Wrightwood Trails

[Chesslike]

The stream in Government Canyon is still flowing, though only about 15-20 percent of what it was last month. It has moved under ground about 300 yards farther up hill since last month. I am not sure how this bodes for our water supply. The plant life seems to be enjoying the water as it is almost to the point where you need a machete to find the trail. There were quite a few yellow horn shaped flowers with a very nice smell that I have never seen before that look like some kind of lily and I was wondering if anybody knew what they were. I think I may have found a major source of our mosquitoes. With the stream so slow there are many side pools that are perfect breeding grounds for the mosquitoes and there were also thousands in flight. The smaller of the waterfalls has turned into about two dozen strings of water flowing over the moss.The larger of the waterfalls, which is farther up the hill has turned into a dribble of water over a huge slab of moss. There was a charm of hummingbirds numbering maybe twelve that seemed to be having a great time showering, drinking and landing in the wet moss. I need to get myself a digital camera as I could of captured some great shots.

[Nolena]

The Blue Ridge trail is still one of my favorites for a nice hike when you don't have all day. I've broken out in health lately and am back to hiking. I took my 9-year-old on the Blue Ridge Trail, and it was just right for her. (and the complaint level didn't reach epic proportions) Mr. Nolena drove up to Blue Ridge campground with refreshments (health problems keep him from much hiking), and we all drove down. I've done this twice in the last week, and it's been great exercise.  
Now I'm looking for some fool to do the Pine Mountain trail with me.

[nursie_girl]

Nolena
we have done Pine mountain and I actually lived to tell about it!  I would be willing to go again and  I am sure we can talk Kawasaki girl into going with us as well   .  
We hiked Dawsons Saddle and Throop peak last weekend, and would love to do Baden Powell from that direction.  Maybe do a through hike and go from Dawsons saddle to Baden Powell and down via the Baden Powell trail?  was a great hike!
We also did Baden Powell last saturday night (at least half way!).  I'll have to say it was my frist night hike experience and it won't be my last!  What a hoot!
Let me know nolena when you want to "do" Pine Mountain. . .my boots are already on!  
[smiley=nurse.gif] [smiley=luxhello.gif]

[Nolena]

We be planning.  

[kawasaki_girl]

wow, sounds great, Im in!

[Nolena]

Trail Report:
Well, Blue Ridge Road is closed at Guffy, so I had to park at Guffy & walk to the Pine Mountain trail head (not bad - 45 minutes including stopping to look at the slide). None of my hiking partners made it, so all one of me regrouped & decided not to do Pine Mountain by myself. That turned out to be the better part of valor, as thunderheads started forming over Pine Mountain when I got there.
The Pine Mountain Trail sign is no longer there. I don't know if that's intentional, or not.
I saw tracks from sheep, deer, coyotes (who appear to be eating lots of berries), & a fox. The bees were very active all over.
Highway 2 & Blue Ridge near Inspiration Point appear to have received quite a downpour yesterday. There are big puddles, and a lot of rocks have washed onto Highway 2.
Oooh!....and the berries are ripe all over the place on Blue Ridge.

[Chesslike]

What kind of berries? Anything that us humans can eat?

[Nolena]

Gooseberries.....can be a little bitter.....great to cook with.
I'll try to find a picture.

[rmekemson]

Gooseberries make terrific pies!

[Nolena]

Hold on! I think I'm talking about elderberries, here.....clusters of blue berries about 1/4/" in diameter....plants about 4 feet tall......
Someone with a brain help me out here.

[Chesslike]

Hold on! I think I'm talking about elderberries, here.....clusters of blue berries about 1/4/" in diameter....plants about 4 feet tall......
Someone with a brain help me out here.

Anyone know if those are the same berries that line the road through the Water Co. property around Buford Canyon?

[Chesslike]

Nolena, you were going to find pictures? There are 3 or 4 varieties of berries on the way to Governnent Canyon, some with prickly stems and others without. I would be interested in knowing what they are. This appears to be the most berries produced that I can recall and it should make quite a feast for the birds and our other animal friends for a long time.

[Nolena]

I'm still looking fora reasonably good picture. Elderberries come in a big, palm-shaped clump, & they're blue. Chokecherries (good for jam) are red, as are serviceberries (I think...gotta look it up). Then there are coffeeberries, which aren't edible.

[zelicaon]

This page "Berries of the San Gabriel Mountains"
http://home.earthlink.net/~zelicaon/sgm/blooms/berries.html

has pictures for most of the berries you will find on the trails.

I, too, am still looking for reasonably good pictures and will continue to update the page as I find them.

Some great berry locations are:
Chokecherry, across the street from Mt. High
Bitter Cherry, at the entrance to the Lightning Ridge Nature  Trail
Alpine Gooseberry, at the beginning of the oak glade on LR Nature Trail
Mountain Gooseberry, towards Lamel Spring on B-P Trail
Serviceberry, on Manzanita Trail
Wax Currant, on the trails around Jackson Flat Group CG
a little bit of everything on the Big Horn Mine Trail

I think the official Wrightwood food should be Wrightwood Wild Berry Jam. It the berriest place I know!

[Nolena]

Thanks for the link!

[ezzpete]

i'm a little confused here! i've been to the top of Acorn 3x now. each time i nd up coming back down to get more info. on where to go after reaching the fork in the road. and can't seem to find any.

when you get to the top where you can either go into Camp Mariastella (to the left) or go to the right into what i think is posted "private road" which way do i go

i've never come to a place where the pavement ends. HELP!! i really want to walk this trial, it's so close to my cabin.

To get to the Acorn Trail, which takes you to the top of Blue Ridge and the Pacific Crest Trail, go all the way up Acorn Road. Walk around the gate at the top end of the pavement). Go uphill on the road until you come to the Acorn Trail (There's usually a wooden sign.), which takes off to your left from the road. Follow it up, up, and away.

[Nolena]

You walk up Acorn Road until breathing becomes a distant memory. You pass Mariastella on your left. The "Private Road" sign just means the road is not maintained by the county. Go up the road. Keep walking. You pass trees in the middle of the road. Keep walking. There are houses on both sides of the road. The pavement ends at a white gate at the top of the road. Walk past it onto the dirt road. Follow the dirt road uphill. You will pass a water tank on your left. Keep walking. An obvious trail takes off to the left, but the dirt road keeps going up. The trail to the left is the Acorn Trail. It may or may not have a sign. If you stay on the road instead of going on the trail, it dead ends at a block BBQ.

[bigfrank]

[mtntrekker]

Go past Vincent Gap about 7 miles.  As you approach a left curve, you will see a steel building on the right, just past a turn out.  This is Dawson Saddle.  The trail from here to BP is about 4.5 miles.  I once took this trail in newly fallen snow and followed bear tracks for about a mile of it.  In fact, I'll be on this trail today.  

[ezzpete]

has anyone been on the trail to Mt BP? is it still icey?