Wrightwood Trails

[K9luvr]

The bighorn mine is private property and if you go hiking in there, you are trespassing on private property.  The last I heard, the owners were trying to sell to the Forest Service but it was bogged down. 

[hikin_jim]

OK, so stay out of the mine area for a while longer.

Thanks for the tip by the way about Chris F.  He said that nothing had turned up, but I appreciate your reference.

Jim

[wwpat]

I work at the Chamber and am definitely not a hiker, but I get quite a few calls from people who have questions who are.  Is there anything I can send them or tell them to help them on their quest to find trails here?  Sure would appreciate some direction, such as difficulty of the trail, location, etc.  Thanks. 

[Toolman]

Try refferring them to the Big Pines information center (760) 249-3504

 The map that covers the area is the Angeles High Country Trail map (topo) and costs about 8.95
 Unfortunately there aren't many free maps available. The only "free" map I know of is published by the CTUC and pertains mostly to off road vehicles and isn't very informative about hiking trails.

 Another good book for trail information is the Trails of the Angeles, which is available at all REI stores. It lists the trails, locations, milage and terrain difficulty.

such as difficulty of the trail, location, etc

 FS personnel can not reccommend trails or terrain difficulties for liability reasons and I wouldn't encourage you to do so either. They can only point the public to the direction of the trail. It's up to the individual to decide his-her physical hiking capability.

[Nolena]

Hmmm.
I believe "Trails of the Angeles" is available locally. Check the Yankee Peddler, the Hardware store, and the Big Pines Visitors' Center.

[Hillbillies]

Hmmm.
I believe "Trails of the Angeles" is available locally. Check the Yankee Peddler, the Hardware store, and the Big Pines Visitors' Center.

We have had that book for years.  It's a great book, but it's like a piece of exercise equipment....  It's worthless unless you put it to use...

[hikin_jim]

This is a pretty good web site:  http://www.simpsoncity.com/hiking/hikes.html, but unfortunately not much around Wrightwood.  It does however cover Mt. Baden-Powell which is pretty close to Wrightwood.

I "second" the map that was referred to earlier.  All of Tom Harrison's maps are worth the price.  They show mileages which are very helpful for planning.  You can get them at REI, Sport Chalet, or A16 (although the closest A16 to Wrightwood is probably either the one in Tarzana or the one in W. Los Angeles, both a little "out of the way"). 

You can also get them on line at http://www.tomharrisonmaps.com/online%20order.html

The one for the Wrightwood area is  Angeles High Country.  One note:  Harrison only shows 100% reliable, solid trails.  There are older or less used trails that are out that are out there that are still quite passable that Harrison doesn't list.

Trails of the Angeles by John Robinson is the classic that you'll hear refferred to all the time.  It should be noted that Robinson was a heck of a hiker in his day (he's getting up there in years these days).  His ratings tend to be a little bit on the low side.  Recently I did Strawberry Pk from the West side (class 3 climbing), which Robinson rates as "moderate."  The summit register said, "moderate, my [censored]!"  I think that about sums it up on Robinson's ratings.  Great book; highly recommend it; comes with a great overview map of the entire San Gabriel Range with insets of certain more popular hiking areas.

[garski]

 As anyone driven the either of the forest roads off the paved portion of Lone Pine lately. Are they open and drivable with a 4 wheel drive vehicle?

[Surfer_Dude]

...Very open and you do not necessarily need real high clearance.  Just be safe back there and be prepared to turn around if someone breaks down in front of you. The road to Lyttle Creek has hardly diminished since its last grading. When it rains is when it gets dicey.

[eversluys]

What are your favorite trails in the area (within about a 30 minute drive) for hiking or mountain biking?

[Nolena]

Blue Ridge Trail at Big Pines
Pacific Crest Trail off Swarthout Canyon Road
road to Jackson Flats from Grassy Hollow
road to the east of Mac Lellan Flat

[eversluys]

Is there any good 4-wheeling (Jeeps, not quads) in the area?  I sold my old truck last spring, but I might get the itch to go roll around the woods again.

[clint]

I would add to Nolena's list for hiking the lightning ridge trail that is a PCT section from Inspiration point to Vincent Gap, and of course Mt. Baden-Powell.

For off highway, not off road, the fire roads that cris-cross the ridge between Lytle Creek and Swarthout canyon are great. 2N56, 2N57, 3N31, 3N29, 3N49, 3N33, 2N89. Many of these interconnect and offer route with some spectacular views of the Cajon Amphitheater, the San Andreas fault country of Swarthout Valley and Lytle Creek. Top maps would be Telegraph Peak, Cajon, and Devore.

Also the Forest Service N roads down to Lupine Campground from Inspiration point are real pretty.

I highly recommend the USDA Forest Service San Bernardino National Forest Atlas. Which can be ordered on line.

[carrottop]

We take walks & mini hikes on the common use trails near our home and would like to know the name of the area!  I live at the top of the S curves on E Lone Pine Cyn Road, north side, and follow all the trails into the little valley and on the hills where we can overlook the Wright Mountain homes in one direction and see Phelan in another.  Also can travel up the other direction and look down on LPC.  On the trail that leads to one viewpoint there is now some fencing and a barrier. 

I have asked lots of long time residents about this general vicinity but just got lots of head scratching. 

Also, we have heard plenty of shots in that area since living here.  Shotgun shells are not uncommon findings.  Can anybody tell me about that?  In addition, we used to frequently hear dirt bikes, etc. and that noise seems to have diminished.

Any info is appreciated!  Thanks!

[clint]

At the urging of the Fire Safe Council, the USFS fenced the area to prevent illegal off road vehicle use. One of the biggest causes of vegetation fires is mechanical causes. This includes over heated bits of break pad from big rigs and trains, and also hot exhaust systems igniting tender dry grasses. All of the area you are talking about is USFS land where off highway driving is illegal. There was a very high amount of illegal traffic in the area, which is down slope from the village, and was presenting a major fire hazard.

[carrottop]

Clint,

Do you know the name (official or not) of that particular area?
I wonder about needing help (say, a sprained ankle, etc.) and how I would direct someone to me.  I was thinking of naming the trails after our family and posting signs but don't know if it would catch on...   Anyway, I do have cell phone reception out there & carry it for emergencies but it doesn't do much good when one can't pinpoint their location...

Thanks!

[clint]

Well, that depends on where you are exactly. If you start at the top of LPC and walk up the little non fenced (for now) dirt road to the good view spot down LPC where people dump stuff, you are on Helicopter Hill, If you continue on up to the top of the prominent rounded mountain there, you are on Circle Mountain. The protected little canyon that runs predominantly north that has nice pines in it, that's Horse Canyon, and if you drop down to the northwest and end up at the big dirt area along SR2 you are at "The Levels". If station 101 was told any of those names they would know exactly where you were.
And posting signs in the forest would be littering. 

Have you read the topic on the Navigation Class? I can squeeze two more in. Maybe you should buy a compass and map and attend. And BTW, the map for where you are hiking is Telegraph Peak and Mt. Hardware carries them. If you take the class you can learn to give your exact location in UTM coordinates.

[Bildonator]

We take walks & mini hikes on the common use trails near our home and would like to know the name of the area!  I live at the top of the S curves on E Lone Pine Cyn Road, north side, and follow all the trails into the little valley and on the hills where we can overlook the Wright Mountain homes in one direction and see Phelan in another.  Also can travel up the other direction and look down on LPC.  On the trail that leads to one viewpoint there is now some fencing and a barrier. 

I have asked lots of long time residents about this general vicinity but just got lots of head scratching. 

Also, we have heard plenty of shots in that area since living here.  Shotgun shells are not uncommon findings.  Can anybody tell me about that?  In addition, we used to frequently hear dirt bikes, etc. and that noise seems to have diminished.

Any info is appreciated!  Thanks!

I believe the area you are referring to is "Helicopter hill" or more correctly Circle mountain.  This is the highest point if your talking about the ridgeline on the North side of Lonepine Cny Rd. (on the right as your heading up hill).  There is actually a trail that runs that ridgeline, but it is quite steep, and the trail is a little overgrown in spots(butt whooper) .  This trail can actually be taken down the other side ending up at Horse Canyon (about a mile from the 138)
     I'm not sure what the name of the peak that borders PC estates, but there is a trail called the meadow trail in that area.
I defer to Clint on the name of the levels

[carrottop]

Thanks to both of you for the helpful info!  And Clint, I promise not to be a litterbug...  I will resist the temptation to name the area after me.

I will look into the navigation class although it is probably more sophisticated info than I need (what's a UTM coordinate?  See what I mean?).  I do have a compass though!  Woo!

[clint]

See reply #11 under that topic for the required compass.

You can't actually do any navigation with most compasses. Come and learn why.
The class is good for any level of hiker. Or even off road driver.
UTM is the Universal Transverse Mercator system of identifying and reporting a location.
With a topographic map and some basic navigation skills you can report a location by cell phone or
radio in the same format a GPS uses, without having a GPS. Emergency personnel can input that data into a GPS and pinpoint your location very easily. In class you learn what navigation tools work 24/7/365 in all weather, day or night, and which ones don't. A GPS receiver does not.