Category: Historical Sites

Mount Wilson from Chantry Flat in May

@serafinahikes

It is mid-May, and there has not been much rain, so the terrain is fairly dry. There is a waterfall nearby, but I am unsure if today will be the day, I return to it. I have hiked from Chantry Flat, once before. It is a beautiful area for hiking, in Santa Anita Canyon. It is a popular hiking destination, accessed by a winding road, with a 15 mph speed limit, from Sierra Madre, below. The area has been affected by wildfires, and recently re-opened after the Eaton Fire tore through, the same day Pacific Palisades burned. I began my hike from Chantry Flat to Mount Wilson along Upper Winter Creek Trail around 8:30 am. It would be a 9.5 hour day of hiking, with a 30 minute break, for a total of 10 hours. I hiked 15.7 miles through all types of terrain, to complete what many consider one of the most iconic hikes in the Angeles Forest.

Road Trip: Part 3 – 16 miles in Pinnacles National Park – the High Peaks, Balconies Caves, and Bear Gulch

@serafinahikes

There is no better time to explore Pinnacles than early spring, after the caves cease flooding, and when all are open, which is usually only a few weeks of the year. Pinnacles National Park is located in central California, in a rural area between Paso Robles and Monterey. It tends to be warm here much of the year, so weather is a factor in deciding a good time to visit here. Other factors to consider when visiting are Condor Nesting season, which closes the High Peaks, and rain, which closes part of the Bear Gulch, along with Balconies trails. I hiked about 16 miles today, exploring all of Pinnacles in a day.

2 Peaks in a Day – Vedder Mtn and Mt Mooney

@serafinahikes

I have been to two other fire towers in socal, the one at Butler Peak, and the one at Tahquitz Peak. There are very few of these historic wooden fire towers left in existence. They are free to visit, if you can make the trek. Some are more accessible than others, and one of these is located on Vedder Mountain, just off SR-2 Angeles Crest Highway, and the Charleton Flats Trailhead. I was considering hiking to three peaks today: Mount Sally, Vedder Mountain, and Mount Mooney. Each of these involves a relatively short climb, so I thought why not combine them together, versus one long hike. Mount Sally was 2 miles, Vedder Mountain was 4 miles, and Mount Mooney was also 2 miles. Together it would be an 8 mile day, except plans changed a bit.

2 Peaks in a day: El Cajon Mountain and El Capitan

@serafinahikes

My hike to El Cajon Mountain (ECM summit) and El Capitan, was a long time coming. I had wanted to hike to these two San Diego foothill peaks for a couple of years. I was waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. The weather and conditions were right, it was the right season, and I was finally feeling up for the challenge, fitness wise.

Many Water Crossings Through an LA Burn Area: The Bridge to Nowhere

@serafinahikes

The Bridge to Nowhere is one of the iconic hikes in Southern California that everyone talks about, so I felt it was something I needed to see. The bridge was built in the depression era in 1937, to connect Wrightwood with the San Gabriel Valley. I arrived at the trailhead for Heaton Flats and set out for the Bridge just before 9am. The sun was just starting to rise as I continued down the wide trail, heading towards the Sheep Mountain Wilderness.