Hike to Idlehour Camp and Mt. Wilson, 13.something miles total
For this hike, we dropped off Brian's car up in the mountains where we would end our hike and brought my car down to the base of the mountains where we parked it in the street. We were excited about this because it meant we'd just keep hiking on, up into the mountains instead of returning the way we came. And it was indeed really cool that way...
Boy did we head up s*** creek literally, here. In our enthusiasm we bounced, backpacks and all, up a dry creek, thinking it was a trail, until we came to a steep gravel wall. Time to check the map!
Map check, trail mix, and a swig of water. Time to turn around! We were still in the little park in which we started. It took us a little while to find the trailhead after this, too, no thanks to a few confusing maps. I was a little moody until we got confirmation from a friendly old hiker that we were indeed going the right way, then I was gung ho after that! He asked where we were sleeping and when we told him we were staying at IdleHour camp he just said, "Good!"
After hiking up the sunny fireroad a little over 2 miles, we came to Henniger Flats, a campground and once resort getaway (like early 1900's resort getaway) that was sadly closed. Even though this was not our final destination, I say "sadly" because it was so lush and beautiful and peaceful and had an amazing view of the city. We stopped here to take off our packs, eat some trailmix and an orange and take a look at our map. Oh, and to refill our water.
I've come to terms with the fact that I think the city is actually really beautiful from up high. Smog/haze and all. The mountains take on a whole new character when their trees part to a view of an ever stretching city, and on a clear day, stretching to the ocean.
Self-portrait.
So, after continuing our trek on the fireroad, we kept our eyes out for a trail leading to the left. We came upon this trail that had these beautiful mossy cement bags outlining a trail. We galloped down in joy, enjoying the mystical atmosphere of the leaves and ferns and moss.
Only 5 minutes down the trail, we came upon this crazy Eagle Scout project in which the goal seemed to be to take the water dripping from this tiny cave and put it through a pipe that led to a well at the beginning of the trail. It was completed in 2000, and had been deteriorating since then, which is probably good for us since we thought we were on the right trail until we just could go any farther because the trail became yet another wall too steep to climb. So, yeah, we took the wrong trail, again!!
But before we figured that out, we checked out the cool little cave. I climbed inside and was relieved to see that the cave was not very deep. Yes, relieved, because then my mind would stop thinking of all the creatures that could be lurking in its depths.
Back to the fireroad, up a little farther and we found the RIGHT trail. While it looked like a legitimate trail this time, we also saw an arrow in the road, made with rocks, pointing back the way we came so that hikers coming from the other direction would know to hike down the road rather than up. We were so, so relieved to know we were finally going in the right direction. It seemed like we'd been hiking all day!
Our new, sweetly legitimate trail led us quickly to the top of the ridge we'd been pining for and alas, we could see to the other side. Our camp lied down in the canyon to the right...
After a 2-mile trot down into the canyon, we came to our camp just at the end of our energy... It was really lush, as well, and nestled right next to a rushing creek.
Dinner and scotch...
And a game of Boggle in the tent before bedtime...
Good morning, Sara!!
Good morning, Brian!!
Our campsite at breakfast-time.
We forgot utensils, but we made out quite well using the two pens we'd brought for Boggle. The quick oats were thick enough that they stuck to the pens like glue. But we added cranberries, Splenda, and walnuts to our glue and it was delicious and filling!
Our hike out began in the canyon in which we slept, which was rocky, gray, and cool and held that smoky silvery winter comfort.
Boy did I miss the smell of creeks and wet leaves and earth when I was in Florida...
Turned around to take a picture as we left the canyon from the other direction. This is practically a mirror image of the last picture we took from above the canyon. If you feel like scrolling back up to the previous canyon picture where I said we'd camp in the canyon to the right, that canyon in this picture would be to the left on the other side of the little rock outcropping in the middle.
Three and a half miles after our gluey breakfast, we came to the crossroads of many trails and took a short detour to Inspiration Point to eat lunch.
Silly me for not taking a picture of the view, which was another incredible city view, but it was getting overcast and grey and you couldn't see much. We'll have to go again on a clear day (Brian has actually already been here on a clear day on a solo hike of his own) but it had these pipes pointed towards different land marks so that you could look through them to locate places, including Redondo Beach, which is pretty much where we live!
After lunch we began our final trek as the sky clouded up and clouds began to pass over and through us, or us below and through them. It was really pretty, and especially enjoyable when we reached the top of our climb and knew the rest was all downhill. Thank goodness. My goer-upper muscles were done going up!
A view down another wide canyon. It was neat to see the silver trail of winter trees because I knew we'd been in a place just like it that morning.
We even hiked through a bit of snow, shaking our heads once again at the unbelievable proximity to Los Angeles. You'd never know when you were up there...
We were actually headed toward a road carved out of the side of the saddle to the left. To the right is the first part of Mount Wilson. To me, this picture is a very good example of mountain "majestic."
Did I already use the adjective, "majestic?" :)
We got to hike through a small cave in the side of the mountain, only 3/10 of a mile from the actual paved road.
Fun fun!!
When we got to the paved road, we had another 2.28 miles (according to the mile markers) left to go to get to the car. We would have parked right there but the road was closed due to snow when we'd dropped it off the day before, so we had to park at the lower lot. The paved road might have been the easiest, technically, but it seemed to last forever. The cars passing by seemed to find us very interesting though...
And one last picture, for the finishing touch.
Boy did we head up s*** creek literally, here. In our enthusiasm we bounced, backpacks and all, up a dry creek, thinking it was a trail, until we came to a steep gravel wall. Time to check the map!
Map check, trail mix, and a swig of water. Time to turn around! We were still in the little park in which we started. It took us a little while to find the trailhead after this, too, no thanks to a few confusing maps. I was a little moody until we got confirmation from a friendly old hiker that we were indeed going the right way, then I was gung ho after that! He asked where we were sleeping and when we told him we were staying at IdleHour camp he just said, "Good!"
After hiking up the sunny fireroad a little over 2 miles, we came to Henniger Flats, a campground and once resort getaway (like early 1900's resort getaway) that was sadly closed. Even though this was not our final destination, I say "sadly" because it was so lush and beautiful and peaceful and had an amazing view of the city. We stopped here to take off our packs, eat some trailmix and an orange and take a look at our map. Oh, and to refill our water.
I've come to terms with the fact that I think the city is actually really beautiful from up high. Smog/haze and all. The mountains take on a whole new character when their trees part to a view of an ever stretching city, and on a clear day, stretching to the ocean.
Self-portrait.
So, after continuing our trek on the fireroad, we kept our eyes out for a trail leading to the left. We came upon this trail that had these beautiful mossy cement bags outlining a trail. We galloped down in joy, enjoying the mystical atmosphere of the leaves and ferns and moss.
Only 5 minutes down the trail, we came upon this crazy Eagle Scout project in which the goal seemed to be to take the water dripping from this tiny cave and put it through a pipe that led to a well at the beginning of the trail. It was completed in 2000, and had been deteriorating since then, which is probably good for us since we thought we were on the right trail until we just could go any farther because the trail became yet another wall too steep to climb. So, yeah, we took the wrong trail, again!!
But before we figured that out, we checked out the cool little cave. I climbed inside and was relieved to see that the cave was not very deep. Yes, relieved, because then my mind would stop thinking of all the creatures that could be lurking in its depths.
Back to the fireroad, up a little farther and we found the RIGHT trail. While it looked like a legitimate trail this time, we also saw an arrow in the road, made with rocks, pointing back the way we came so that hikers coming from the other direction would know to hike down the road rather than up. We were so, so relieved to know we were finally going in the right direction. It seemed like we'd been hiking all day!
Our new, sweetly legitimate trail led us quickly to the top of the ridge we'd been pining for and alas, we could see to the other side. Our camp lied down in the canyon to the right...
After a 2-mile trot down into the canyon, we came to our camp just at the end of our energy... It was really lush, as well, and nestled right next to a rushing creek.
Dinner and scotch...
And a game of Boggle in the tent before bedtime...
Good morning, Sara!!
Good morning, Brian!!
Our campsite at breakfast-time.
We forgot utensils, but we made out quite well using the two pens we'd brought for Boggle. The quick oats were thick enough that they stuck to the pens like glue. But we added cranberries, Splenda, and walnuts to our glue and it was delicious and filling!
Our hike out began in the canyon in which we slept, which was rocky, gray, and cool and held that smoky silvery winter comfort.
Boy did I miss the smell of creeks and wet leaves and earth when I was in Florida...
Turned around to take a picture as we left the canyon from the other direction. This is practically a mirror image of the last picture we took from above the canyon. If you feel like scrolling back up to the previous canyon picture where I said we'd camp in the canyon to the right, that canyon in this picture would be to the left on the other side of the little rock outcropping in the middle.
Three and a half miles after our gluey breakfast, we came to the crossroads of many trails and took a short detour to Inspiration Point to eat lunch.
Silly me for not taking a picture of the view, which was another incredible city view, but it was getting overcast and grey and you couldn't see much. We'll have to go again on a clear day (Brian has actually already been here on a clear day on a solo hike of his own) but it had these pipes pointed towards different land marks so that you could look through them to locate places, including Redondo Beach, which is pretty much where we live!
After lunch we began our final trek as the sky clouded up and clouds began to pass over and through us, or us below and through them. It was really pretty, and especially enjoyable when we reached the top of our climb and knew the rest was all downhill. Thank goodness. My goer-upper muscles were done going up!
A view down another wide canyon. It was neat to see the silver trail of winter trees because I knew we'd been in a place just like it that morning.
We even hiked through a bit of snow, shaking our heads once again at the unbelievable proximity to Los Angeles. You'd never know when you were up there...
We were actually headed toward a road carved out of the side of the saddle to the left. To the right is the first part of Mount Wilson. To me, this picture is a very good example of mountain "majestic."
Did I already use the adjective, "majestic?" :)
We got to hike through a small cave in the side of the mountain, only 3/10 of a mile from the actual paved road.
Fun fun!!When we got to the paved road, we had another 2.28 miles (according to the mile markers) left to go to get to the car. We would have parked right there but the road was closed due to snow when we'd dropped it off the day before, so we had to park at the lower lot. The paved road might have been the easiest, technically, but it seemed to last forever. The cars passing by seemed to find us very interesting though...
And one last picture, for the finishing touch.
posted by Sara | 9:52 PM
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