Anyone wanna tag along this Sunday on strawberry peak

Hello fellow SoCal hikers!

I am about to embark on an independent ecological study with a local community college soon. We are looking into how mycorrhizae fungi network recover from wildfires within the Angeles National Forest. The focus is on the Bobcat fire burn scar as there has been plenty of time for that area to recover.

To those that were in the San Gabriel Valley at the time, do you remember which parts of the mountains were hit the hardest? I plan on hiking a lot of trails that were affected the most. Not sure if I will venture into the backcountry too much and would like to remain on established trails if possible (unless notable burn areas are pinpointed in advance). Any information that you may have on the history of the area and where I should explore for this research project will be greatly appreciated. Happy to answer questions if needed.

Looking for a medium-length day hike for this weekend (maybe 6-12mi) within a few hours of LA that has some snow sections to help practice hiking in the snow? Ideally accessible with 2WD car on non-icy/snowed-in roads. Any suggestions? Thanks!

With so many trails closed now, this is a good year to tackle the Inman 300 (The way of the stairs across Los Angeles). I'm planning on tackling it in sections, as laid out in this guide. Anyone interested in teaming up?

https://www.allthingswalking.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549763/inman_300_guidebook_version_1.6.pdf

Any trail reports from yesterday or today that I missed ?

Thanks in advance.

Has anyone been there after the first snowfall? Is it still walkable with poles and microspikes?

I’ve been out of town, but I just realized we got snow recently. I’m thinking of heading to the Idyllwild area to camp this weekend. Anyone know the trail conditions there? I was considering Devil’s Slide, Tahquitz Peak, or something similar.

I’m open to other suggestions as long as it’s about the same distance from West LA. Looking for a solid one-night camp spot with a nice day hike. San Gorgonio? Cleveland NF?

Hello all,

Seeing if anyone has got some peak bagging recommendations for Superbowl weekend that are about 2,000+ft in elevation gain and about 8 miles. I was hoping to do Icehouse Canyon, but with the recent snow and upcoming snow, I am unsure if this will work. Currently eye-balling some peaks out in Joshua Tree, but hoping to find some others a little closer to Los Angeles area. Thank you!

For anybody else wondering about what's happening to the Topanga/Temescal area post-fire, I found this article by Rachel Glegg to be really interesting. Learning that so much restoration work is already being done gives a teensy bit of hope for future hikes.

(from the article) backbone hikers might recognize this spot

Hi! With all of the closures and information out there, AllTrails is also unreliable, can anyone tell me if this trail is indeed open? And if it is open, does it have snow? Is it safe to hike in the snow? Is it the type of snow that requires spikes/crampons? Looking to go tomorrow so trying to get educated beforehand. :)

Given the partial reopening I’m planning (or hoping) to get out early to tackle a hike. Aside from typical precautions, I have 2 questions:

1. do we think wildlife interactions will be “out of the ordinary” with any wildlife potentially moving back into the area? Not sure if that will cause them to be in new places at unusual times, behaving abnormally, etc.

2. if I plan to hike directly north of the closure zone (along the north side of angels crest highway, does the proximity to the burn area raise any concerns re: ash/dust exposure? I understand the concerns in the city vis a vie toxic waste from homes but not sure what considerations to make when hiking near the “natural” burn area which is primarily vegetation.

Thanks for your thoughts and input in advance.

If the snowpack is too intense are there any other trails I could do right by it?

I interviewed a couple who had a mountain lion jump into their home through a glass door! In the process I did a lot of research into mountain lion safety:

1. Be aware of your surroundings

2. Avoid hiking at dawn or dusk

3. Hike with a friend

4. Make noise...ESPECIALLY when turning corners

5. If confronted by a mountain lion:

-Look big by putting arms up -Make a lot of noise (whistle or air horn) - NEVER turn your back - If attacked, fight back...

Check out the amazing story and more safety tips here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1672060/episodes/16363559-mountain-lion

there are no chain restrictions on the ca-2, however, now that the forest has reopened, how do they look in terms of ice? (sorry, just paranoid, i got into an accident a couple of weeks ago)

Anyone know if there's currently water at the creeks in San Mateo Canyon? Hoping to backpack there this weekend

I’m looking for a group that is a good fit time and vibe wise. I’ve tried the 5AM one and it’s cool but way too early for me. I’ve tried the sierra club and the overall vibe just wasn’t a good fit for me. are there others anyone can recommend?

As an East Los native, getting to good trails can be quite a mission now ☹️. But damn, once you're hitting the dirt, you realize it's always worth the drive.

https://preview.redd.it/w010jhqij8ge1.jpg?width=6000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f8b5e3dabdbe620fab1652d1cc5a268161ee99f1

https://preview.redd.it/9x4rfiqij8ge1.jpg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32aae2c588ef7e0a7a1b5016ca789e52ff0fca8d

I know many of the Santa Monica mountain hikes are closed. I’m wondering if the hikes in Tarzana up Reseda are open? And if so, what’s the air quality like over there?

Looking to take a weekend desert trip with my spouse and dog. We drive a RAV4 adventure so maybe some off roading/ soft roading. We were originally planning on San Bernardino national forest but they have strict no campfire restrictions currently. tent camping, just us 2 and my german shepherd. Hiking can be difficult for a bulky dog like him. If anyone has any suggestions for places to backroad camp I will very much appreciate it! All campsites were reserved already. Thank you!

I have T Mobile BTW. Basically I'm just curious if anyone knows how the reception is here, specifically the areas around and at Kelso Dunes and Hole-in-the-wall. I am going on a school camping trip / field study for 4 days and my family and girlfriend are worried about me staying in touch, though if there isn't service I certainly wouldn't mind (it would be nice to disconnect for a bit anyways i need it...) but I just want to know if I should download my music lol

Is anything in Crystal Cove SP good? I’m meeting a friend and his 2 little kids from east coast and we want to take a short hike together.

I live in Pasadena and I used to frequent Eaton Canyon or Switzer Canyon every weekend. With all the closures, can someone please tell me what hiking trails I can visit? Thank you.

I finally replaced my backpacking gear after my old stuff was lost in a move, and I want to do a quick overnighter or two over the next few weekends before I take it out for a longer trip. Any recommendations for an 1-night backpacking trip within a couple of hours of LA? My go to was Angeles and that’s not an option right now for obvious reasons :( ideally it would be one I could bring my dog on and can do in February, but otherwise am open.

I'm trying to decide if I can squeeze a Channel Islands trip into one day or if I should camp overnight. I've done a hike of similar distance and elevation (which was also partially in ankle-deep snow) in just over six hours. If I only take the ferry for the day, it would leave at 8:00 am and pick up at 4:00. Is this a reasonable hike to try to fit within the ferry schedule?

https://preview.redd.it/eaxzk12f62ge1.png?width=1628&format=png&auto=webp&s=0d2862c2f9b4cb1f60a87339174f2336ca3e7f45

Fun little up and down.

I drove almost 2 hours to get to this hike since the trails I usually hike in the San Gabriel’s are off limits. Oh my soul. It was so good to be out there and I’m glad I did it. Definitely a beautiful day.