[pct-l] Section D roads, trails, and empty wilderness all so close to LA!

Tue Nov 3 14:11:40 CST 2009

So good to hear from you, Sage.  We got out and did some further
investigating this weekend.  Here's what we found:

The PCT is closed from I-15 to some undisclosed point (I believe the San
Bernardino/Angeles National Forest border).  There were trail closure signs
at Swarthout Canyon, and a check of the San Bernardino NF website says the
trail is closed until November 8. Unless the San Bernardino Nat'l Forest
renews or extends their closure, the PCT should be open from I-15 to Islip
Saddle for next year's nobos, and you won't have to walk Lone Pine Road.
Back on the PCT, there's really no reason to go beyond Islip, because of
Yellow-legged Frog closure which also closes the Burkhardt Trail to the High
Desert National Recreation Trail, so while there is a trail, it's closed in
the middle.

There is access down to the road walk around the closure at two places:
Vincent Gap and Islip Saddle.  If hikers leave the PCT at Vincent Gap, they
will bypass Mt. Baden Powell and Little Jimmy spring and campground. If that
is their choice, from Vincent Gap hikers can either take the Manzanita
Trail, and 8.something mile trail down to South Fork Campground.  Or, they
can take the Big Rock Creek dirt road, which leads down to the paved road
(mileage points forthcoming).

If one stays on the trail to Islip (northbound) there you have two choices.
You can take the South Fork Trail directly down, which is a 5.5 miles
descent to the South Fork Campground, which leads out to Big Rock Creek Road
and the road walk around the clousure.  Walking south from there you find
ample water (even in November) and campsites.  Second, the South Fork Trail
also meets up with the Devils Chair trail, which drops you over to Devil's
Punchbowl, and the road (at this point Valyermo Road) can be taken from
there.  

The big thing that everyone needs to be aware of:  IT'S A 45 MILE (MINIMUM)
ROAD WALK IN THE MOJAVE. Sage did it, so it can be done for those who want
to walk the entire route.  However, I know how much hikers hate road walks.
This is going to be very important for hikers planning their trek in 2010.
If they decide to skip around this section, they will be a week ahead of
schedule, and most of the nobo thrus wind up stalling because of snow in the
sierras without being a week ahead.

I have gathered road mileage information as well as water and resupply
information which I will be putting all the details together for those
planning their 2010 hike. I will get it posted soon, for those planning
their hikes next year.  

L-Rod 

p.s.  I got another package in . . . one more mystery sobo on the trail.

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of sage Clegg
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 11:31 AM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] Section D roads, trails, and empty wilderness all so close
to LA!

Hi everyone, I just finished the patchwork that is section D and here is my
report:
  I walked the road from Agua Dulce to the Cougar Ranch just north of the
little rock dam, recieved a ride from Canoeman and Liz (they put me up
for the night and are awesome new trail angles!!) to an apple orchard near
the Burkheart (?) trail that connects the devil's punchbowl to the PCT. I
hiked up the very well mainainted trail that even has mile posts on it and
dropped into the rattlesnake creek drainage. I did not realize the pct is
closed there until I reached eagle's roost, where there are trail closure
signs. Could someone call the LARD and ask if the trail connecting from
eagle's roost to the burkheart trail is officially closed, or if the closure
starts further to the west. Can PCTers bypass the rattlesnake canyon section
and use the whole burkheart trail from hwy 2 to the orchard? I believe the
orchard owner might allow PCTers to use his road to connect to juniper
hills, people could potentially stay at Canoeman's property for a
 night, then continue the road walk, hopefuly using cougar ranch as a
watering hole along the otherwise dry road. The 28 miles from cougar ranch
to Agua dulce is burned along Aliso canyon road and the sierra hwy. There is
a fire road that cuts the corner by the junction of aliso and the hwy.
NOBO's will find the fire road leaving the hwy at mil. 6.25 and reconnecting
out on a dip along Aliso canyon. You can fill up water, use a PO, go to a
grocery store, and stuff your face with chineese food in Acton, about 13
miles before agua dulce. Once I reached hwy 2 there was a suspicous lack of
humans, so I guess I may have been breaking the law by walking in a closed
forest (please don't rat me out... I can't afford $5000.. and I really did
think it was open!). The other trail option to gain the crest would be the
big rock creek trail up from just east of the Devil's punchbowl. This would
be a shorter route and drop you at islip saddle,
 where you can meet the PCT and hit up little jimmy spring with it's awesome
water (though there was a large mound of ice under it last week) and the
veiwful high peaks of the san gorgornios. There is a water cache at vincient
gap for the moment (5 gal on 10/29), and the campground and visitor center
water is all shut off for the season. 
  I walked to Acorn Trail past the fresh man made snow at mountain high--
what a trip to posthole in an otherwise dry desert! The Acor trail was easy
to find, but I don't envy the NOBO's who have to walk up it, just stick to
acorn drive and you will eventually go past a big water tank and then onto
the trail, which goes more eastward than seems reasonable. There were great
apples on the way in to the town of wrightwood, and the bakery on the east
end of town just past the hardware store had the best muffins I have had on
the whole trail. Lone Pine Canyon Road was a little confusing to find. It
starts as a residential street, then jogs SW on Sheep canyon road, up a
hill, then re-meets lone pine canyon road, which weaves around some houses
and blind corners, crests a saddle, then begins the long descent down sheep
canyon. This will be a long hot uphill roadwalk for NOBOs. Someone should
think about creating a water cache along the walk, perhaps at
 one of the ranches along the way. I was unclear if Mormon rocks was closed
or open, but due to the lack of signs telling me not to enter, I walked the
PCT to I15. The first (NW) 4 miles are in need of trail work due
to sand slides. 
Hope this helps!
Sage 

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