High Sierra Topix

I don’t do much local stuff any more, but when in my 20’s, I day hiked every weekend. Winter was for the lowlands. The Santa Monica Mtns. I particularly liked going in via Ray Miller trailhead and out Sycamore Canyon, then a mile walk on the beach back to the car. In spring, I hit the lower Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel trailheads. As spring moved into summer, I’d move up in elevation; Mt. Williamson, Waterman, etc., then up higher and farther away into the San Bernardino National Forest and San Gorgonio Wilderness. Then, to the Sierra Nevada.

My fondest memory was a Day hike I did with a friend up fish creek trail to the peak of San Gorgonio at 11,500 ft. It was a particularly clear day with Santa Ana (Santana) winds blowing. I could see the offshore islands as far as San Nicholas Is. This was particularly eventful because I had a boat dive scheduled for the next day. The destination was 25 mi. west of San Nick. A place called Begg Rock. After a long haul back home and then a long boat ride from San Pedro, I found myself on Sunday morning at sunrise 70 miles out to sea. We jumped and dropped straight down the razorback ridge to the 150 ft level. It was there I noted the wonders that could be had living in L.A. One day, I’m on the rooftop of So. Cal. At 11,500 ft and the next, I’m 70 mile offshore and 150 ft below the surface of the ocean.

Man, those were the days

Apart from more natural hiking areas, there's plenty of up and down right here in the city. One of my standard conditioning walks incorporates this stairway (~350 steps) on the west side of Mt. Sutro:

I live in Santa Barbara, where we are sandwiched between the ocean and a fairly steep and rugged mountain range. I am lucky to have several good trailheads within a 20 minute drive. The trails here in the "front country" start in the foothills and most climb to the top of the range - generally about 4-5 miles to the top and between 2200-3000' of gain through creekside and hard chaparral.
I get in a hike about 3 weekends a month. It takes me about 4 hours including lunch to make the 8 - 10 mile round trip, so about 5 hours door to door. The lower couple of miles tend to be alomg a creek and popular but once I climb past that I see only a handful of people. The views of the ocean are incredible and once on top I can rest with a view of the backcountry -which includes two designated wilderness areas.
In the spring I do a couple of weekend backpack trips in our backcountry when the wildflowers are out and there is plenty of water
I count myself lucky to live here, with the mountains so close, the beach a 15 min stroll away and beautiful weather. However there is the ridiculously high cost of living and, worst of all, is the minmum 4 1/2 hour drive to any trailhead in the Sierra

Rockchucker wrote: I love the sespe! Willet is cool but the devils gate is unreal, rarely explored. In the summer we would hike from 5 pm till tired and relax, swim, fish durring the day. A great 3-4 day through hike lions camp to squaw flat. I say 4 days because I like to spend a day at the hot springs.

I'm late to this discussion, but have to ask: do you get to Devil's Gate from the north, or from the southerly trailhead, in Fillmore? For years, the folks who live at the end of Grand Ave would let you through the gate for a parking fee and then one could trailhead up around the bend and hike into Devil's Gate. I've done that many times, but I understand the current owners are definitely not doing that, and that leaves hiking up the gnarly, Sespe creekbed without truly legit access to it for a long way from the wilderness area.

If you come from the north, how far is that and what's the trail like? I've been a few miles upstream from Devil's Gate by walking/swimming the creek up, but had the impression the actual trail along the west side of the water was pretty sparse/rugged.

If you come from the South, how are you getting in?

I'd love to take my son for a weekend to the campsite area I used so many times as a yoot.

Scouter9 wrote:

Rockchucker wrote: I love the sespe! Willet is cool but the devils gate is unreal, rarely explored. In the summer we would hike from 5 pm till tired and relax, swim, fish durring the day. A great 3-4 day through hike lions camp to squaw flat. I say 4 days because I like to spend a day at the hot springs.

I'm late to this discussion, but have to ask: do you get to Devil's Gate from the north, or from the southerly trailhead, in Fillmore? For years, the folks who live at the end of Grand Ave would let you through the gate for a parking fee and then one could trailhead up around the bend and hike into Devil's Gate. I've done that many times, but I understand the current owners are definitely not doing that, and that leaves hiking up the gnarly, Sespe creekbed without truly legit access to it for a long way from the wilderness area.

If you come from the north, how far is that and what's the trail like? I've been a few miles upstream from Devil's Gate by walking/swimming the creek up, but had the impression the actual trail along the west side of the water was pretty sparse/rugged.

If you come from the South, how are you getting in?

I'd love to take my son for a weekend to the campsite area I used so many times as a yoot.[/quote.] we tackled it from the north. It was winter and we started at Lockwood valley, hiked to the hot springs then off trail down the sespe through the devils gate. I would not recommend this route to anyone. Very tough, narrow canyons, fast, cold water. We barely made it. 3 day trip ended up being a 5 day trip. We where starved! Thank goodness fishing was great. A good one in the same area is Tar creek.

The San Gabriel Mountains ensure I get good mountain hiking year round. After a winter storm, the snow hiking is marvelous.