So i was riding Henninger Flats this morning in Pasadena , which by the way was not very flat, and i ran into a very helpful rider who was talking about riding an area called brown mountain and jpl. i am looking for any info on this area. most of all how i would get to the trail head if i were driving and if the area is open for riding. i have lived in eagle rock for about a year and have been riding chantry flats winters to zion, henninger flats, lower merrill trail, and other small trails in the area. any help would be great.
brown mountain and jpl?
- Thread starter jped911
- Start date
BoingBoing
Team Sisyphus
If you are already riding Chantry and Lower Merrill, I'm not sure that you will get much excitement from Brown Mtn Fireroad. You should definitely ride there so you know the local area, and how all the trails hook together. Try going up Lower Merrill down Sunset and down El Prieto with whoever replies next. Brown Mtn Fireroad is just the easier way to get to the top of El P. I guess it is also the way to get to Ken Burton. I've never ridden that, so someone else will have to fill you in...
Rossage
Active Member
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Brown Mtn, El Prieto, Ken Burton, and "JPL" a.k.a the Gabrielino are all still closed due to the Staion fire.I have heard of people riding El P and sunset though. I know Sunset is signed as closed-not sure about El P. I hope they open up soon.
MattRock
New Member
I rode Sunset via lower Merrill on Sunday and El P. via Brown yesterday afternoon. There were no signs that indicated that trails are closed. I'm not even sure if they are officially closed or not. Lots of tire tracks on Brown - El P. but the road is sandy, loose and some parts overgrown. What used to be fire road is now single track along the way to El P. from the first saddle and did I mention sandy and loose?
I'm looking forward to doing some trail work on sunset and el p. soon.
I'm looking forward to doing some trail work on sunset and el p. soon.
Duke
New Member
I would love to help out with trail work....let me know..
kanga
Active Member
I met with the forest service last week. Technically the area is closed, but I understand there are people out riding it. Signs have been posted and subsequently torn down every time. Passing by the JPL parking on my way to Sam Merrill I have seen cars with bike racks the last several times I've been through the area. I surveyed the trail for the FS before and right after the initial trail work was done. It's in OK shape, a little sketchy in a few areas, but a vast improvement over the devastation from the initial survey.
Banner Moffatt and the high school league will be doing some trail work days in the coming months on EL Prieto in conjunction with CORBA. We'll definitely post those up on the calendar.
Also at the forest service meeting, I learned that the FS is expecting to open more of the forest before Labor Day, presumably the western end of the closure (around Big T). We're trying to get EL Prieto on that opening.
One of the problems is that it shares a trailhead with the Gabrielino trail, which is closed indefinitely. Those who know the trail know that it basically clung to a cliffside through the arroyo canyon for much of its length. My understanding is that whole section was destroyed and there is no trail left. Even so, we're pushing for El P to open, even if the Gab must remain closed. The FS wants at a minimum one more growing season to re-vegetate the burned slopes on either side of the Arroyo. They're too unstable at this point to be safe.
Here's hoping...
Banner Moffatt and the high school league will be doing some trail work days in the coming months on EL Prieto in conjunction with CORBA. We'll definitely post those up on the calendar.
Also at the forest service meeting, I learned that the FS is expecting to open more of the forest before Labor Day, presumably the western end of the closure (around Big T). We're trying to get EL Prieto on that opening.
One of the problems is that it shares a trailhead with the Gabrielino trail, which is closed indefinitely. Those who know the trail know that it basically clung to a cliffside through the arroyo canyon for much of its length. My understanding is that whole section was destroyed and there is no trail left. Even so, we're pushing for El P to open, even if the Gab must remain closed. The FS wants at a minimum one more growing season to re-vegetate the burned slopes on either side of the Arroyo. They're too unstable at this point to be safe.
Here's hoping...
kanga
Active Member
It would probably need to stay on the same side of the bank. It's an historic trail, and to move it to the opposite bank (a large re-route) would probably require the whole environmental process (CEQA) which can take years to complete. I'm hoping to get up and look at it, but the safety issue right now is that we're in thunderstorm season. A flash flood from a storm you can't even see is one of the reasons the arroyo canyon will stay closed another growing season, at least above Gould. I'm hoping to do an assessment on Valley Forge and Newcombs to Redbox section of the Gab. Perhaps this weekend.
that parking lot is about a half mile from my house and I drive by it everyday.... there is always a few cars with racks there,.... I see riders there about 4 days a week.... They never stopped riding it.... I have been up brown once and it needs some real work as does EP.... keep me posted on the trail work days