Quote:
Originally Posted by odinthor
CaliNative, I remember it exactly as you do.
The previous rainy season had been unusually heavy, and washed-out portions of the trail had been restored in a "well, this will do for now" manner.
Same as you, I had lunch at Orchard Camp; and remember its abandoned appearance. One little thing I remember was that evidently at some time long previous, it had been planted with garden flowers, as I found a patch of non-native Bearded Iris at the camp. I had intended to take an offset on the hike back down; but we were in a hurry and I forgot.
I had a third photo from the hike which I didn't include in my other posting; but . . . your message mentioned its precise subject-matter, the trees, so here it is:
odinthor collection
Here, we're in the upper reaches, where the conifers are starting to show up.
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Yes, 1968-1969 (or was in 69-70?) rainy season was a wet el nino year, with over 25 inches in the flatlands and maybe double that in the mountains if I recall correctly. The 1965-66 season was also very wet. That would cause the trail damage we saw.
Looking at your lower pictures of the fairly lush conifer growth. Aren't many of the conifers in the foreground "big cone spruce" (actually a variety or subspecies of Douglas Fir)? I hope some of that survives all the drought and fires in recent years made worse by climate change.
I haven't been up there for over 30 years (now live in San Diego area). Has the Mt. Wilson area and other parts of the San Gabriel front range been spared the fires and drought? Hopefully the next rainy season will be wet.
As far as Orchard Camp goes, I believe it's heyday was pre 1930, during the "Great Era of Hiking" in the San Gabriels. It looked long abandoned when I went by. I wish I had been around to take the Mt. Lowe Railroad to the top. That was a huge tourist draw in the early 1900s. The red cars brought you right to the Mt. Lowe base, then the train up with a hotel on top. There were all the camps---Orchard, Sturtevant, etc. That was the great era of hiking. The Great Depression finished them off. We have regressed since then. There used to be steelhead in the L.A. River. The wild animals must be struggling too. Probably why all the bears come down into the neighborhoods in the foothills. Sad.
We old timers remember how things used to be
Memory of that hike still vivid-hard to believe it was 51 years ago. Time flies. I don't feel old but I guess I am. I like to think I could still make that hike. I climbed Mt. Whitney at 60.
Maybe the rains will return to the west. The monsoon season has been heavy, which is good. Almost too much rain & flooding in AZ/CO. At least the Colorado River will see more flow, and maybe the lakes will refill a bit. Now, we need lots of rain & snow in California this winter. God, are you listening? Bring us an el nino atmospheric river to help the forests and wild animals. Amen.