widespread in Station Fire burn areas. It is a woody shrub with stems branching out from the base up to 6 feet in length, and it sports purple flowers that bloom during summer. Hikers should give this toxic plant a wide berth, as any contact can result in serious skin irritation much worse than that resulting from poison oak.
Strawberry Peak (Hike 38)
Hiking Hints
Traveling a mountain trail, away from centers of civilization, is a unique experience in Southern California living. It brings intimate association with nature—communion with the earth, the forest, the chaparral, the wildlife, and the clear sky. A great responsibility accompanies this experience—the obligation to keep the mountains as you found them. Being considerate of the wilderness rights of others will make the mountain adventures of those who follow equally rewarding.
As a mountain visitor, you should become familiar with the rules of wilderness courtesy outlined below.
Trails
Never cut switchbacks. This practice breaks down trails and hastens erosion. Take care not to dislodge rocks that might fall on hikers below you. Improve and preserve trails, as by clearing away loose rocks (carefully) and removing branches. Report any trail damage and broken or misplaced signs to a ranger.
Off Trail
Restrain the impulse to blaze trees or to build cairns where not essential. Let the next fellow find his way as you did.
Mountain Bikes
Mountain bikers need to respect the rights and the safety of hikers and horseback riders and should follow sound conservation practices. Yield right-of-way to other trail users. Control your speed. Stay off muddy trails, and do not shortcut switchbacks. Mountain biking is permissible on most forest trails but is prohibited in wilderness areas and on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Campgrounds
Spread your gear in an already-cleared area, and build your fire in a campground stove. Don’t disarrange the camp by making hard-to-eradicate ramparts of rock for fireplaces or windbreaks. Rig tents and tarps with line tied to rocks or trees; never put nails in trees. For your campfire, use fallen wood only; do not cut standing trees or break off branches. Use the campground latrine. Place litter in the litter can or carry it out. Leave the campground cleaner than you found it.
Fire
Fire is the greatest danger in the Southern California mountains; act accordingly. Smoking is permitted only in campgrounds, places of habitation, and vehicles. Report a mountain fire immediately to the US Forest Service.
Litter
Along the trail, place candy wrappers, raisin boxes, orange peels, and so on in your pocket or pack for later disposal; throw nothing on the trail. Pick up litter you find along the trail or in camp. More than almost anything else, litter detracts from the wilderness scene. Remember, you can take it with you.
Noise
Boisterous conduct is out of harmony in a wilderness experience. Be a considerate hiker and camper. Don’t ruin another’s enjoyment of the mountains.
Hiker Ethics
Human life and well-being take precedence over most everything else—in the mountains as elsewhere. If a hiker or camper is in trouble, help in any way you can. Give comfort or first aid, and then hurry to a ranger station for help.
Maps
It is important to know where you are in relation to roads, campgrounds, landmarks, and so on, and to have a general understanding of the lay of the land. For this orientation there is no substitute for a good map. Unless your trip is very short, and over a well-marked route, you should carry a map.
Besides the shaded relief trail map that accompanies this book, there are two other types of maps that will give you the picture you need of the San Gabriel Mountains. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.
1. The US Forest Service sells recreation maps of each national forest. For the San Gabriels, you will need the maps of Angeles and San Bernardino National Forests. These maps show the highways, dirt roads, maintained trails, campgrounds, and major landmarks of the range, but not the topography. Their main advantages are that they give you an overall picture of the mountains and are fairly up-to-date, being revised frequently. Because they don’t show topographic features or ground cover, they are virtually useless for cross-country travel. These maps can be obtained at most ranger stations in the two national forests. Or write to the forest headquarters:
Angeles National Forest
701 N. Santa Anita
Arcadia, CA 91006
626-574-1613
San Bernardino National Forest
602 South Tippecano Ave.
San Bernardino, CA 92408
909-382-2600
2. If you do much hiking, particularly cross-country, you will want to use topographic (“topo”) maps because they afford accurate information about the topography and the forest or brush cover. Topo maps are available in several sizes and scales, but the best for the San Gabriels, because they are the most up-to-date and show the greatest detail, are the U.S. Geological Survey’s 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle series. Their scale is approximately 2.5 inches to a mile; the contour interval (elevation difference between contour lines) is 40 feet, and the area covered by each map is about 7 miles by 9 miles. They show most maintained and many unmaintained trails, as well as elevations, relief, watercourses, forest and brush cover, and man-made structures. Learning to read these maps takes some practice, but the savings in shoe leather and frayed temper make it a worthwhile undertaking. Twenty-seven topo maps (in the 7.5-minute series) cover the San Gabriel Mountains. The appropriate topo map(s) for each trip is cited in the individual trip headings. Topo maps can be bought at many sporting goods and mountaineering-ski shops, or can be ordered online from the USGS website: store.usgs.gov.
Using This Book
The hiking trips in this guide are arranged by geographical area, generally west to east. Information about each trip is divided into three parts: Trip, Features, and Description.
The Trip section gives vital statistics: where the hike starts and ends; the walking mileage and elevation gain or loss; a rating of easy, moderate, or strenuous; the best time of year to make the trip; and the appropriate U.S. Geological Survey topographic map or maps.
The Features section tells something of what you will see on the trip and gives information on the natural and human history of the area. It also contains suggestions for the particular trip, such as “wear lug-soled boots,” or “bring fishing rod.”
The Description section details driving and hiking routes. The driving directions are kept to the necessary minimum, while the walking route
