Date: 15 Jun 87 18:02:51 PDT (Monday)
Subject: Day Hike Announcement
From: "Bruce R. Corning".ESM8
To: Backpackinterest.ESArea

The Xerox Mountaineering and Backpacking Club is sponsoring a day hike to 
Oakwilde Camp.  The specifics follow.

When: Saturday, June 20, 1987.  Meet at Trailhead 9:30 AM

Where: San Gabriel Mountains, Arroyo Seco Trail

Classification: Moderate

Topo Map: Pasadena

Distance: round-trip 8 or 9 miles, depending on who you believe, 900' 
elevation gain.

The hike: This is a very lush trail.  Shade is frequent and the trail 
follows a noisy, easily accessible creek.  In fact, it is necessary to make 
a number of easy crossings before reaching the campgrounds.

The well forested trail begins on the remains of a paved road that once led 
to a woodsy tourist resort built by J. R. Phillips in 1911.  Along the way 
are many ivy-covered stone foundations, the remains of cabins built when 
the trail was one of the most popular areas in the locale.  Picnic grounds 
with stoves, tables and 'sanitary facilities' of the usual sort are set up 
almost every mile along the first stretch.

It is easy to scoff at the 'moderate' classification of the first 2.5 to 3 
miles.  After that, the trail goes up on the side of the gorge to get 
around the Brown Canyon Debris Dam and then travels the edge and other 
parts of the streambed.  The switchbacks at this part are good, but the 
climb and the gravel that follow appear to be what has earned the 
'moderate' classification.
The number of people on the trail varies inversely to the difficulty of the 
particular stretch, of course, with a fair amount of traffic on the first 
mile.

Getting there: To reach the trailhead, from the 210 freeway, take the 
Arroyo/Windsor offramp and go approximately one mile to the area 
overlooking the JPL parking lot.  Windsor veers to the right at this point 
and becomes Ventura.  Park in the gravel turn-out just south of the gates.

If interested, please contact me before Friday, June 19.  Bad weather 
cancels.

Bring: Ten essentials, boot or shoes that can stand some water, lunch, 
potable water.  It will probably be warm, so bring sun protection.


For more directions and further details contact:
Bruce Corning
(213)606-0682 work
(213) 645-3764 home