Griffith Park 5/2009

Some late spring pics. The chaparral is coming back amazing fast after the fires in 2007. On a clear day great views of most of the Los Angeles Basin, beaches and islands.

San Gabriel Mountains back range 5/5/09

Some pics of the upper San Gabriel Canyon area. Today it's amazingly just as gorgeous as eons ago. However, some specimens of the pine blister beetle attacking wide swathes of the conifers in the area. From Mt. Hawkins all the way to Big Bear Lake. Today was a windy May day. Temperatures in the 50s in the shade, in part, because of major snow banks still up at 7000 feet. 100 MPH gusts at times. A large band of smog coming from the L.A. basin on this day. These taken from Mt. Islip. Near Islip is a nice campground called Little Jimmy. Named after a cartoonist in Los Angeles in the 1930s. It's a fantastic elfin forest and can raise probably just about anyone's spirit just by being there. The peak about a mile from the campground or so.

Sadly down below Crystal is now with yellow algae and maybe a biohazard. Maybe it's over use.

San Gabriel mountains frontal peaks

Some pics from Gould mesa area: Mt. Gleason, Josephine Peak and Bear Canyon...steeply descending with the Tom Sloan trail behind Brown Mountain.

Hike 4/30/09 Earl Canyon

Some pics. Here is the saddle area, canyon top and canyon beginning.