SierraDescents | Page 6
August 7, 2021
Once More, Into the Woods
Life, it seems, has its own agenda. I had hoped for some quiet time, to help me and my family recover from the calamities of the past year. But alas, incredibly, we are once (more)
July 9, 2021
Langley via the East-Southeast Ridge
Mount Langley is California's southernmost fourteener and most definitely not California's most climbed mountain. Why doesn't Langley attract more attention? Maybe it's that (more)
June 24, 2021
Baldy via the North Backbone
I had no idea a fine hiking trail exists on the ridge connecting Pine Mountain, Dawson Peak, and Mount Baldy. Better yet: in summer, you can drive Blue Ridge Road to the (more)
June 23, 2021
San Gabriel Canyon
We hiked up the east fork of San Gabriel Canyon today, en route to that most enigmatic of SoCal landmarks, the Bridge to Nowhere. It was hot. Cloud cover helped, but it was (more)
June 16, 2021
Hiking Throop Peak to Baden-Powell
Of course I was dimly aware you could hike the San Gabriel Crest from Windy Gap as an alternate way to get to Baden-Powell's summit, but the route never particularly interested (more)
June 9, 2021
Ski Hut-Devil’s Backbone Loop
Connecting the Ski Hut Trail and the Devil's Backbone Ridge is one of my favorite SoCal hikes—in either direction. This time my son and I ascended from Manker Flat and (more)
June 3, 2021
Mammoth Memorial Day Weekend
It's no secret 2020-2021 wasn't exactly California's finest winter, but that didn't stop Mammoth from offering excellent top-to-bottom skiing this past Memorial Day/closing (more)
May 25, 2021
Ontario Peak
8694' Ontario Peak is easily among the most spectacular of the San Gabriels' front-range peaks. The summit offers a crazy juxtaposition of city and mountain views, making this (more)
May 22, 2021
Parker Mesa Loop
What I call the Parker Mesa Loop begins at the end of Los Leones Drive in Pacific Palisades, elevation 195', directly ascends a steep ridge via a use trail to Parker Mesa (more)
May 10, 2021
Mount Islip
My son and I went up the 2 yesterday to Islip Saddle mostly because my family had hiked Mount Islip on Mother's Day in 2020, and I wanted to revisit the area and the memories of (more)
April 18, 2021
Closing Day
Snow Valley spun its lifts for the last time for the 2020-2021 season today, making them (by a week) the longest-running SoCal resort this winter. Has that ever happened (more)
February 26, 2021
Update
I apologize for going dark for so long. I have slowly begun reengaging in activities I once took for granted -- driving, reading, hiking, talking to people, even skiing with my (more)
June 15, 2020
Is Throop Still Going?
For those of you who built the kicker at the bottom of the last snowfield on Throop Peak and were still hitting it as of yesterday...I salute you. (more)
May 17, 2020
Gorgonio
Yes, there is snow on Gorgonio's north face—but if you want it you'll have to work for it. Things were melted out all the way up to about 9400' yesterday, meaning you'll (more)
May 6, 2020
Mount Islip
The easy snow along Highway 2's Waterman Crest is all but gone now, melted out by late April's furious heat waves. That said, what a treasure this part of the San Gabriels is, (more)
