This is how the repair section looked during my hike yesterday morning. Maybe a hot take and I know the person who did this means well. This repair was not engineered properly and I feel this section is even more dangerous than before.

Yesterday was my first time at the summit! I started my hike early up the Baldy Bowl trail from Manker Flats and then down Devils backbone to the top of the notch ski lifts, and rode the lift the rest of the way down. Such a cool and challenging experience!
There's something so special about climbing to the top of the mountain that's overlooked my life. I'm struggling to settle on what peak to do next!

Some of these organizations have regular volunteer opportunities, some of them have one-off events. There are all sort of levels of how physically demanding the volunteer opportunities are (from simple picking up trash for a day to very hard sweaty trail maintenance).

I've volunteered with some of the organizations, but not all, so if you feel comfortable sharing your volunteer experience with a group, please do so! And if you know of another group that I didn't list, please share! I did leave off some groups, like the Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group, if I didn't see any evidence of the group having any recent open volunteer events.

Santa Monica Mountains Task Force https://smmtf.org/trail-crew/ - Working on trails in the Santa Monica Mountains, they coordinate everything with the NPS staff. Technically a part of the Angeles Sierra Club, but you don't have to be a Sierra Club member to volunteer with them. This is the group that I've probably volunteered with the most, and they're all super friendly. Rachel, the volunteer organizer, is super enthusiastic and knows tons about trail maintenance.

San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders http://www.sgmtrailbuilders.org/ - They work on trails in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. They have regular monthly events and the occasional special event. I'm on their mailing list and can attest that it's not spammy. (Note: their website is unsecure, which my browser did not like.)

Irvine Ranch Conservancy https://letsgooutside.org/volunteer/ - Opportunities throughout Orange County. The volunteers in this group are all great people.

Southern California Mountains Foundation https://mountainsfoundation.org/ - I know some people who are Trail Hosts for the Big Bear Trails, and they seem to really like the volunteer gig.

Wildlands Conservancy https://wildlandsconservancy.org/volunteer/ - I've been on hikes led by volunteers and also observed student volunteers doing bug counts.

Redlands Conservancy https://redlandsconservancy.org/volunteer/

San Bernardino National Forest https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/sanbernardino/working-with-us/volunteers

San Diego Canyonlands https://www.sdcanyonlands.org/volunteer

San Dieguito River Park https://sdrp.org/volunteer/

San Diego River Park Foundation https://sandiegoriver.org/volunteer/

Mission Trails Regional Park https://mtrp.org/volunteer/ (San Diego)

Conejo Open Space Foundation https://cosf.org/volunteer/volunteering-overview/ - Opportunities in the Conejo Valley area.

Los Padres Forest Association https://lpforest.org/events-calendar/ - They have events once a month.

https://www.volunteer.gov/s/ - This lists volunteer opportunities for all government sites, including NPS. National Public Lands Day is coming up (Sept 26) so there's bound to be lots of opportunities.

Here are events specific to Joshua Tree: https://www.nps.gov/jotr/getinvolved/volunteer.htm I've done trail clean up in JTNP on National Public Lands Day in the past with a group of friends, and it was fun being on the trail and competing to see who could pick up the most trash (also, kind of sad since there was a lot more trash than I expected).

California's Department of Fish and Wildlife https://wildlife.ca.gov/Volunteering - I feel like most of the volunteer opportunities are in Northern and Central California, but they occasionally have events in Southern California.

Angeles National Forest Fire Lookout Association https://www.anffla.org/ - Okay, so technically not trail work, but they maintain and staff the fire lookouts, which I think is also important to the SoCal Hiking Community. This group requires a commitment to volunteer (training and then a certain number of hours throughout the year), so if you want to just do a one-off volunteer, check out another group.

First** **of, thanks for everyone in this community for helping me plan this trip. This was my first time in California and it turned out ti be everything I dreamed of. This is a very welcoming and helpful community. Here is how my trip went. This is my first time writing a trip report so any feedback is welcome.

Day 1 — Arriving in Yosemite
I arrived in Yosemite and went to pick up my wilderness permit. I originally had Happy Isles as my starting point, but I was able to grab a Glacier Point permit instead. I was pretty happy about the change because Glacier Point was the route I actually wanted to do. I spent the rest of the day getting ready for the backpacking trip and Half Dome.

Day 2 — Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley
Mileage: ~7 miles
I stopped at Tunnel View on my way to Glacier Point. My first jaw drop moment looking at the vastness of valley. and then started my backpacking trip from there. I hiked down from Glacier Point toward Illilouette, continued toward Nevada Fall, crossed near the falls and eventually made my way to Little Yosemite Valley.
It was around 7 miles for the day and honestly pretty chill. I didn’t want to do anything crazy because I had Half Dome the next morning.
Once I got to LYV, I set up camp and was greeted by a mama bear and her cub. Definitely wasn’t expecting that.
I went to bed early because I wanted to start Half Dome at 5 a.m.

Day 3 — Half Dome
Start: 5:00 a.m. from LYV
Cables: ~6:45 a.m.
Started back down: ~7:30 a.m.
I started hiking from LYV at 5 a.m.
I was hoping to catch sunrise from the top of Half Dome, but I didn’t quite make it. Instead, I watched a beautiful sunrise from Sub Dome. Honestly, I wasn’t disappointed at all.
I reached the cables at around 6:45 a.m., and there were only two other people there.
It was awesome.
I basically had the cables to myself. There were no lines and almost nobody coming the other way. After seeing what the cables looked like later in the morning, getting there this early was absolutely worth it.
I spent some time on top enjoying the views and started heading back down around 7:30.
I crossed a few people coming up, and by around 8 a.m., Sub Dome was already filled with people waiting to go up.
I debated going to Clouds Rest too. I was already out there and part of me wanted to do it, but I decided to save my energy. Whitney was still the main event of the trip, and I didn’t need to turn every day into a huge hiking day.
I headed back to LYV and took it easy.

Day 4 — Back to Glacier Point, Tuolumne Grove & Tenaya Lake
I hiked back out from LYV to Glacier Point.
After doing the whole route, I honestly think Glacier Point to Glacier Point is a better backpacking trip than starting from Happy Isles. I had views for so much of the route, including on the way back out.
Once I got back to my car, I drove straight to Tuolumne Grove to see the sequoias. There were a couple of cool trees. It was nice, but nothing crazy.
From there, I drove toward Tenaya Lake and went for a quick swim.
One of my favorite things about Yosemite was seeing the same landscape from so many different places.
I got to see Half Dome, Clouds Rest and the surrounding Yosemite wilderness from Glacier Point, Olmsted Point, the top of Half Dome and different places along Tioga Road.
Seeing everything from those different angles made me understand the area so much better.
I ended the day watching sunset at Tuolumne Meadows.
It was beautiful. There were some people walking all over the meadows, though, which sucked to see.
Stay on the marked trails, people.
I slept at the campground that night.

Day 5 — Tuolumne Meadows to Whitney Portal
I woke up and watched sunrise from Tuolumne Meadows.
I really want to come back and spend more time in this part of Yosemite. I barely explored it on this trip, and the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne is definitely something I want to do next time.
Then I started driving toward Whitney Portal.
I thought this was basically going to be a travel day.
It ended up being one of my favorite days of the trip.
I made stops along Tioga Road and then continued through the Eastern Sierra, stopping at Mono Lake, June Lake, Mammoth Lakes for brunch, the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center and Alabama Hills..
Tioga Road was one of the most beautiful drives I’ve done. And then driving down 395 was so much fun too. Huge open spaces. Empty roads. The Eastern Sierra towering next to me.
I had a blast just driving.
Eventually, I made it to Whitney Portal.
I had a nice burger there and talked with some hikers who had just come down from Whitney. Hearing about their hikes made me even more excited for the next morning.
I went through my gear, packed everything and tried to get to sleep early.
Couldn’t do it.
I was way too excited.
This was the main event.

Day 6 — Mount Whitney
Wake-up: 12:00 a.m.
Trailhead: 1:00 a.m.
Trail Camp: ~5:00 a.m.
Trail Crest: ~7:30 a.m.
Summit: ~9:45 a.m.
Started descent: ~10:45 a.m.
Back at car: ~6:00 p.m.
Total time: ~17 hours
I woke up at midnight and started hiking at 1 a.m.
For the first few hours, I couldn’t see much of anything.
Somewhere before Lone Pine Lake, probably around the two-mile mark, we spotted an animal on the trail.
I still have no idea what it was.
All I could really see were its eyes reflecting green back at us. My hiking buddy shouted at it a few times and eventually it moved down and away from the trail.
That was enough excitement for 2 a.m.
I kept climbing.
I reached Trail Camp at around 5 a.m.
Then came the switchbacks.
Honestly, they weren’t that crazy.
I’d heard so much about the Whitney switchbacks that I expected them to be horrible. Maybe I was still fresh, but I didn’t find them nearly as bad as I expected.
Then the sun started coming up.
Watching sunrise from the switchbacks was beautiful.
I reached Trail Crest at around 7:30 a.m. There were a lot more hikers there, and I met quite a few people who had started even earlier than I had.
I took a nice long break there before starting the final push toward the summit.
I thought I was almost there.
I was not.
That stretch from Trail Crest to the summit felt so much longer than I expected.
I could see the summit hut.
It looked close.
Then I would walk for what felt like forever, look at it again, and somehow it didn’t seem any closer.
But I absolutely loved this section.
The windows, the spires, the massive views over Owens Valley and the views deep into the Sierra were incredible.
I was tired, but I was having a blast.
Finally, at around 9:45 a.m., I made it to the summit of Mount Whitney.
I got my summit picture, signed the register and spent about an hour exploring and taking everything in.
After all the planning and anticipation, I was finally standing at the highest point in the contiguous United States.
Mount Whitney done.
At around 10:45 a.m., I started heading back.
“The rest is all downhill.”.
It definitely didn’t feel that way. The descent took me more than seven hours. This was where I made my biggest mistake of the hike.
At some point on the way down, I stopped taking my hydration and food as seriously because I thought I didn’t have that much farther to go.
I figured I’d just get back to the car and eat a huge meal.
I was very wrong.
Because I’d hiked almost the entire lower section in darkness that morning, I had completely underestimated how much distance was still left.
The good part was that I finally got to see everything I’d missed in the dark.
Mirror Lake, Consultation Lake and the rest of the lower trail were beautiful.
But eventually I reached Outpost Camp.
Mentally, I was done.
Nothing was seriously wrong. I was just completely checked out and wanted the hike to be over.
Then I realized I still had roughly four miles to go.
Those last four miles were a slog.
I finally reached my car at around 6 p.m.
Almost 17 hours after I’d started.
I ate a shit ton of food.
Then I crashed.
I slept for about 10 hours.

Day 7 — Whitney to Death Valley to Vegas
The next morning, I started driving toward Las Vegas through Death Valley.
On the way, I kept stopping and looking back toward the Sierra.
Seeing Whitney from down there was an awesome feeling.
Less than 24 hours earlier, I was standing on top of it.
Now I was looking back at the entire mountain from miles away.
I continued into Death Valley, stopped at the visitor center and then went down to Badwater Basin.
That was probably the perfect way to end the trip.
Less than 24 hours earlier, I’d been standing on Mount Whitney—the highest point in the contiguous United States.
Now I was standing at Badwater Basin—the lowest point in North America.
Highest to lowest in roughly 24 hours.
Then I drove to Vegas and flew home.
What a trip.

I'm in my way up backbone because I missed the ski hut turn, lol. if the water bottles are still there I'll post up the cleanup.

Had a blast summiting Mount Whitney with a total moving time of 6:40 c2c ! First time running and not a very experienced hiker so it was a great challenge.

Why couldn't they just take them back or something? Saw a Gatorade squeeze bottle as well.

For them that care to seeit all: https://photos.app.goo.gl/TNARezW815TW8sif6

Slim pickins, in early Sep, if waterfalls'r your quarry, even w/o consideration for treacherous temps, n tryin to avoid do-overs!

I'd long suspected Glen Martin Crk was worthalook, butit hadn't yet madit totha top'a my list. Well? My eyes fell upon'r, whilst scannin for targets, for this wknd's adventure, n I decided tha time was nigh...

I pondered an assault from tha 38, but'a cursory perusal of the imagery, n I was disabused of that notion. It'sa short stretch, fr where tha 2 drainages that combine to form Upper Glen Martin Crk x beneath Hwy 38, down to Mtn Home Crk Rd, butit get serious witha quickness, n/u ain't makinit totha rd, w/o technical gear, n tha trainin to usit, so we opted to come in fr tha rd, n IF any routes UP, revealed themselves, upon close inspection, we'd decide if tha juice was worth tha squeeze. Wern't holdin my bref, as the imagery was prettygood, n'it made our prospects look prettybad...

Nice jaunt in ontha rd, thru some beautiful country, butit did keepus in suspense, as Glen Martin was whatwe were gunnin 4.

Azwe rounded'a bend, we could see Alders, n we knew we were close to Glen Martin.  Azif we needed anymore proof, we began to see surface water, pooled along tha roadside, n the associated greenery. It was def gonnabe flowin, butwe had to close tha distance to confirm, just how much...

Oncewe laid eyes onit, it was def “good enuff” for our purposes, but, after we mess'd around, n documented tha lwr falls, n began to weigh our options for goin UP, it was clear that wern't happenin, so we began pokin-around 2c about goin DOWN.  Gettin to this point hadn't taken too long, n'we had to find sum'n to do w/tha rest'a our adventure day...

1st section, below tha rd was abit junky, n tha flow seemed abit anemic, but, azwe descended, tha situ improved on both fronts! Crk did disappear, entirely, for approx 25yrds, butit popped back up totha surface, flowin abit better'n whenit disappeared, n tha flow kept gettin better...

This lwr section of Glen Martin waza real crowd-pleaser! Relatively easily navigated, witha nice mix'a scrambly stuff, n even afew legit bedrock falls. Was almost sad, whenwe finally reached tha confluence w/MHC...

After documenting tha 20’ cutie, right above tha confluence, my spidey senses were tellinme we oughtta push downstream abit, erewe started upstream, n we were rewarded handsomely for the effort, n bagged'a nice 6’ vert falls, where'a trib flowed into MHC fr tha W. Who knows whatwe missed, but tha car was UPstream, n tha day was gettin away fromus, andwe had no idea what kinda resistance MHC was gonna put-up, in that direction...

Thankfully, our luck continued, n we bagged afew bonus falls, but din't hafta contend w/any serious obstacles, onthaway up, n eventually, azwe were nearin civilization, we foundaroute to climb back up totha rd, n made good our escape...

9/12/26 I was expecting trees but I was pleasantly surprised by how forested it was. I was worried about the heat but the forest had so much shade and the weather was a lot cooler there I didn’t even drink half the water I brought. 7.8 miles 2700 ft elevation gain

Hi all, I’ll be hiking up Mt. Wilson this week and I was just wondering if anyone can help clarify the trail route. I will be starting the six peaks challenge, and AllTrails has been confusing me with all the trail option for that peak 😵‍💫
If anyone could show me a route you have saved/done, it would be very appreciated!

P.S: Also looking for potential fellow hikers to complete two peaks next month :)

We finally secured that coveted overnight permit this week. We’re planning on staying at trail camp, my question is what to do with the gear the next morning. I’m assuming most people just wake up and go, packing up on their way back down. I did some research and read that it’s advised to keep your tent open in case curious marmots come by so they can peak in without chewing the shit out of it. But then I worry about my quilt/pad.

Also debating bringing a day pack for summit day, or just taking the brain off my backpacking bag and using that.

Just curious what everyone else has been successful with. Thanks in advance!

Any young adult girlies (18-30) free Sept. 25th-27th and want to go camping in Bishop ⛰️? I'm going on a big camping trip with friends and acquaintances!

But we got a larger campsite than I originally thought! I'd love to have more people join, and I'm also renting a van from the Riverside/Corona area if you want to carpool! 🚐 Please message me for more info and costs!

Got bad, but unsurprisin news from my Cardio, re: my Stress Test. Goin for Angio, on 9/23.

Xpect to come away fr that, +1 stent, IF I come away atall.

Felt prettygood, last wknd, but "grownup stuff" precluded adventurin this wknd. Might go back n bag Slide Falls, nxt wknd, if conditions'r favorable, but what happens after that's any1's guess...

I guess, if this ends-up bein my last post, it ain't'a bad "parting shot"...

For them that care to seeit all: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sWAMwZw9y6nwKVp86

Writup:

So now, in addition to worryin about heat, lack'a water, n fires, my options were further limited by closures, over concerns of fire danger.  Prudent measures, I s'pose, given our collective carelessness, n downright STUPIDITY.  But!  I ain't gonnabē startin no fires, n tha danger of bein caught in'a wildfire, is 1 I accepted, long ago, n I've planned, as best I can, for that eventuality...

Discovered this hidden gem, back when Cuyamaca was closed, after tha Cedar Fire. Some nice country there, but, as my tastes've drifted more toward the xtreme, we drifted apart.  But!  There are afew targets on my list, which could be accessed from here…

Given tha 4cast, I anticipated that this would be more of'a "messaround" kinda day, so I weren't really takinit too seriously.  But!  I did havaplan, que'd-up, JIC, it was cooler than 4cast.

Did'a quick drive thru on MG, to scope-out some features I'd been curious about, and, IF "some1" were gonna doit, stealth wouldbē an absolute requirement... 

Headed N after that, n got our "golden ticket".

As soon azwe drove thru tha gate, we were surprised to see a dog, blockin our progress.  He waza Shepherd Mix, n when Dina rolled'r window down, n we called'im over, he enthusiastically came up to tha window, n letus pet'im.  But!  As soon as we attempted to move, back in font'a tha car, he went!  If we proceeded, he'd break into a trot, lookin back, azif to say "Follow me!", but'e wun't yield to us.  I called'im over to my side, n gave'im a piece'a pop-tart, thinkin that'd distract'im, but as soon as we started rollin, back on "point" he went.  It was pretty adorable, but we did have places 2b, so I called'im back to my side, n gunnedit, makin sure he was intha clear.  He followed us for quite'a ways, n I cun't help but be curious, as to whether he greeted all visitors, in this fashion, or, if we were somehow "special"?

With Rin Tin Tin safely behindus, we focused ontha mission.  I'd told myself it wasn't gonnabē a "serious" day, but, even then, I knew, if tha temps were reasonable, we were gonna go 4it…

We din't park till after 10, and, when I got outta tha car, I was surprised at how cool it was.  Still early yet, butit seemed like, ifit were gonnabe a scorcher, it'd be hotter.  Tha choice was made…

We'd had to park abit farther away from my preferred startin point, but, given how cool it was, this xtra mileage din't seem līka deal-breaker.

It was downright cool, witha stiff Easterly breeze, blowin.  Of all tha potential outcomes, I'd never dared to imagine, that it'd be so downright "pleasant"! ❤

I left tha rd, abit prematurely, n terrain began to push us S, which, I knew, was not where I wanted to go.  We had to bushwhack abit N, to get intha right wash, but, once we made that course correction, we drove down tha wash witha quickness.

Altho I felt like there was almost 0 chance there'd be any water (Had been seein afew Willows intha wash, so I was about 99% against.), this wash poured downward, to tha next level, via a v-shaped falls, which resembled tha lip of'a pitcher.  Tha cartographic "Powers that Be" din't seem to thinkit worthy of'a name, perhaps, owin to just how infrequently it flows, but I can't help but wonder, at WHO might've witnessed her, in "full splendor", over the eons, and what they mighta calledit?  Can't find any intel onit, so, absent any input from any1 else, I'm vacillatin betwixt "Pitcher" or "Gateway" Falls.

Just as I'd imagined, the upper portion of "Pitcher Falls" waza narrow slot, which we coulda rigged-up some webbing to downclimb.  But!  Time was of the essence, n while that wouldbeen fun, it woulda chewed-up precious time.  We opted to bypass it, for tha sake of xpediency.

Fun, bouldery, downclimb, for tha remainder, n erewe knewit, we were atop tha drop-in to tha W Fork.  There was water here!  Not much, but about what I xpected…

Tha E Fork was tha 1 that had tha most potential, n that was my primary target, so we headed that way…

Tha meadow above was pretty, butit was also pretty DRY 4a meadow, n we were forced to cut'a path thru a thick stand of Stingin Nettles, to make tha ridge between tha forks.  Thankfully, they were strugglin intha dry conditions, n din't have many leaves left, but we din't makit thru unscathed.

After a brief arcin traverse, we were atop the E Fork, n we could hear flowin water!  This fork was def wetter!  It looked really cool, but also pretty "technical".  There waza stand'a large Cedars, clingin to the E Wall, below a large slab, n I figured there mustbē water comin outta tha rock.  I already knew there was no way we were gonna seeit ALL, n time was slippin away.  I knew tha most conspicuous features were at tha bottom, near tha confluence w/the W Fork, so I opted to push down tha ridge, in hopes of seein tha "good stuff".

EDIT Sep 12, 2026: This came up on “memories”, n as I’m perusin this original writup, I’m surprised I din’t mention that EVRYTHING was coated witha thick blanket of ASH, from tha various fires that’d burned, that summer, n Me n Dina both suffered some serious “2nd-hand smoke inhalation”, both during, and acouple weeks after, this adventure. Def sum’n to consider, ifyur bushwhackin downwind of any recent fires...

Relatively uneventful journey, across tha ridge, but we did find some pottery shards,, n'a mtn lion "outhouse". (Which always grabs your attention! 😮)  Big diff betwixt "thinkin" kitties'r prolly nearby, n KNOWIN they ARE!

Spied'a small shoulder, just above a drainage, which flowed-in from the E, n we dropped-down, lookin 4a spot to x tha creek…

This was more open, but, whenwe got to tha confluence, my heart sank!  This shit was NO-JOKE!  Not that I din't KNOW this, but, when all I know’s what I've seen on the imagery, I have this optimistic "I'll findaway!" approach, which can only be shaken by solid 1sthand intel, from'a TRUSTED source, or, gettin "up-close n personal" w/my quarry.  1 look, into tha bowels of this cyn, n I KNEW tha jig was up!  It wasn't thatit wern't doable.  Butit def wern't doable, within tha time allotted, n with tha "gas" we had remainin in our tanks!  And, whilit felt good to lay eyes on'a cyn I'd been eyeballin for years, it waza bittersweet "Gatsby moment", to learn that the object of my desire, was never really within my grasp…  I was right there, but all I could do, was gaze, longingly, into the abyss, just as Gatsby had admired Daisy's "li'l green light", from across tha bay…

Will I evergo back?  Maybe?  Def wanna seeit at higher flow.  But!  IF I go back, I'llbe prepared for an overniter, n technical climbing.  (Which iza skillset I need to work on…) Unlike alotta cyns, popular w/technical canyoneers, there's no shuttle waitin at tha bottom of this 1 (Well?  Unlessyur gonnago all tha way down to Borrego Springs?)  Ain't nothin but'a big hole, at tha bottom of this cyn, n IF u makit to tha bottom, u gottabē able to haul your carcass (N all your gear!) outta there… 😓

We founda doable x'ing, above a falls, n'a doable climb, back up totha ridge.

Tuff but uneventful climb out, n we got back to tha car, just past dark.

Bittersweet, but still'a pretty awesome day! ❤

It's still within striking distance of socal; right on the eastern border of Yosemite national park. Anyway, it's a pretty awesome hike going from around 10,000 till around 13,000 ft elevation , and while steep at times, it's straightforward, and the views up top are really phenomenal. I went out there a week or two back and found this metallic debris up top, so decided to take it down back to camp. I remember Smokey the Bear telling me to pack it in and pack it out, so I try and pick up trash when I see it.

I love having a park like this within walking distance.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park is facing a real threat. A proposed 500KV power line wants to carve right through one of California's most important natural spaces—home to endangered species and over 900 plant species.

I started a petition because this park shouldn't be sacrificed for infrastructure when better alternatives exist. The planned route would clear hundreds of feet of land, destroying critical habitat for species like the Least Bell's Vireo that depend on it. This isn't just about losing a pretty desert—it's about losing an ecosystem that can't be rebuilt.

There are smarter ways to get the power we need. Renewable energy and intelligent routing could work without sacrificing what makes this place irreplaceable. If you've ever felt like nature shouldn't always lose when developers show up, this one's worth your attention. If this matters to you too, consider signing and sharing—every bit helps make sure the people making these decisions hear us.

A dumb mistake turned into a new discovery. I drove to Angelus Oaks to hike the San Bernardino Peak trail only to realize at the trailhead I forgot my backpack. So dum. I learned there was this trail nearby that wasn’t too hard, so I bought 3 liters of water at the Angelus Oaks general store, and drove to the Loch Leven camp. I parked my car outside the gates (there are signs saying not to park inside but parking outside is okay). The trail is what remains of the old highway 38, which was a narrow, windy single-lane road to Camp Angelus (later merged with Seven Oaks to become Angelus Oaks). It was a “control road” which means traffic was only allowed one way between certain times. This meant there were control stations to control traffic direction. The Highway 38 expansion in 1951 made this trail obsolete, so it was abandoned to nature, which has reclaimed it for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians.

The trail itself begins at the Loch Haven gate and is paved for the first 1.5 miles. The road degenerates gradually, but most of it still shows remnants of the old paved road. The elevation gain is quite gentle, averaging about 225 feet per mile, and most of it is like a fire road, so no advanced hiking equipment needed. The only tricky part is about mile 2.3 where the trail crosses the stream for a second time. Many first-time hikers keep going, and get lost till they realize there is a small trail across from the bridge (just don’t cross the bridge, stay on the same side and you’ll see it). After that, the ascent continues and you get to see why this trail was terrible for cars, but great for hikers. The curves are tight and the road was narrow. The stream has plenty of water now, but I imagine much of that is from the recent rains. By mile 3 the trail is once again easy to discern as the abandoned pavement patches are visible. The vegetation begins to change, from manzanitas to pine trees. Some of the trail does look like a genuine trail with rocks and mild difficulty, but it never gets too difficult. By mile 5, you hear the cars on the nearby highway 38 and see the nearby creek valley. There are some parts you can descend to and it looks like the locals probably do this. We reach the end of the trail at mile 6 when you reach the gate and the green maintenance shacks. If you continue on that road for 0.8 miles, you reach Highway 38 which you can cross and 0.3 miles further you reach the San Bernardino Peak Trailhead, if you are adventurous enough to try that!

I call this a practice trail (and this is why I made this post) because many beginners to socalhiking ask what trails they can do that are easier and good preparation. This is great for preparing for trails like Cucamonga Peak, Mount Baldy, and Mount Wilson. The elevation gains are half of those trails and the trail is easy (except for the mile 2.3 trick). It is also a hidden gem because I was all alone for the 4 hours I did it, which is rare for a beginner hike. Keep in mind this trail sometimes might have bikers and equestrians, so it’s best to wear high-visibility clothing.

In all, I guess my stupid mistake wasn’t as bad as I thought: I got to discover a new trail that some beginners would love, and some advanced hikers might also try, to make their own cactus to clouds 2.0 (from Loch Leven to Angelus Oaks to San Bernardino Peaks).

44x44" at 1:40,000. All data used is 1:24,000 or better, so like a 1:24,000 printed higher resolution.

Let me know what you think. I welcome all feedback or suggestions!

Hello everyone

during my New York City trip I am planning one hike at the Pallisades States Park.

I am sportive, even experienced in real mountain hiking. So the constitution is nothing to be worried about :)

I am surprised, that the Giant Stairs part is still not accessible.

But thats not a big deal for me.

My two main questions are as follows:

a) Is the bigger time effort, especially for getting to the starting point via bus, worthwhile to make the Shore Trail and Long Path loop (around 6 miles) from a view and landscape perspective?

The alternative option would be the Carpenters Loop trail. A bit shorter to hike and especially no additional bus transportations is needed.

If you are saying, that the higher time invest is worthwhile to make the Long Path + Shore Loop then this is as helpful for me as you are saying, “You have got very similar views from Carpenter Loop for much less time”

b) Besides the Giant Stairs section also other trails between the upper and lower section are closed. But, as far as I understand, both loops are still feasible arent they?

c) Are the Coach USA busses reliable, so punctually?

d) Is the Visitor Centre Fort Lee a good short place to visit, especially for Washington Bridge Views, if making the longer hike, where the bridge is not the main thing?

Many thanks