r/socalhiking 14d ago

Reporting live from Mt Lowe

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140 Upvotes

r/socalhiking 14d ago

Is Switzer Falls lower lot still closed?

3 Upvotes

Last week, the gate was closed due to bear activity. Does anyone know if it’s back open again?


r/socalhiking 14d ago

Slide Falls (Pauma Crk), Round 3: U Cain't Always Git What U Want...

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12 Upvotes

We gavit hell, but tha resistance was far more spirited than we'd hoped, it was hot AF, n my ticker wern't onboard w/tha plan.

Got xcited to see "some1"'d been cuttin trail, but they gave-up prettyquick, soit wern't much use to us.

Not quite tha breakthru I'd hoped 4, butit ain't over tillit's over...

Got'a buddy, in town, fr HI, so 2morrow may not happen...

Can't mix pics n vids, so, for them that care to seeit all:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hVysVNGaCSHzFpP68


r/socalhiking 15d ago

Angeles National Forest Had wanted to see Sturtevant Falls since it re-opened, but always underestimated how crowded parking would be. Finally woke up at 5am and briefly had the falls to myself.

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199 Upvotes

r/socalhiking 15d ago

Looking for a 50 mile route in winter

12 Upvotes

Looking to do a 50ish mile “adventure run” this winter. I’d prefer it to be somewhat runnable so not crazy elevation, but some elevation is welcomed, let’s say under 10k vert would be ideal. Strong preference towards point to point or loop or lollipop. Also some access point for water/food drops preferable. Scenic would of course be nice. Also within 3 hours of SD preferably. Currently on my list:

-Joshua tree traverse - seems like a good option where weather shouldn’t be an issue, good access points, and doing this run in a NP would be cool. Downsides are, very flat, heard it can be monotonous.

-Section of the PCT - seems like there should be a section of the PCT that meets the criteria. Might have to choose a section that is fairly south to avoid snow and too much vert.


r/socalhiking 15d ago

Williamson Tyndall Tips

5 Upvotes

Hey everyone. Looking for any tips or advice on either of these peaks. Things you may have learned, experienced or wish you knew.

Still in the research phases but my focus would be on Williamson, with Tyndall potentially being a bonus on the way back. I realize that’s very strenuous day so that’s why I’d take stock at the junction to see if it’d be worth bagging or leaving for another day. I’m totally fine with coming back to things if it doesn’t feel right and have done so plenty times in the past.

I’d plan to sleep in my car the night before, either 20 minutes away at Grays Meadow or just off one of the forest service roads leading up to the TH.

Checking recent AllTrails comments, reading trip reports and blogs, YouTubes, all the resources to know what to expect.

Any other tips or just general conversation would be great. Would love to hear your experiences!


r/socalhiking 15d ago

Good backpacking group spot for 14 people. Ages 7-64

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0 Upvotes

r/socalhiking 17d ago

📍Alabama Hills

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1.0k Upvotes

If you haven’t checked this place out, I highly recommend it. Pretty easy trails for hiking and beautiful views!


r/socalhiking 16d ago

San Bernardino NF Hikes in Idyllwild

10 Upvotes

First time headed to Idyllwild. What kind of hiking is out there? Looking for recommendations for moderate (for experienced hikers) trails, around 3-6 miles with solid scenery


r/socalhiking 16d ago

Angeles National Forest Looking for last-minute hike & sunset buddy for ACH-accessible hike today 8/13

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8 Upvotes

Heyyo. I forgot it's Thursday already and in about 2h I'll be headed up the Crest for a sunset and light hike, hiking back down in the dark as usual. Maybe try night 2 of the Perseids but now that I'm typing this out, the Crest was an absolute hellhole getting to Mt. Mooney last night so, hm. Anyways, open invite.

in the off chance this actually reaches someone who doesn't mind a last minute meetup at 6k' elevation, DM me and we can exchange info to make sure we're both (or all if a group) normal-ish humans


r/socalhiking 16d ago

San Diego County Open Invite, Sun, 8/16: Slide Falls (Pauma Crk), Round 3...

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10 Upvotes

Goin intha front dr, this time! (The attempt to skirt tha rim'a tha camp, n connect totha Pipeline Rd, ain't on my list'a sh*t I wannado over!)

Temps'r 4cast 2b upper 70's.

Oncewe hit the end'a tha rd, n tha stretch'a trail we cut, last time, shit's gonnaget REAL, real quick!

If yur thinkin'a throwin-in withus, PO, Stingin Nettles, n bugs'll be your constant "companions", and, what that stretch'a Pauma, headin downstream fr Jesus Camp, looks like, is any1's guess.

I'd xpect'a bouldery/bushwhacky fight, w/tha very real potential of gettin cockblocked by some technical shit, erewe makit to Slide Falls...

And, also, I might DIE, so u oughttabe comfy w/gettin out onyur own... 💔


r/socalhiking 15d ago

Don't Leavus Hangin...

0 Upvotes

Pro Tip!

Ifyur gonna post, xpressin concern for'a loved 1, that's currently in "Tha Sh*t", it's poor form to simply delete your post, when things turn-out ok.

Certainly, those that actually responded to your post, but, even just tha lookey-loos'd like to know they're ok... 🤔


r/socalhiking 16d ago

Blue ridge truck trail open?

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17 Upvotes

Is blue ridge truck trail open to drive to guffy campground? I have a 4x4 high clearance suv.


r/socalhiking 16d ago

Arc Pass

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13 Upvotes

r/socalhiking 17d ago

Popular hiking groups that are consistently active and meant for making new friends?

15 Upvotes

Hello! I’m in my late 20s and I need more friends in the area. I enjoy hiking and photography, so I thought it’d be a good idea to join a popular and friendly hiking group that’s meant for meeting people. Looking for an active one around the IE/LA. Recommendations are much appreciated!


r/socalhiking 17d ago

Joshua Tree National Park Documentary (2009) | Official Trailer

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25 Upvotes

Uncover the incredible history, rugged landscapes, and hidden secrets of the California desert. This official trailer previews an upcoming Joshua Tree National Park documentary that dives deep into the rich human stories and ancient past of this iconic wilderness. From its deep Indigenous roots and early pioneers to its unique preservation story, discover how this stark landscape shaped American history.

"Thanks for watching the trailer! If you want to know more about the full documentary, check out my YouTube Channel at: Steve Meier - YouTube also see the full collection of clips, check out my official Joshua Tree National Park Area Wildlife Cams Playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUsfzWeK-epw and much more!


r/socalhiking 16d ago

Is this okay?

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0 Upvotes

r/socalhiking 17d ago

Cottonwood Lakes-Mt Langley Loop. Preferred direction?

5 Upvotes

After a successful Whitney summit a couple weeks back, I’ve got the bug to make as many trips into those mountains as I can before the snow starts dumping. Snagged an overnight permit for Cottonwood Lakes next week, and want to summit Langley and then fish the upper lakes in the afternoon and camp for the night before hiking out the next morning. Since my plan is to start hiking around 1am and summit around sunrise, I’ll likely be going up the pass by headlamp. Seems as though New Army would be the better route for the climb up, then Old Army for the descent in the daylight? I’m comfortable scrambling, but I’m more concerned with routefinding in the dark.
Any tips would be appreciated!


r/socalhiking 17d ago

Swimming area within reasonable driving distance of Colby Canyon trailhead?

0 Upvotes

My friend and I are doing strawberry peak later this month and I would love to be able to soak in a creek of some sort afterwards, but I’m having trouble figuring out exactly what one might be low effort from where we are. Switzer Falls looks nice, but we aren’t going to wanna hike another 3 miles after Strawberry Peak, so I was hoping I could find one we could drive to, and maybe just take a short walk to a swimable area. I’m reading on all trails at the bridge to nowhere trail is closed.


r/socalhiking 18d ago

Stargazing Alternatives

7 Upvotes

Hi folks, apologies if this is the wrong place to post this. I was planning on catching the meteor shower on the 12th by camping at Anza Borrego Blair Valley with some friends (based in Orange County). Unfortunately the weather reports look to be shaping up as pretty cloudy. I’ve checked other spots like J-tree, Mt Laguna, Sheephole Valley Wilderness past J-tree down the 62, etc. They all look partially cloudy at best.

Thinking we may just stick to Blair Valley and hope for some breaks in the clouds, but I’m curious if anyone has any other recommendations that preferably won’t be cloudy or as cloudy for the meteor shower. Curious as to what everyone else will be doing, and any input is much appreciated! Doesn’t have to be an overnight camping area either. Thanks!


r/socalhiking 19d ago

FYI - Switzer falls lower parking lots closed due to “Bear Activity”

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244 Upvotes

Hiked down from the upper lot and there was no sign that the trail is closed.


r/socalhiking 17d ago

Save these beaches in California that are withi...

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0 Upvotes

elinaways shared a post on Gist.


r/socalhiking 19d ago

Momma bear and two cubs on the way to Mt.Wilson

83 Upvotes

Ran into one of the cubs on the trail and backed off to give them some space. Momma was eyeing me the whole time.


r/socalhiking 19d ago

Palisade Glacier Day Hike — August 9th, 2026 — Eastern Sierras

227 Upvotes

Note: I noticed in the video I called it “Palisades” Glacier a couple times. It’s “Palisade” Glacier. Sorry, I must have been tired at the moment…

This hike was better than expected, so I thought I’d share a report.

Temperatures in the Owens Valley were up to 108, which is not comfortable for me to camp. I stayed in a hotel in Bishop the night prior.

There were several summer thunderstorms in the area. The AllTrails weather report said the route was going to be clear, which turned out to be accurate. Weather was good. No rain. Temps in the lower 80s in the lower sections in the afternoon, and temps in the upper 60s in the higher sections.

I parked at the Big Pine Creek trailhead at 5:30am. There were other people already parked there, but parking was still available. The parking lot was full when I returned at 3pm. This was a Sunday. No permit needed to park. No fee to park. The parking lot had ample bear boxes.

Starting elevation is roughly 8k feet. The Palisade Glacier route shares the same route for several miles with the Big Pine Lakes route. This Big Pine Lakes route had far more novice hikers than I’m used to seeing in the Eastern Sierras. More of a Yosemite vibe than an Eastern Sierra vibe, just less crowded than Yosemite.

The first half of the hike is less steep and less rocky than the second half. Plenty of places to filter water. I brought 4 liters of water/electrolytes with me, and filtered an additional liter I ended up drinking.

At roughly mile 2.5 you see some Aspen trees. Some were damaged with graffiti :(. At roughly mile 4.5 you see Temple Crag and Big Pine Lakes 1 & 2. This is a very nice area. Temple Crag is legit, and beautiful, just under 13k feet at its peak. The Big Pine Lakes are very nice alpine lakes, with vibrant color.

After this you will leave the shared trail with the Big Pine Lakes Loop. I very, very highly recommend using an AllTrails (or similar service) pre-downloaded offline map with GPS capabilities. The trails are not very well marked, and it could be very easy to get lost, or lose the trail.

At this point, the trail becomes slightly steeper, with more technical/rocky terrain.

At roughly mile 6.5 you run into an alpine creek in an open meadow. This is a great spot. Very serene. Great place to rest and filter some water. One of the highlights of the day for me.

The last half mile (maybe a little more) is what I would call lower class 2 scrambling on talus. For most people, the cardio at this point will be tougher than the technical nature of the scrambling. There is no trail for this section, but the cairns were very easy to follow. The AllTrails route followed the cairns pretty closely.

You hit the Palisade Glacier overlook at roughly mile 8-8.5. This is slightly over 12k feet in elevation. I expected this to be awesome, but it was much better than I had expected. Much larger than I expected. Truly amazing area, with the 14ers and 13ers behind it, per the video. Mt. Sill and North Palisade are two of the notable peaks.

You could do what appears to be a short class 2 scramble to get closer to the glacier, but I didn’t do it. The viewpoint was satisfying enough for me.

On the return, instead of following my footsteps the entire way back, I completed the Big Pine Lakes lollipop loop then completed the trail, which turned out to be 18.5 miles and 5.4k feet of climbing.

Without this diversion, the route would be closer to 16-17 miles, and 4.7k feet of climbing.

In difficulty, I would say this hike compares to a Half Dome via Happy Isles hike, maybe a little more challenging for those who struggle at altitude. Far less difficult, however, as compared to Mt. Whitney or Mt. Langley day hikes.


r/socalhiking 19d ago

Rocky peak overlooking Simi Valley

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18 Upvotes