Upper Bear Creek Trail Maintenance - November 6, 2010

See Smith Mountain Via Upper Bear Creek Trail Description on Dan's Hiking Pages

In June 2003 I discovered the San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders. What a great find that was. I had gone to the Forest Service office in Glendora to find out when the Crystal Lake area would be reopened (it had been incinerated by the Curve Fire a year earlier). The gal told me that it was still closed and that they had no idea when it would be reopened (it's still closed at this time, Nov. 2010!!). She told me that there was a group called the San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders who are working on the trials at Crystal Lake. Hmmm, the back door in! So I showed to work with the SGMTBs on Saturday, June 21, 2003. My ulterior motive was to see the Crystal Lake area. But I so thoroughly enjoyed the trailbuilding experience that I became a regular volunteer with organization. They are a great group of men and women who volunteer their time to work on trails, primarily in the San Gabriel River watershed. The regular work days are the first, third and fifth Saturday of each month.

Fast forward to November 2010, it had been awhile since I had been out with the Trailbuilders, so I decided to hit the trail with them. Our project for the day is routine trail maintenance on Upper Bear Creek Trail, which climbs three gentle miles from Hwy 39 in the San Gabriel Canyon to Smith Saddle (4260' est.). Joining us would be some scouts and adults from Troop 501 in La Canada.

I arrive at the San Gabriel Canyon Gateway Center in Azusa a little before 8:00 a.m., the regular meeting location. We pile into cars and head up into San Gabriel Canyon on Hwy 39. At 8:20 we arrive at the Rincon Fire Station to load the equipment. Trailbuilder Bron Draganov gives a brief overview of the day. We load up and continue up Hwy. 39 and arrive at the trailhead at 8:50. Bron presents a safety briefing and explains some fundamentals of trailbuilding. We split up into two groups. One would hike up the trail about 2.5 miles and work their way back. The other would start near the lower end and work their way up.

Armed with McLeods, mattocks, loppers, and leather gloves, we begin hiking up the trail at 9:03. I am with the first group, which consists of three trailbuilders, three scouts, the scoutmaster, and scout grand mother. The weather is nice and everything is greening up nicely from our recent rains. This area was incinerated in the 2002 Curve Fire, but it has rebounded well. The storms the following year significantly damaged the trail, completely washing out some sections. In late 2005 the Forest Service hired a trail contractor to repair the trail. And the San Gabriel Mountain Trailbuilders has worked a lot on this trail over the years. Today, the trail is in good condition except for some plants intruding into the path in places and the need for some general tread work.

Our pace is little slow. Pass the one-mile maker at 9:37. Not much in bloom. The sycamore and poison oak are beginning to display fall colors. Clouds are drifting in overhead with some chance of rain late afternoon or evening. Pass the two-mile marker at 10:16. The pointed summit of Smith Mountain looms to our southwest. At 10:22 we arrive at our destination, a rock face which had required some dynamite work a couple years ago to restore the trail. I proceeded onto Smith Saddle while the others began trial work heading down. I do some light work as I hike.

At 10:49 I come to section of trial which is worthy of concerted effort. I go to work removing dead branches which were hanging into the trail. Next I removed some rocks and debris, flatten the birm on the outside edge, remove some plants in the trail, and regrade the dread. An hour of work makes big difference...feels good. I continue up the trail and shortly encounter a deer hunter. He is waiting for his three friends who are coming down the trail. They've not bagged anything yet and tomorrow is the last day of hunting season. I continue up the trail, pass the three hunters, and at arrive at Smith Saddle at 12:11.

It's cool and breezy now. I was here on July 18, and like at that time, the summit of Smith Mountain calls to me but I must stay on task. Take some pics, have lunch, and leave the saddle at 12:38. Aside from snapping some pics of a few plants, I proceed directly down the trail and meet with the rest of the group at 1:25. We continue to remove plants from the trail and rework tread. The cool weather is welcome. At 2:00 we stop work and begin our homeward decent. We traverse sections of trial that have been nicely worked by the other group. We arrive at the trailhead at 2:44, 15 minutes before the designated rendezvous time. We stash our tools back in the truck, say our good-byes and hit road.

A good day on the trail. It's always hard work but very rewarding. And it's always good to have Boy Scouts working us. Why not come out some Saturday and experience trial work for yourself?

Visit the San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders website

Read my Smith Saddle Blog - July 18, 2010

See Smith Mountain Via Upper Bear Creek Trail Description on Dan's Hiking Pages
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Smith Saddle Hike - July 18, 2010

See Smith Mountain Via Upper Bear Creek Trail Description on Dan's Hiking Pages

Planning is good, but serendipity can bring pleasant surprises. Such was my hike on Upper Bear Creek Trail to Smith Saddle. Throughout the summer I try to hike once a week, even if it's just a "scrappy" hike (close to home on scraps of time craved out of a full schedule). With daytime temps hitting triple digits this weekend, a hike would need to be butt early. I went to bed on Saturday night with no specific hike picked out but with the plan that if I wake up in the 4:00 AM range, I'll go hiking. Well, I awoke at that hour but had a hard time dragging my butt out of bed. But I did and decided on Rincon-Red Box Road, just up Hwy 39 from my home in Azusa.

I arrive at the Rincon at 5:38 only to find it closed: "Fire Damaged Area." Oh, where now?! Sort though the inventory of trails in my mind. Well, maybe I'll wander up the West Fork. Drove by the trailhead but I just don't feel like walking along a paved road. Keep going up Hwy 39 and am pleasantly surprised that the locked gate that for years restricted access to the North Fork (and Crystal Lake) was open! Wow! I keep driving with the thoughts of Smith Saddle—a nice 6-mile round trip hike that would be ideal. Sure enough, the road was open all the way to the trailhead (but restricted beyond). I was a surprised to see eight cars parked there. Either their owners arose before 4 AM or perhaps they are backpacking in Bear Canyon.

6:00 AM - Start the hike ascending Upper Bear Creak Trail. It's 70 degrees and I plan to be done by 9:00, so I should be able to safely avoid the triple digit temps that are sizzling us this weekend. I love being on a narrow trail in contrast to the wide fire roads of Griffith Park, or even the one I had planned to hike this morning. This area was incinerated in the 2002 Curve Fire, but it has rebounded well. The storms the following year significantly damaged the trail, completely washing out some sections. In late 2005 the Forest Service hired a trail contractor to repair the trail. I hiked it in February 2006 with John Seals of the FS to survey the work. That was my first time on the trail and we hiked all the way to Bear Creek (11.2 miles r.t. with 2900 in elev. gain.). Today, the trail is in good condition except for the dead weeds intruding into the path in places. The San Gabriel Mountain Trailbuilders has worked a lot on this trail over the years.

I'm hiking along at a good pace. Not a lot in bloom. The California Buckwheat dominates the floral scene. After a few switchbacks, the trail crosses over a little ridge and enters the first of two primary canyons en route. At 6:22 I see the first traces of the sun landing on the outcrop just east of Smith Mountain.

6:26 - One-mile maker. Eleven minutes later I cross over into Lost Canyon. Not sure where it got its name. How do you loose a canyon?! A breeze feels good. The burned branches of scrub oak and manzanita accent the landscape. Lots of yucca in bloom. I hear water down below.

6:52 - Two-mile maker. Still at a pace of better than two miles an hour. The grade of the trail is quite gentle (climbs only 333 feet per mile). At 6:55 I step into the sunlight—I feel like Dorothy stepping into full color in the Land of Oz. The brilliance of direct sunlight changes everything, particularly the photography. The trail crosses several places tucked into the wrinkles of the canyons hosting thriving oases of lush green plants and sycamores. At 6:57 I encounter a running spring. Weave in and out of the sun as I navigate the creases in topography. I'm startled by a snake racing across the trail directly in front of me.

7:20 - Smith Saddle (4260' - est.). Wow! To the west lies the rugged San Gabriel Wilderness, the pointed summit of Twin Peaks East Peak, and in the distance, Mt. Wilson and its neighboring peaks. Smith Mountain summit (5511) towers 800 feet above me to the south. It calls me to climb it, but I muster up self-discipline to resist. Must have the car home for the wife by 9:30. The trail continues past the "San Gabriel Wilderness" sign heading west into Bear Canyon. I linger for a few minutes and soak in the beauty and solitude of this place. Pull hat and sunglasses out of pack.

7:35 - Begin my return. I take a brisk pace to make up for my occasional stops to take pictures. Pass the 2-mile marker at 8:10 and the 1-mile maker at 8:38. Sun is getting warmer.

9:03 - Finish. The car thermometer reads 85 degrees. What an enjoyable hike this turned out to be. Certainly better than slogging up Rincon Red-Box Road. I'm glad I dragged myself out of bed this morning!

See Smith Mountain Via Upper Bear Creek Trail Description on Dan's Hiking Pages
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