Common beggarticks (above)
Stinging Lupine (above)
Wishbone bush (above)
Lacepod (above)
Sweet alyssum (above, along the trail)
Western wallflower (above)
Baby blue eyes (above)
California bay (above)
Coffee fern (above)
View looking west towards LA and the Pacific (above).
Mt Lowe, Mt. Markham, San Gabriel Peak (above)
View looking east towards Mt. Baldy (above).
It's been a fantastic President's Day weekend so far. Most of the snow that blanketed the San Gabriel's in the beginning of the week has melted away. Temperatures this weekend have been in the mid 70's lower 80's. I decided to hike the Mt. Wilson trail for the first time today. I really enjoyed this trail. Not only was I able to put in 14 miles and over 4000ft in elevation gain/loss, but I was able to enjoy a variety of landscapes. The first couple thousand feet was a springtime feast for the senses, wildflowers were bursting forth from both sides of the trail, the air was crisp and clear, and water flowed freely from the canyon below. The trail also provided plenty of shade at times from the intense sunlight, and kept temperatures cool. Around 4000ft or so, the trail entered some refreshing pine forests, all the while, the sound of water could be heard flowing down from above. Once at the summit, snow was abundant, drifts seemed to be a foot deep in places. There weren't too many people hiking the trail today, I expected to see many more after witnessing the crowds at Inspiration Point a couple of weeks ago. I met a hiker named Justin just above Manzanita Ridge. We leapfrogged each other up most of the trail and ended up striking up a conversation all the way to the summit and back down to the parking lot. I tend to do most of my hiking solo which allows me to pay closer attention to the vegetation. However, it was nice to meet someone new and share information about good hiking trails in the area.
View looking east towards Mt. Baldy (above).
It's been a fantastic President's Day weekend so far. Most of the snow that blanketed the San Gabriel's in the beginning of the week has melted away. Temperatures this weekend have been in the mid 70's lower 80's. I decided to hike the Mt. Wilson trail for the first time today. I really enjoyed this trail. Not only was I able to put in 14 miles and over 4000ft in elevation gain/loss, but I was able to enjoy a variety of landscapes. The first couple thousand feet was a springtime feast for the senses, wildflowers were bursting forth from both sides of the trail, the air was crisp and clear, and water flowed freely from the canyon below. The trail also provided plenty of shade at times from the intense sunlight, and kept temperatures cool. Around 4000ft or so, the trail entered some refreshing pine forests, all the while, the sound of water could be heard flowing down from above. Once at the summit, snow was abundant, drifts seemed to be a foot deep in places. There weren't too many people hiking the trail today, I expected to see many more after witnessing the crowds at Inspiration Point a couple of weeks ago. I met a hiker named Justin just above Manzanita Ridge. We leapfrogged each other up most of the trail and ended up striking up a conversation all the way to the summit and back down to the parking lot. I tend to do most of my hiking solo which allows me to pay closer attention to the vegetation. However, it was nice to meet someone new and share information about good hiking trails in the area.
Yes! What a weekend! Exceptionally beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDid you drive up the Angeles Crest to get to the trail! (I thought it was closed) If so, how does it look? From down here the Mtns look even more jagged.... is it my imagination? It's a good thing they saved Mt. Wilson from the fire.
Love the "Baby Blue Eyes" little flower. Perfect name.
Great shots. Thanks again!
Kate, I started the hike at the base of the mountain off of the Mt. Wilson Trail road. I havn't been up the Angeles Crest Highway since the day they reopened it back in the end of November. The mountains due tend to look more jagged from down in the valley. I'm not sure if I labeled them correctly, I was trying to figure it out today and looked at some Topo maps, but they always look different from different angles.
ReplyDeleteActually, I was able to confirm it's Mt. Lowe, Mt. Markham, and San Gabriel Peak in the 20th picture.
ReplyDelete