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 starts with a 1000 foot elevation gain in the first three miles.
• The next three miles is on a very narrow talus trail clinging to the edge of a cliff.
• There are thickets of poison oak and I got a large exposure on my butt. Why ask why.
• After the first six miles mentioned above you reach beautiful Bear Creek and find out that there really isn’t even a bad trail anymore.
• Boulder hopping and wading in the creek is much slower and more strenuous than walking on a trail.
• You never bring enough water.
•  The guidebook says it is 11 miles.  It is really about 16 miles.
• Lizards and flowers everywhere.
• Sunset in the mountains can be quite beautiful.
• Howard is slow but steady.
• I am ready for my hike in the Alps at the end of this month.

We were late getting home and made our wives anxious and therefore angry.  You can see many more photos of this great adventure and the beautiful Bear Creek Canyon on Flickr here.  You better look because you will never hike there to see it for yourself.