about the 3 mile mark, we crested a small saddle and then gave up some elevation as we dropped into forested bowl in which Upper Reyes trail camp is located. The setting, adjacent to Reyes Creek where water was still flowing, is pleasant and scenic and would make a nice destination for a short overnight. The camp was empty except for a newer looking tent that was lying on the ground covered in pine bows and its tent poles. We saw no one around.

 



Reyes Creek

Tent Site at Upper Reyes Creek Trail Camp

Beyond Upper Reyes, the trail climbs again out of the bowl to another small saddle which separates the Reyes Creek drainage from the Beartrap Creek drainage. The trail then drops into lush Beartrap Canyon trail camp which is approximately 1.7 miles from Upper Reyes. The camp, which sits immediately adjacent to Beartrap Creek (which also had flowing water) and came equipped with a fairly elaborate fire rock ring, is flat, gorgeous, and damn luxurious. We were told this spot is quite popular with the scouts, but on this night, we had the run of the place. We quickly established camp and set about building a fire with left-over wood previous camp occupants had charitably left for us. The night was absolutely still and the sky sparkled. We then sat around the fire until the embers died sipping bourbon to stay warm as darkness took over and the temperatures dipped to a chilly 30 degrees.

A note about fires in the Los Padres: before we left, we checked with the forest service's Ojai District office about fires in the backcountry. We were told that for the weekend we were out, fires were permitted in established fire rings with a permit as were backcountry stoves. The permits are available on the forest service's website and can be pulled and printed out on-line. But just because you can have a fire, doesn't mean you should have a fire. On our second night out, the winds came up thus making an open fire a dangerous proposition, particularly in the drought conditions. Despite the cold, we therefore decided against another camp fire.

Trail as it Drops Into Beartrap Canyon



View North Into Beartrap Canyon

Beartrap Trail Camp - Home for the Night

The following morning was glorious as the sun bathed the area in light and warmth. We made coffee, had some grub, and then packed up camp. Beyond camp, the trail ascends Beartrap Canyon following the creek a good portion of the way before stiffly climbing to a saddle that deposits you into the upper Piedra Blanca watershed and the headwaters of Piedra Blanca Creek. Before reaching the saddle, the trail crosses and re-crosses Beartrap Creek a number of times as it winds its way up the canyon under a shady, riparian canopy. As you near the head of the canyon, the character of the landscape changes perceptibly as it becomes dominated by rock formations and evergreens. This is wild and rugged landscape that provides as much quiet and solitude as you can handle. True wilderness.

Breaking Camp at Beartrap

 

Upper Beartrap Creek

Petrified Wood Along Beartrap Creek

Shady Rest Spot in Upper Beartrap Canyon

Over-the-Shoulder View North Back Into Beartrap Canyon

From the divide separating Beartrap Canyon from the upper Piedra Blanca watershed, the trail roller-coasters through a series of valleys for approximately 4 miles until you reach the Pine Mountain Lodge trail camp (which means you're gaining and losing elevation constantly). Along the way, the trail passes through two additional trail camps that provide other over-night options. The first is Haddock camp which sits in a broad meadow adjacent to Piedra Blanca Creek. The second, called Three Mile, is two miles further along and is the more attractive of the two. Sitting immediately adjacent to Piedra Blanca Creek, it is equipped with a picnic table (quite the luxury this far out), a fire ring, shade, and plenty of flat spots for a tent. Easily one of the nicest trail camps I have come across.

Here, we ran into a couple of young fellows who were making their way to Reyes Peak. They had started the morning before a Dough Flat near Fillmore and had spent the night near Piedra Blanca trail camp. They were going to exist at Reyes Peak although it wasn't exactly clear how they were going to accomplish that given the fact that Pine Mountain Road is still closed. Either way, by my reckoning, their first day had to be 25+ miles through some very remote and difficult terrain. Their second day had to involve about 18+ miles with substantial elevation gains. Oh to be young again.

One of the Sites at Haddock Trail Camp

Trail Through the Pines

 

Trail Signage at Three Mile Trail Camp

Three Mile Trail Camp - Super Deluxe

Making Our Way Toward Pine Mountain Lodge

Pine Mountain Lodge is another 1.8 miles further. It is a small camp that sits adjacent to Piedra Blanca Creek about a half mile from where the GMT spills into Piedra Blanca Canyon before dropping 3,000 in 3 miles or so into the lower canyon where Twin Forks and Piedra Blanca trail camps are located. Apparently, there is another Pine Mountain Lodge, the "real" Pine Mountain Lodge, located in a forested bowl just south of the official trail camp. Not knowing exactly where that was, we opted for the official camp which once again we had completely to ourselves. We sipped more bourbon as the sun vanished from view, the temperature dropped, and the winds came up then retreated to our tents for the evening.   

 

Pine Mountain Lodge Trail Camp - Night No. 2

Approaching the Trail Crest Above Piedra Blanca Canyon

View South Into Piedra Blanca Drainage

The next morning, we broke camp as the sun rose so that we could get an early start to avoid the inevitable heat of the Sespe. From Pine Mountain Lodge, the GMT meanders through one last stretch of forest before cresting the ridge and dropping precipitously down Piedra Blanca Canyon. The hills, with their southern exposure, are dry here and are covered with chaparral. That changes dramatically when the trail hits the canyon bottom and begins tracking Piedra Blanca Creek which was flowing quite nicely. Here, in the cool and shaded recesses of the canyon, the foliage is thick and poison oak abounds. Avoiding the stuff was virtually impossible so appropriate dress is advisable.

Piedra Blanca Formation in the Distance

 

Piedra Blanca Creek was Flowing Nicely - Watch for the Plentiful Poison Oak

View Back up Piedra Blanca Canyon

At Piedra Blanca trail camp we encountered the first folks we had seen all weekend save the two youngsters we spoke to at Three Mile. We gave the campers a friendly nod as we passed. In return, some young ladies asked us if we had seen any rattlesnakes. Odd. We told them "no," we had not seen any snakes, just bears and mountain lions. Further down the trail, we had to make way for a herd of 17 day-hikers who were making their way to Piedra Blanca trail camp. That moment validated the choice to hike the GMT, and enjoy the solitude it affords, instead of going into the justly popular (and crowded) Sespe for the weekend.

Piedra Blanca Formation

Sespe Creek

Back at the car at Lion, Chris had stashed a cooler in the trunk with a couple of PBRs in it. Because the night-time temperatures had been low, the beers were miraculously still cool. We toasted the GMT and savored the memories of a weekend well spent before loading our gear into the car and making our way back to reality.

Post Adventure Refreshments at Lion Camp

 

 

 

A Good Friday to Climb Mt. McKinley

Mt. McKinley from Gold Creek Road

The first time I heard of Mt. McKinley (4,926) was back in early 2013 from a guy by the name of David R from the San Gabriel Mountains Discussion Forum. David had posted a tongue-in-cheek trip report about an ascent he made of Mt. McKinley which caused quite a stir. This was back when I was still learning my way around the San Gabriel Range and in my naïvete, I mistook David's post as mockery. Later, when I discovered that there really was a peak in the western San Gabriels named Mt. McKinley (reportedly after our 25th President, William McKinley), I saw David's trip report in the humorous light in which it was obviously offered.

Flash forward to November, 2014 and I thought I'd follow in David R's footsteps and give McKinley a go myself. That effort resulted in failure because I got a late afternoon start which didn't give me enough time to complete the circuit in the compressed amount of daylight that late autumn afforded. It also resulted in a broken rear passenger window at the trailhead courtesy of vandals and punks that roam Big Tujunga Canyon preying on parked vehicles.

On Good Friday, I returned to the scene of the crime in Big Tujunga Canyon with my friend Keith Winston (read his excellent mountain blog Iron Hiker here: http://ironhiker.blogspot.com/) for another assassination attempt on McKinley. Cognizant of my past unpleasant experience with break-ins at the trailhead, but really without any other reasonable options, we parked Keith's sparkly 4Runner at the turn-out for Gold Creek Road and began our climb up the long and winding road before the sun crested the horizon. Our thinking, or at least our hope, was that the car would be spared damage because we were out too early for the type of fool that smashes windows in hopes of finding electronics and other valuables in the glove-box of a parked car. I don't know whether that thinking was correct or not, but Keith's 4Runner ultimately came through the day unscathed.



Early Morning View Down Big Tujunga Canyon from Gold Creek Road

Mt. Lukens from Gold Creek Saddle

Due to its obscure location, there really is no quick path to McKinley's summit. Our route took us up Gold Creek Road to Gold Creek Saddle and then onto 3N60 (the Yerba Buena trail if I'm not mistaken) to the saddle between Mt. McKinley and the Mendenhall Ridge (what I'll call the "McKinley Saddle" here). We then used a mish-mash of faint use and animal trails on McKinley's north slope to gain the summit where we gave the register a new coat of Eispiraten paint. The first 4 or so miles to Gold Creek Saddle is an easy, but steadily-climbing fire road. From Gold Creek Saddle to the saddle between McKinley and Point 4441, the Yerba Buena Trail is obvious if not a bit over-grown. From Point 4441 to the McKinley Saddle, the Yerba Buena Trail, which contours McKinley's western slope, is still obvious, but more brushy still. 

Typical Conditions Along Lower Yerba Buena Trail

Colorful Blooms on McKinley's Western Slope

Mt. McKinley's North Slope from What I Have Called McKinley Saddle

Atop McKinley, we still had plenty of day and energy left so we decided to make a dash for Iron Mountain #2 (5,635) while we were in the general neighborhood. To get there, we dropped back down the McKinley Saddle and continued up the Yerba Buena Trail (or at least what is left of it) to Iron Mountain Saddle where the trail intersects the Mendenhall Ridge Road (3N32). The "trail" here, although passable, is more over-grown and considerably more degraded than it is below McKinley Saddle. Ironically, Iron Mountain Saddle is about 3.3 miles west of Iron Mountain which sits adjacent to Indian Ben Saddle.

View South from McKinley's Summit

Fresh Coat of Paint on the Summit Register

Mt. Lukens and Beyond from McKinley's Summit

From Iron Mountain Saddle, it was a fire road walk to the base of Iron Mountain. The easiest and most logical way to attain the summit of Iron would have been to ascend Iron's gentle western ridge from just east of Point 5473. Because that made the most sense, however, we didn't go that way. Instead, we followed the Mendenhall Ridge Road until it wrapped around to Iron's north side and then scrambled up a steep, grassy slope to summit. Once there, we admired the fine scenery, read and signed the register which had damn few entries all things considered, and considered our options.

Keith Climbing Iron's North Slope

Benchmark Atop Iron Mountain

Keith Surveying His Empire from Atop Iron Mountain

Those options were to either retrace our steps and descend the way we came, or complete the loop by dropping down Trail Canyon. We didn't know what the conditions were like in Trail Canyon, and Keith had some vague notion from reading the interwebs that Trail Canyon was tough sledding due to heavy brush and poor trail conditions, but we decided upon that route anyway since it would shave 3 miles off of the return trip. Then we read an entry in the summit register from some pretty experienced folks about the hellish conditions they encountered in Trail Canyon and we instantly became big boobs and changed our minds. We thus descended Iron's rolling western ridge (the one we should have ascended) to its intersection with the Mendenhall Ridge Road and followed our ascent route back down the Yerba Buena Trail and Gold Creek Road to the trailhead in Big Tujunga Canyon.

Stats of Note: 19.9 miles, 4,330' elevation gain, 4 snakes, 2 ticks, 0 people



Descending from Iron Mountain Saddle. Gold Creek Road in the Distance



Typical Conditions Along Upper Yerba Buena Trail

Pretty Stuff Along the Yerba Buena Trail

West Baldy and Hikin’ Jim’s 8,000 Foot Peaks List

San Antonio Creek Drainage and Baldy Bowl

I know, I know. West Baldy, Mt. Baldy’s shorter and less sexy little sibling is an odd choice as a destination. I can see you scratching your head and saying “maybe tag it while you’re in the Baldy neighborhood, but West Baldy as an objective in and of itself?” And you know what? That would be a perfectly reasonable and legitimate question to ask. In fact, normally I’d probably be right there with ya scratching my dome. But here’s the thing. Awhile back, a fellow by the nom de plume Hikin’ Jim posted this damn list of 23 peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains above 8000 feet and I committed to eventually stand atop each one of them.  At 9,988 feet, West Baldy is No. 2 on that list. I’d been to the summit of Mt. Baldy on a number of occasions previously, but West Baldy had somehow eluded me. And it was gnawing at me.

So Sunday morning, I set out from Manker Flats to finally take care of this bit of unfinished business. Leaving the mass of cars and humanity along Mt. Baldy Road behind, I ascended Falls Road to the perch adjacent to San Antonio Falls and stopped briefly to appreciate the fact that there was actually some water coming down the rugged canyon and off the cliff face. Beyond that, I split off from the fire road and began the stiff climb up the rugged Ski Hut Trail. As is typical with this popular trail, I encountered lots of happy mountain folks along the way both coming from and going to Baldy’s summit. Although I was alone on this hike, I was never alone.

San Antonio Falls from Falls Road

View Down San Antonio Canyon from Ski Hut Trail

Ontario and Big Horn Peaks from Ski Hut Trail 

About 2.5 miles up the trail, I stopped briefly for water and energy at the green Sierra Club ski hut for which the trail is named. There were lots of other high altitude denizens doing the same thing and enjoying the amazing scenery. It was so nice that I quickly got up and left before lethargy and satisfaction took hold and kept me there for the remainder of the day.

Beyond the ski hut, the trail rock-hops across the foot of Baldy bowl which, except for the spring that was flowing a bit, was bone freakin’ dry. There was not a spot of snow anywhere to be seen in the bowl, although I did encounter some patches of a white, crystalline substance as the path climbed the forested and shady western flank of the bowl.  Not knowing what this substance was, and becoming fearful about its potentially dangerous properties, I hurried past it to the ridgeline leading to the top of Old Baldy.

Baldy Bowl from the Ski Hut Trail

Sierra Club Ski Hut

Unknown White Crystalline Substance. Very Scary.

From here, it was a straight shot up the steep, rocky, and sometimes loose path to the summit. On top, cool winds swept in from the north while billowy white clouds boiled up from the south. Beautiful and surreal. I hunkered down with a few other folks in one of the numerous rock shelters, donned puffy, hat and gloves, and contemplated the barren landscape leading toward West Baldy approximately one half-mile to the west. After a brief time, my shelter compatriots left for burgers and beers at the Notch via Devil’s Backbone while I made my way out to West Baldy for trail mix and luke warm water. God how I envied them.

Ridgeline to Harwood from Ski Hut Trail

Looking East to the Three T's

Obligatory Summit Plaque Shot

But my fixation on gastronomic delights was short-lived because the easy, breezy walk to West Baldy was so pleasant and the scenery so fine that I figured I was the one who should properly be the object of envy. Here, as well as near Baldy’s summit, there were occasional and sad patches of snow, but they were more curiosity than obstacle in this new, climate order of perpetual drought. It made me simultaneously glad and melancholy that I had left my micro-spikes in the trunk back at Manker.

West Baldy from Baldy

View Toward Baden-Powell from Saddle Between West Baldy and Baldy

View West from Summit of West Baldy

Atop West Baldy, I admired the dramatic vistas into Fish Fork and beyond. The summit itself if not much to speak of, but like its taller neighbor to the east, it affords exceptional 360-degree views of the entire San Gabriel Range and beyond.

Clouds Boiling Up Over the Ridgeline. Awesome.

Looking Toward Dawson and Pine from West Baldy

Mt. Baldy from West Baldy

After tiring of all the alpine sublimity that was being forced upon me, I decided that I’d had quite enough and retraced my steps back to the summit of Mt. Baldy. In the late afternoon sun, the peak had become largely vacant so I took one last look and started back down the trail with only the crunch of the ground beneath my boots to keep me company. I passed a few late-day stragglers like myself along the way, finally arriving back at Manker now only three peaks (Dawson, Etiwanda, and Iron) shy of completing Hikin’ Jim’s peak list. Once that list is done, I’m going to start in on Jim’s list of 24 Southern California peaks over 10,000 feet.

Unknown Hiker Admiring the Fine Scenery

Amazing Limber Pine on the Upper Slopes of Baldy 

Final Look Back at the Ridgeline from the Ski Hut Trail

Here’s Hikin’ Jim’s list of peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains over 8,000 feet:

Rank      Name                                                   Elevation
1              Mount San Antonio                             10064
2              West Baldy                                         9988
3              Pine Mountain                                     9648
4              Dawson Peak                                      9575
5              Mount Harwood                                   9552
6              Mount Baden-Powell                            9399
7              Throop Peak                                       9138
8              Mount Burnham                                  8997
9              Telegraph Peak                                   8985
10           Cucamonga Peak                                  8889
11           Mount Hawkins                                    8850
12           Ontario Peak                                       8693
13           Etiwanda Peak                                     8662
14           Thunder Mountain                                8587
15           Wright Mountain                                  8505
16           Middle Hawkins Peak                            8505
17           Bighorn Peak                                       8441
18           Mount Lewis                                        8396
19           Timber Mountain                                 8303
20           Mount Islip                                         8250
21           Mount Williamson                                8244
22           Waterman Mountain                            8038
23           Iron Mountain                                     8007

And his list of 24 Southern California peaks over 10,000 feet (http://hikinjim.blogspot.com/p/southern-california-peaks-above-10-000.html):

Rank      Name                                                    Elevation

1              San Gorgonio Mountain                        11499
2              Jepson Peak                                        11205
3              Bighorn Mountain                                 10997
4              Dragon’s Head                                     10866
5              Anderson Peak                                     10840
6              San Jacinto Peak                                 10834
7              Charlton Peak                                     10806
8              San Bernardino East Peak                    10691
9              Shields Peak                                       10680
10           Little Charlton Peak                              10696
11           Jean Peak                                            10670
12           San Bernardino Peak                            10649
13           Alto Diablo                                          10563
14           East Dobbs Peak                                  10520
15           Folly Peak                                           10480
16           Dobbs Peak                                         10459
17           Miller Peak                                          10400
18           Marion Mountain                                  10362
19           Grinnell Mountain                                10284
20           Lake Peak                                           10161
21           Newton Drury Peak                              10160
22           Ten Thousand Foot Ridge                     10094
23           Mount San Antonio                              10064
24           Zahniser Peak                                     10056