(RunwithUs) Sunday Early Bird Trail Run...Alta Dena
Jose Jimenez
Subject: Sunday Early Bird Trail Run...Alta Dena
--- On Thu, 5/13/10, Henry Guardado <hlg...@yahoo.com> wrote:
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Anibal Corsi
Thanks, this is great information. Are you going?
This is a great trail not far from my house and I’m up there at least once a week. A few suggestions:
· The trailhead is at the top of Lake Street. Drive north on Lake Street until it dead-ends at Loma Alta Drive. Meet at the old gate on the right. Park on Lake or Loma Alta, but there are a few sections that say “no parking.” Just look at the signs, or it could be an expensive hike.
· From the gate it is a few hundred yards up the Cobb Estate driveway. Where the drive turns left, keep going straight to the trailhead. There is a water fountain, and the trail winds down and across the creek-bed before starting the uphill climb to Echo Mountain.
· From the gate to Echo Mountain is 2.7 miles. Echo Mountain is a truly historic spot; it’s worth taking a break here and looking around. Read the description and look at the pictures on Henry’s link below. You will appreciate it even more. 100 years ago, the resort on these ruins was the most popular tourist attraction in all of California.
· Near the summit of Echo Mountain the trail levels off. You will see three trails taking off to the left. The first winds around a canyon and connects to the Mt. Lowe fire-road. The second has a sign for Mt. Lowe Campground. You will probably return on this trail. The third trail to the left is for “Inspiration Point, 2.0 miles.” This is the trail you want to take going up but continue on ahead a few hundred yards to explore the Echo Mountain ruins before continuing to Inspiration Point.
· When you come back from the ruins, take the “Inspiration Point” trail up. It’s known as the Castle Canyon Trail, but there are no signs with that name on it.
· The first mile is pretty easy, great for trail running. The second mile up to Inspiration Point is really hard. At about 1.5 miles on this leg there is a huge bee’s nest in a hollowed out tree right on the right of the trail. If it’s warm by the time you get there, you will hear them. Just cruise on by. A few people have been stung there. If you are very allergic to bee stings, you might want to consider taking the alternate trail up (the one labeled “Mt. Lowe Campground”).
· When you think your legs are just about burned up and you are cursing Henry under your breath, Inspiration Point will appear a few hundred yards ahead.
· IP is on a fire road. The trail to the east (right) goes about a half mile and ends. On the return trip, take the trail to the west. (If you turn your back to Los Angeles, facing north, that’s a left hand turn.)
· Take the fire road perhaps a half mile and you will see a trail-sign to the left, pointing to Echo Mountain, 2.5 miles. That’s your return ticket.
· The return trail is much easier and with better views that the trail up to IP. Near Echo Mountain, stop and look at the ruins of the old observatory.
· You will intersect with the same trail you took from the bottom of the mountain. Turn right then keep bearing left to re-trace your way up.
· It will be cool at 5:45 a.m. (yikes!) and you will be tempted to dress warmly. And at that time, most of the trail to Echo Mountain will be in the shade. But by the time you are at Inspiration Point it will be sunny, mid 70’s and feel warmer than that. I wouldn’t over-dress. But I would take plenty of water. If you actually launch the run/hike by 6 a.m. even the fast walkers (not many people can actually run all the way up) will be at Echo by 6:50. The run/hike from there to Inspiration is about an hour (shorter, but steeper near the top).
/Bob Musselman