Jesusita Fire- Tunnel, Jesusita, and Rattlesnake Canyon Trail Recovery Photos

Happy Hour Coming To Tunnel Trail

Learn More Here

Mountain Lion Spotted Near San Ysidro Trail

Snowboarding The Pacific Crest Trail - Backcountry Boarding In The San Gabriel Mountains

No better way to celebrate the start of Spring than to do a little backcountry snowboarding in the San Gabriels. I met up with fellow split boarder Jeff S. to ride the chutes of Mt. Baden Powell in the Angeles National Forest. We packed up at the parking lot at Vincent Gap then headed past the gate along Angeles Crest Highway. After a short walk along ACH we came to a north facing chute that was begging to be ridden. We stapped on the split boards and started to skin up the steep, steep chute. After a short distance we realized it was becoming too steep to skin effectively and it was time to put on the crampons.

After a few hours of skinning/climbing we arrived at a small knob near the summit of Mt Baden Powell. We had the entire area to ourselves, except for one guy hiking the ridge along the route of the Pacific Crest Trail. The snow was fantastic and soft, the trees were perfectly spaced for riding, and the chutes were steep and shaped like natural half pipes. Another well spent day in the mountains. - Dave

Hiking along Angeles Crest Highway

Posing at the bottom of the chute

Skinning up the chute

View of the Antelope Valley

Crampon time

The climb begins

North face of Baden Powell

Another great view of the Antelope Valley

Hanging out on top

Mt Baden Powell

Mt Burnham and Throop Peak in the distance

Jeff dropping the cornice

Perfect natural halfpipe

Jeff in the tree section

Yummy!

Double black at least

Baden Powell

Mt Baldy looking more like the Sierras

Another chute for another day

Happy Hour Off To A Good Start

Perfect cool temps, good people, and hard work brought Rattlesnake Canyon Trail back to life during Tuesday's Happy Hour. Downed trees, rutted out trail, and wash outs were fixed thanks to the hard work of six workers including myself. Most of the damage was in the Jesusita Fire burn area where bare canyon walls allowed a flood of water and mud to reign havoc on the trail below.

Yes trail work is hard work but it is rewarding when you look back and see how you've made the trail better for everyone. Stay tuned for the next "Happy Hour" on Tunnel Trail at the end of the month.- Dave

Steve and Matt sawing the downed tree prior to removal

One of the bad "wash outs" before

Paul, Joani, and Matt digging a trail out of the hillside

Finished product

Another "washed out" gulley- before

All filled out and safe to use

The Happy Hour Team-

Steve, Matt, Joani, Sonia, Paul

Thanks guys and gals, you rock! D

The Return Of The Happy Hour

Happy Hour on our trails returns next Tuesday, 3/16/10! We will be repairing trails damaged by the Jesusita Fire then further damaged by recent rains. Find out more about this event by clicking here and please email Dave if you plan on attending as we are limited to group size of 10 or smaller each event.

Below- some of some of the damage we will be repairing

Custom Bike Trailers For Sale

Brian Rossini, local cyclist, welder, and all around outdoorsman is in the process of building custom bike trailers for hauling your stuff. He will be building two styles, the one seen below and one similar to the "Bob" style. Contact Brian for more info about these custom trailers.

Dave's Not Here!

Mt Pinos Epic

A couple of years ago if I had heard Mammoth just picked up over two feet of snow I would be in my car headed up there just for the day. Well maybe I am getting older, or lazier, or whatever but I did not head up to Mammoth this weekend and good thing I did not. I found Mt Pinos to have primo powder following last weeks small storm and definitely the place to be.

I met with locals Ian, Ross, and Kevin at the trailhead all of whom were snowshoeing it to the top. A couple of other locals helped break trail with their snowshoes on the way up to Mcgill Campground. The snow in the upper bowls was well over a foot and as good and fluffy as can be seen in any mags or videos.

Following the first run, subsequent climbs up the trail became easier and easier especially when on skins. It is a lot of work but the payoff comes when you are able to take runs all day and make fresh tracks on every run. The photos do not do justice to the epic conditions out on Mt Pinos!- Dave

View Of The Sig Bowls

The Trail Is A Little Difficult To Follow At Times
Nearing The Top

MMM MMM Good!

Ian, Ross, and Kevin On The Ski Lift

Payback- Ian and Ross

Kevin

Ian Catching Air Off The Natural Terrain