I went up Angeles Crest on Sunday, January 17, 2010 and took these pictures. Until a little over a week ago I didn't even know it was open, but a friend of mine told me how he brought his kids up towards Mt. Waterman to play in the snow. On Sunday, when I went up there, the road was closed at Redbox, so all the pictures are from below that area. I stopped by the ranger station and was told the whole forest is closed. When asked about the front side of Mt. Wilson, he told me certain areas/trails were open. He also told me the highway was basically for "through traffic only," meaning people weren't really supposed to be up there and stopping on the sides of the roads, although obviously this wasn't being enforced as there were a bunch of people up there.

Anyway, here are the pics:

Just up Angeles Crest Hwy from La Canada looking down the Arroyo Seco. This is the canyon up from JPL.


If you look closely you can make out the Ken Burton Trail in this picture switchbacking down the backside of Brown Mountain.


Near the convergence of the road to Tujunga and Angeles Crest.


Looking down towards the Switzer area


Forest "Closed" Sign


Strawberry Peak Trailhead. Nearly completely washed out and burned.


This was taken just up from Redbox. It looks the area just below Mt. Wilson (the backside) was pretty much spared.


This is the opposite side of the street from Redbox, looking in the direction of Mt. Lawlor.


The Canyon below Redbox. (This picture was taken after driving down the road from Redbox a little- the parking lots there were closed off).


A slightly more close-up view of some of the damage caused by the fire.


Given all the burned areas, almost all these areas must be pretty much one gigantic mudpie after all the rain we've had this week.

Gusto

uh... wow...

It'll all grow back. I remember a quote from a Miwok elder that I read, back in '97 when Yosemite got flooded, and alot of buildings, campsites and other stuff got washed away. The wise old guy said..."The Valley has been cleansed".

I think that's kinda what happens with big wildfires too. The forest has a new beginning now...and it's already coming back to life.

grammys11 wrote:anybody know if CA-2 is open until the turn off? Caltrans says it is, but who knows? I think im going to snowshoe to Wilson and back on the fire road tomorrow (since the wait to get up to Baldy is 2.5 hours!!!)... any thoughts?

I figured it would be a zoo up there today. I'm staying local.

I broke trail up Mt. Lowe a few hours ago. Lots of people out to enjoy the sun. Better get there quick before all the snow is gone. It was melting fast in the afternoon.

Wilson Trail was closed as of yesterday.

I rode a loop from Glendale including Big Tujunga and ACH today on my cross bike. A few patches of black ice and sand but otherwise smooth sailing or rather riding. ACH was closed at the base today (5 cop cars "enforcing"). Big Tujunga Canyon is also closed around the turn-off for Vogel Flat. Looks like the ACF to ACH connector isn't going to be open anytime soon (major erosion, see pic).

grammys11 wrote:Kevin - How did you get there? Where did you start from?

end of Lake Ave, off 210.

Bet your ride was awesome, Michelle!

You all are talking about the types of rocks and geological formations in other topics, but forget that the ecosystem in the San Gabriels is Chaparral as named by the Spaniards.

That means every "few" years or so nature does its thing by using forest fires to clear the forest in sections so as to make way for new growth and restart the life cycle. It's harsh, but the plants and most animals will rebound.

The ANF and SBNF will never look like Big Sur, Yosemite, or Sequoia/Kings Canyon. Different climates and ecosysytems. Some trails will have to be "refurbished", and perhaps some will not be repairable. Such is life in the local mt. ranges. Tongva, Chumash, Tataviam and other local natives dealt with it before our "civilized" ancestors moved into the neighborhood. Iremeber a little over 30 years ago most of the area from Clear Creek north and west from there to Tujunga "suffered" from a large fire. Didn't stop people then and probably won't now.

EManBevHills wrote:Bet your ride was awesome, Michelle!

Thank, Ernie. It was.

Recent pics of the Tujunga and ACH areas:

Some of the Station Fire burn areas, will be opening on May 25th.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local ... 82669.html

Actually lots of the burned areas were burned very hot because of the cumulus brewing on the backsides of the mountains while the burn was happening. In many areas all trees are just gone, burned to dust. It is going to take many decades to get some of those oak trees again.

Here is a link to an article posted yesterday regarding the progress of repairing ACH. The article mentions the re-opening has been pushed back to November. I'm betting that will get pushed again past winter. The photo gallery shows some significant repair work occuring a few miles beyond La Canada.

http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_15445104