45 minutes from Los Angeles, kind of OT

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List

This thread has been locked

Messages 1 - 34 of total 34 in this topic

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 11, 2011 - 07:18pm PT

Spent Thursday packrafting and kayaking the East Fork of the San Gabriel River above Azusa. Hard to believe such good boating exists this close to LA. I have been kayaking this stretch for over 20 years and have never encountered another boater though I know people know about it.
The West Fork is equally as good and has a whole different characteristic to it.
Sespe and Piru Creeks are two other favorites but much more committing. And if you like feeling claustrophobic try kayaking the Narrows of Big Tujunga Creek.[photoid=194343]

All very close to Los Angeles and worth checking out.

Spider Savage

Mountain climber

SoCal

Mar 11, 2011 - 07:59pm PT

NIce!

I've inner-tubed the Big Tujunga when it's in condition.

White water in the desert. NEW SPORT

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 11, 2011 - 08:03pm PT

Spider,

When are you going to take me up to Texas Cyn?

Tony Bird

climber

Northridge, CA

Mar 11, 2011 - 08:16pm PT

impressive--never knew you could do that except maybe during debris flows.

now hit the los angeles river around atw#ter--someone ought to do that.

Big Piton

Trad climber

Ventura

Mar 12, 2011 - 12:10am PT

They did the LA river two weeks ago and got bust by the cops.

Ghost

climber

A long way from where I started

Mar 12, 2011 - 12:41am PT

I'm 45 minutes from Los Angeles right now, but it looks like you're having more fun than me. Being out on whitewater river sure beats being in a conference in a San Diego hotel with a bunch of overweight suits.

But tomorrow we're headed for Idyllwild...

Spider Savage

Mountain climber

SoCal

Mar 12, 2011 - 10:52am PT

Soon Bat, soon.

Nice day for Tahquitz. The Ski Track routes should be excellent today.

Paul Martzen

Trad climber

Fresno

Mar 12, 2011 - 07:02pm PT

Nice photos Kevin. Good to see someone taking advantage of the opportunities available.

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 12, 2011 - 07:43pm PT

Thanks Paul, the West and East Fork have relatively long seasons so I'm looking forward to getting more afternoon runs in this season.

FRUMY

Trad climber

SHERMAN OAKS,CA

Mar 12, 2011 - 07:45pm PT

TFPU - Nice!
Differently on topic.

cleo

Social climber

Berkeley, CA

Mar 13, 2011 - 07:40pm PT

really neat TR - thanks!

Spider Savage

Mountain climber

SoCal

Mar 13, 2011 - 10:56pm PT

Here is some good local white-water on the Santa Ana river.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zidlW5hhooE

The gleeful engineer on the right is a good friend of mine. He says, "NO!" to letting my kayaking friends in on next time they do this type of testing.

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 13, 2011 - 11:51pm PT

The key is not asking for permission, "they" will always say no even though they dont always have to the right to deny access. Technically any navigable waterway or river is free to float down, the problem is with access to the river to get on it. I have done Lower Azusa Canyon several times over the years when the Army Corp. was releasing 8k plus cfs from Morris Dam. On several occasions we were stopped by the cops but only to make sure we knew what we were doing and ask us what it was like. For the most part the Army Corp. has good reason to prevent people from getting on the river, most people just dont have the sense to recognize a bad situation.

Brian

climber

California

Mar 13, 2011 - 11:59pm PT

That's awesome Batrock. Inspirational post.

jamatt

Social climber

Asheville, NC

Mar 14, 2011 - 12:05am PT

nice pics! good to see some water folk on the board.

do you see any oc-1's out there?

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 14, 2011 - 12:08am PT

Radical,
I have always wanted to boat the East Fork from just above the Bridge to Nowhere to the trailhead. What do you think the best option would be for getting there? Hike up or hike down from somewhere like maybe the Bighorn Mine trail?

Iron Mtn.

Trad climber

Riverside, Ca.

Mar 14, 2011 - 12:09am PT

Wow, I didn't know the East Fork was do-able for kayaking. That's damn cool!!!!

Gary

climber

Desolation Basin, Calif.

Mar 14, 2011 - 12:21am PT

How far up did you start? Have you tried the Narrows?

Great trout fishing up there.

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 14, 2011 - 12:21am PT

jammat,

I first started boating creeks in the Los Angeles area in 1984, at that time i knew of nobody who was doing local creeks. One rainy day I drove up to Upper Big Tujunga Cyn to scout section from Camp Colby to the Big T Dam. As I was looking at the river that was flowing pretty damn high a group of kayakers came paddling downstream and in that group was one guy in a open canoe. I came to learn that the guy in the canoe had also done Sespe Creek later that season. Sepse is a pretty stout multi day wilderness run that rivals the Sierra for remoteness and commitment. I ended up doing Sespe a few years later and was very impressed that an OC made it down. Since that day in 1984 I have never seen another group of boaters on any So Cal creek. I know these rivers get done but not too many people even consider that there may be climbing so near a LA. Climbing at Williamson Rock was kind of like that for me also, my dad used to take me and my brother climbing at Williamson Rock in the late 70's. I began climbing there on a regular basis in 81 and had the place to myself seeing only one other climber in that time.

There is lots of cool stuff in these local mountains, you just need to get out and explore and have an open mind.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Mar 14, 2011 - 12:26am PT

Batrock,

Great pics and good collateral thread. Was it the LA river that Royal did as a first descent? Climbers and boaters have always been kindred spirits.

Iron Mtn.

Trad climber

Riverside, Ca.

Mar 14, 2011 - 12:34am PT

I agree 100% with you Kevin, the Local Mountains have a lot to offer.
Were you able to do the entire river or were there some shallow spots that had to be walked? I always wondered if there would be a chance to do a dicey big wall on Swan Rock.....

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 14, 2011 - 12:56am PT

Munge,
I think it was Doug Tompkins, John Wasson and Royal Robbins who did the first descent of Sespe Creek. There used to be a picture of one of those guys running a drop on Sespe that hung on the wall at Real Cheap back when it was real cheap. That picture was the motivating force for me getting into running local creeks and eventually running Sespe and Piru Creek.

Iron,
The water level is really good right now, no walking or portaging. The West Fork looked really good also. The West Fork is a lot more pool drop on character as opposed to the East Fork which has a very constant gradient.

10b4me

Ice climber

Happy Boulders

Mar 14, 2011 - 01:07am PT

hey Kevin, that alpakacraft looks pretty sweet. you did five days on the Green?

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 14, 2011 - 01:13am PT

Yep, five days on the Green in that little boat. Bare minimal equipment, I slept on my boat at night, turned upside down it makes a pretty comfy bed.

Batrock

Trad climber

Burbank

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 14, 2011 - 10:06am PT

Radical,
Thanks, I'm heading to Mammoth today and wont be back till the following week. If the weather and flow is good i am going to give it a shot from the Bridge to Nowhere.

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Mar 14, 2011 - 11:09am PT

Nice! I thought that anything 45 minutes from LA was still LA.

beginner

Social climber

Norwalk, CA

Apr 2, 2011 - 06:46pm PT

I am thinking about hiking up to the bridge to nowhere and then packrafting back to the trail head (or just before so I have time to judge getting out of the river). I have never done this sort of thing and am looking for advice. basically my questions are:
1. is it safe enough if you have rafting experience as well as knowledge of the area (I hike up there a lot, just never attempted to raft it)
2. is it legal, I hate tickets....
3. suggestions on equipment? I don't have a ton of money to spend, and if the boat pops at all I can always walk back. I was even thinking just a regular raft that you get at big 5 for 25.00 or so.

I am considering doing this next saturday so if anyone has any advice, the sooner the better so I can prepare.

Crimpergirl

Sport climber

Boulder, Colorado!

Apr 2, 2011 - 06:51pm PT

Cool. I know nothing about kayaking/boating, but I know those photos are awesome and it looks to be great fun. Thanks for sharing. :)

Reilly

Mountain climber

The Other Monrovia- CA

Apr 2, 2011 - 08:40pm PT

Some hiker was last seen floating down the East Fork yesterday. Why would
you try to cross it in virtual flood conditions?

graniteclimber

Trad climber

The Illuminati -- S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Division

Apr 2, 2011 - 09:22pm PT

Rest in peace.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/04/hiker-angeles-national-forest-river.html

beginner

Social climber

Norwalk, CA

Apr 2, 2011 - 09:45pm PT

Thank you for sharing, maybe I will hold off for a few more weeks and wait for the river to get a little lower.

I still want to try rafting down it, but not in hazardous conditions.