SOCAL GGG 2019

From: https://www.facebook.com/AngelesCrestHighway/

4/27-4/30/2019

⚠️Angeles Forest Highway is OPEN from SR-2 (La Cañada) to Palmdale.

⚠️Angeles Crest Highway (SR-2) is CLOSED just east of Mount Wilson Red Box Road to Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road.

⚠️Angeles Crest Highway (SR-2) is OPEN from Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road to Islip Saddle.

⚠️Angeles Crest Highway (SR-2) is CLOSED from Islip Saddle to Vincent Gap.

If you want to reach the central area of ACH between road closures where Newcomb’s Ranch, Chilao, Mount Waterman, Picnic Areas, Campgrounds, etc. are located along SR-2. There is currently a detour that adds 8.6 miles and roughly 15 minutes drive time vs the normal rout on SR-2 from La Cañada.

DIRECTIONS:

From La Cañada take Angeles Crest Highway (SR-2)

 

Left on Angeles Forest Highway

Continue to Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road turn RIGHT.

(Coming from Palmdale you would make a LEFT on Upper Big T.)

Continue on Upper Big Tujunga which ends at Angeles Crest Highway (SR-2) turn LEFT.

Continue on SR-2 to your destination.

Thanks for posting that info Ben.  It saves me time trying to get a map posted here.  Both Google Maps and Apple Maps know where Cloudburst Summit in case you want to print out a map.

The weather report continues to be favorable.  The “only” chance of rain is possibly Sunday night after 11pm.

Am I reading this correctly that the closure ended yesterday (it says 4/27 -4/30/2019)?  I asked this on Facebook.

Then I thought about SR 39 from Azusa through Falling Springs, but that looks to be closed as well.  From dot.ca.gov it says “CLOSED FROM 4.4 MI SOUTH OF THE JCT OF SR 2 TO THE JCT OF SR 2”

We were thinking about sticking around Sunday and I was considering a peak attempt on Mount Baden Powell.  I’ve wanted to go there, and it’s on the 6-pack of peaks alternate list.  if the SR2 East closure holds, then I might look for another location for good hiking and a second night out.  Any suggestions along the limited driving route?  Strawberry Peak?

Am I reading this correctly that the closure ended yesterday (it says 4/27 -4/30/2019)?

You are not reading that correctly.  The date indicates the date the info was updated (they recently changed it to today with no change in closures).  A post lower states the road will be open again in a few weeks.  You should be able to get to Mt Baden-Powell using the detours.

I’ll be heading up with a friend tomorrow afternoon but have to leave early Saturday morning.  Looking forward to a night in the high country, good call hosting up there Don.

Hello,

I’m thinking of coming down from Bishop, but I really don’t know what this would all entail?  I’m as much as a gear geek as anyone, so I’d like to spend some time with like-minded people, but what do you guys do for this gathering?  When would be the best time to come down if I was only spending the night?  Saturday-Sunday?

Thanks, Andrew

The event is quite simple, just hanging around the campgroup talking and showing gear.  If I can find a flat surface, I’ll bring the ingredients and demonstrate how I make a DCF stuff sack with tape.

Yes, Sat-Sun would be the best time (IMO).  I should get on the trail by mid morning Saturday.

Hope you come Andrew. This gathering has no structure.  Just show up and enjoy.  Maybe find a future hiking partner.  Check out others gear.  Ask questions, Answer questions. Tell and listen to war stories.  Oh, and gossip about those that didn’t show up!

As Steve said.  Sat-Sun would be when most people will be there.

Cheers,

Don

Thanks for hosting this Don. As always, good to see you.  It was nice to share a fire…

Unfortunately, Friday night with an early Saturday morning departure was my only option.  My friend from Peru had to be back at the airport that afternoon so I think we were on the trail by 7AM on Saturday.  You appeared (and sounded ; ) ) to be sleeping well Don, sorry to miss you in the morning.

A little recap of what turned out to be a completely strange night….

Chatting by the fire was great.  Don went to sleep a little earlier than my friend and I.  Sharing whiskey by the fire, we talked until around 11 or 12 and then got in our bags (sleeping out).  At around 1AM we were awakened to lights everywhere.  I sat up to look around and saw at least two dozen headlamps coming out of the forest and fanning through the campground silently.

I thought we were under attack or in a sci-fi movie.  The scientists had come to quarantine us….

They walked right between my friend and I, through our camp, and literally started spreading out everywhere.  Easily 20+ people from what I could see.  They were pitching shelters right next to other campers there, literally in their camps.  Tarps were being strung all over the place.  It was a strange sight.

Come morning we found people spread out everywhere under blue tarps.  Some had spread a ~20×20 tarp over three picnic tables (in someone else’s camp, mind you) and they slept under the tarp, under the tables.  I saw people wrapped in tarps, even people sleeping perpendicular to A frame tarps with only their heads underneath.  It was the strangest gathering I think I’ve seen.  All done in relative silence in the dark.

Anyhow, we were out early.

We ran into three hikers coming in on the trail.  Their first question was “Are those your cars at the trailhead?”.  “One of them is” I responded.  UH OH.  Good things don’t start with that question.

“Because they got broken into…Which is yours?”

I described my car and they said they thought I was OK.

Sure enough, 60% of the cars at the trailhead had their back passenger windows smashed.  I lucked out, my car was untouched.

Did you fair OK Don?  I presume the blue CRV (or RAV4?) was yours.  It looked untouched.

Anyhow….a nice night out, though the headlamp invasion and car vandalism aftermath left a bad taste in my mouth.  Strange days.  Hopefully it went better for those that came Saturday….

Sorry for the late response. We’re in the middle of packing up for our move.  I’m lucky enough to even find my computer amongst the boxes and increasingly insecure dogs and cat.

I figured you got out of Dodge early.  I slept in till 7:30am.  I did awake during the night to the invasion.  At first I thought it was you and Michael settling in for the night but the quantity of the headlights changed the reality to something far different.  Of course I couldn’t hear anything without my hearing aids. With no viable option to do anything to change the activity I just rolled over and went back to sleep.

In the morning I was shocked by what I saw.  It appeared to be a bushcrafters gathering given the shelter setups I saw.  I made my coffee and settled in for the show.  It turned out to be 30 members of a church group.  I had to defend the GGG area from further intrusion while waiting for GGG’s to show up. I shooed away one guy who came over and without say a word started to build a fire in camp stove.

I wonder what the camped PCT hikers thought of the invasion.  Then there was one PCT hiker that came wandering in and I offered him space to camp in our area.  His was response was, “this is the United States and I can camp where ever I want.”  The invasion attitude was spreading!

Steve, Bob and Roy showed up finally and all had a great time gear talking, storytelling and analysing the invaders.  One entertaining activity was a team log chopping contest with machetes and hatchets which they all seemed to have.  I was waiting for blood to flow but all seemed to survive.   Surprisingly, they packed up in the afternoon and left, leaving us in peace, quite and mellowness.

I did hear about the car break-ins.  Mine and the others survived. Glad yours did too.  What a bummer.

In spite of the rudeness of the invaders overall I had a good time.  The weather was great.  Lots of water flowing. Steve had some great MYO gear to show off. I ended up with another of his fantastic CF wallets.  Bob’s friend Roy was just returning to backpacking and he seemed to soak up the lightweight gear philosophy.

Thanks to all who came.

Roy and I showed up as the group was packed and ready to leave.  I missed the chopping competition.  Great location with the water and firepit!  Roy and I dawdled on Sunday, with a steady flow of PCT thru-hikers that seemed to stopped for the bathroom or not at all.  I guess they have places to go and people to see further North!  Sharing the trail or a campsite with thru-hikers inspires me to get out more.  Camping with Don and Steve inspires me to bring less!

I saw Steve B at a SoCal Hammock group hang this weekend.  Anyone thinking about a SoCal GGG this year?  I think this was the last record of one I could find.  There should be more water this year!

I’m out in ANF and local forests all the time. If there’s a date and people would like to schedule a meetup, I would likely attend.