Skip to content

Mt Wilson Toll Rd

Angeles National Forest National Monument

The designation on Thursday by President Obama of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument took me completely by surprise.  I had no idea that a change of status for part of what is now a National Forest was even being considered.  According to the LA Time article the designation will help increase funding for preserving and enhancing the area.  An organization called San Gabriel Mountains Forever has been advocating for more protection and development of recreational facilities in the area for a decade.  My search… Read More »Angeles National Forest National Monument

Trail Dog Droppings

Dogs poop outdoors.  When it happens in your neighborhood and your dog is on a leash you scoop it up with a bag and throw it in the trash.  But if you are hiking and your dog poops on the trail and isn’t on a leash there is a whole new set of problems even for a responsible dog owner.  First you might not notice it.  Second even if you put the poop into one of those little bags what do you do with the… Read More »Trail Dog Droppings

Bear Creek Canyon

To celebrate one of my friend Howard’s important landmarks we went for a hike down Bear Creek Canyon in the San Gabriel Wilderness and survived. Howard wanted an adventure and I went along without checking the details too carefully.  Here are some things you should know about the Bear Creek Canyon Hike that we didn’t know when we set off.  Some because we are bad planners some because the guidebook is wrong. It is beautiful and wild.  We didn’t see another person all day. It… Read More »Bear Creek Canyon

Ore Cart III

I may have to start an ore cart factory in order to get one for my yard. Here I am posing with the one up at Henninger Flats.  It may become the prototype for the factory.  My brother Matt in the UK who is in the railway equipment business has found some wheels in a yard in the rural UK.  We aren’t sure how we are going to get them to the USA yet.  They don’t look like carry-on luggage. There is lots to do… Read More »Ore Cart III

Wild Flowers 2012

In preparation for our hike in the Alps for my 65th birthday I have been doing some practice hikes in the San Gabriel Mountains.  As you can imagine I take great pleasure in being able to write that I am going hiking in the Alps.  Yes life is good.  On these training hikes I’ve taken a few good photos of the spring wild flowers.  Here are a few: Wild Mustard on a hillside a close up of the mustard Orange Flowers See lots more spring… Read More »Wild Flowers 2012

Ore Cart II

I want an ore cart to display my rock samples and I saw one in Las Vegas and blogged about it.  My feeble efforts to find one or get one made were fruitless and I had pretty much given it up as another one of those wild ideas I have that come to naught.  Then on a hike to Henninger Flats last weekend I saw an ore cart. In fact two ore carts: They were part of a display about mining in the San Gabriel… Read More »Ore Cart II

Snag You Say

Lillian and I hiked to Switzers Camp on Tuesday and saw this sign at the beginning of the hike.  We discussed the entomology of snag for much of the hike.  I maintained that a snag (noun) referred to an obstruction in a river.  It ended up being the first of many definitions in the iPhone dictionary. btw The Switzer Falls were great.  Beautiful hike five miles round trip.  Mostly along a stream.  Watch out for the “snags” (dead trees)  Really the bigger problem is the… Read More »Snag You Say

Wild Flowers

Last week I went on my first hike up toward Henninger Flats since April.  It is already pretty dry but some wildflowers are hanging on and I took some pictures: Life is Good!

Eaton Canyon Waterfall

Rebecca and I hiked up to the Eaton Canyon Waterfall on Monday. There was enough boulder hopping over the stream to make it fun with out it being dangerous. This rock has been lodged at the top of the falls for perhaps 20 years: And the graffiti is still everywhere. Rebecca thought that the best solution was to invent a paint that has a release antidote.  I wanted to put in remote cameras catch and then spray paint some young men.  Albert Nock would say… Read More »Eaton Canyon Waterfall