Overnight Camping Possibilities

[fleetparadox]

Hi there,

My friends and I would like to ask for your help in narrowing down possibilities for our upcoming backpacking trip.

1) Duration will probably be 3 days, 2 nights
2) Would prefer for the hikes to be strenuous but am fearful of the snow/ice
3) Starting 3/24 Monday
4)** We do not have crampons or ice axes**

Originally we would've liked to do the San Jacinto Peak or San Gorgonio but due to the wintery conditions I'm looking for alternatives.

What do you guys think about camping in the (1) Tahquitz Valley area and Possibly hiking on portions of the PCT (weather permitting)?

Another possibility I was looking into was just going up to (2) Dry Lake in the San Gorgonio area but not any higher up.

Please help us by suggesting some destinations any of course ANY additional information would be helpful.

(I'm just trying my best to salvage this trip and keep us from camping in Joshua Tree!!)

[Hikin_Jim]

I don't know where you're based out of, but the Gabrieleno National Recreation Trail in the San Gabriels is a trail I've taken new people when it's wintry up high. It has two end points, one in Altadena and one in Arcadia/Sierra Madre. One can hike in either direction. There's a relatively short car shuttle (10 to 15 minutes by car). The hike is 28 miles total, which may not be quite as strenuous as you're looking for, but would break down into three days of about 9.3 miles each.

Description: http://www.caliberdt.com/~bill/may2004h ... .htm#part2
Map pt 1: http://www.caliberdt.com/~bill/May2004Hike/hikemap1.jpg
Map pt 2: http://www.caliberdt.com/~bill/May2004Hike/hikemap2.jpg

[fleetparadox]

Jim,

Thanks for that suggestion.

I think we might actually take that route... it looks quite doable and simple.

A few questions:
1) Is the trail easy to follow? Not too easy to get lost...
2) Any tips on where to park? (Can we leave a separate car at the exit point?)
3) How is the weather in the area this time of year? Too warm during the day?
4) Where would I find sources of water? (We have a pump filter)

Thanks so much.

[Hikin_Jim]

As for getting lost, I don't think you'd have a problem. It's a fairly major trail. The section from Oakwilde to Switzers is the least used, but even it is pretty followable. I've not heard of people getting off track. This section from Oakwild to Switzers is probably the most exposed, so you might want to do that one in the morning if the day will be warm.

John Robinson's book, Trails of The Angeles, is a good guide for this area. Robinson has also written Trails of the San Bernardinos which covers the San Bernardinos, San Jacintos, and Santa Rosas. I commend both of these to you. The map links are to scans of the maps from Robinson's book.

Parking at Chantry Flat, the east end of the loop, is pretty good. The gates are open only 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM. You must have a USFS Adventure Pass (that's a fancy name for parking permit). No problem with overnight parking.

Parking at the west end is OK, but not quite as good. There's a free, public lot on the NW corner of Windsor and Ventura. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Windsor+Ave+%26+Ventura+St+Altadena,+CA It's not a bad neighborhood, and I've not heard of break ins, but it's not secured in any way. You could call the Altadena Sheriff's Station and see what the regs are for that lot. You could park on a side street, but again check the regs. I've only overnight parked at Chantry Flats.

I went out today for a hike in similar terrain and at similar altitude. IT WAS GREAT. Late Mar through April is often one of the best times of the year for hiking in the front range of the San Gabriels. Of course, the weather has a mind of its own. You could get a hot or cold weekend, that all depends on the Big Guy upstairs. We had a cool weekend last weekend. Tomorrow will be hot. We're supposed to get a cooling trend into next weekend but on average, weather should be good.

Water should be pretty available this early in the season. If you look at the map links that I gave you the right side up, open triangles are overnight spots. Going clockwise, not that you necessarily have to hike that direction, the camps are: Oakwilde, Commodore Switzer, Valley Forge, West Fork, Devore, and Spruce Grove. All of these camps will have good water this time of year. Take a close look at the map. You're following streams much of the time. Any time you're following a stream on this route, you should have water this time of year.

Overall, I'd say this is a good time of year to hike and that you should have some nice hiking.

HJ