GROUP HIKES
Join us for a group hike that starts along a more popular hiking trail in the San Gabriel mountains before leaving any named trails and exploring an area that is mostly untouched by human traffic. This will be wildly different from our usual ridgeline treks, so be prepared to for some canyon dwelling.
DisclaimerIf you've never attended a TRVRS Outdoors event before, you should know that we tend to attract Southern California's relatively stronger and more experienced hikers. It is important that our participants are well aware of the inherent dangers involved with class 2-3 climbing routes. If this is not familiar territory for you, maybe sit this one out or reach out to us with any questions you may have if you are unsure (trvrsoutdoors@gmail.com). |
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
We'll meet at the bottom of the lower Sam Merrill trail in Alta Dena before hiking up to the junction for the Castle Canyon trail where we'll regroup. From here, we'll head straight up to Inspiration point where we'll have another opportunity to regroup, snack, and enjoy the views of the coast if its a clear day. Once everyone has an opportunity to catch their breath, we'll continue toward Mount Lowe camp. This is where the fun begins.
From the camp, we'll descend into the Grand Canyon of the San Gabriel mountains. This three mile cross country segment will feature some rugged terrain. Hikers should expect some side-hilling and travel over chossy (crumbly) granite. We'll keep to a slow pace on some of these portions of the route.
Eventually we'll meet back up with the Mount Lowe Railway and Forest Service Road FR2N50, but this relief will be short-lived as we will almost immediately ditch the road for a fire break that is commonly known among locals as "Steep & Cheap". While this section is almost all solid granite, we will descend one at a time to ensure we don't send rocks tumbling toward other participants. If you are not comfortable with downclimbing this style of terrain, you might need to consider heading back to Echo mountain via the trail and going back down the normal route.
DETAILS
Meeting Location: Cobb Estate Trailhead
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