So Cal Happy Hour Backpacking

We will continue this hike to Hoegees on Monday nights unless we get some serious rain making Winter Creek unsafe to cross at night. Please watch for occasional changes to the San Olene Truck Trail, which will start at 4:30PM from the upper parking lot. Hoegee Loop is a beautiful, lush, fairly easy loop hike from Chantry Flat in the San Gabriel Mountains above Arcadia. The trail features a gentle flowing stream with numerous easy rock-hop crossings, historical cabins and campgrounds, and a high-on-the-ridge final descent with sweeping views of nearby peaks and the LA valley below. This is a low-intermediate hike of 5 miles and about 1,100 feet of elevation gain. From the parking lot, we'll head down a paved road for about a half mile, then turn left and go up Lower Winter Creek trail to Hoegee Campground, where we'll stop for a break amid the pines. Many people bring simple snacks to share -- fruit, cheese, cookies, that sort of thing. Then we'll continue upstream a short distance to catch Upper Winter Creek trail and take it back down to the parking lot. Chantry Flat parking requires an Adventure Pass (http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/ap/vendors.php), which can be purchased at many area stores, or online in advance. It's $5 for the day or $30 for the year, good at all LA-area National Forest sites. Passes are sometimes available at Chantry Flat, but that can be a bit unreliable on a slow Monday afternoon, so get one in advance. • To reach Chantry: From the 210, take the Santa Anita exit and go north 5 miles. Initially you'll be traveling through a neighborhood, but after about 1.5 miles, Santa Anita becomes a winding mountain road that ends at the parking lot. You'll meet the group where the road ends and the parking lot begins, near the gate () that leads down a paved path to the hiking trails. Allow at least 15 minutes for drive time from the 210 to the lot. Be on time -- we'll hit the trail at 5:01 SHARP. Important. Please read: At a fast pace, this hike can be completed in well under two hours. We'll slow it down and aim for 2 to 2.5 hours, but that's still a good workout. Anyone who will not be able to complete the hike by 7:30 will be advised to turn around in the early going, because the road up to Chantry closes each night at 8 pm and we need to be driving back down well before that. Given that concern, I would ask that you sign up for this hike only if you have at least a little hiking experience, or a reasonable fitness level from other aerobic activities. If you're not sure about your ability, consider first coming on one of our weekend hikes, when we're not pressed for time. We schedule beginner events fairly regularly. Friendly, socialized dogs are very welcome on this hike. Officially they must be on leash, and certainly that's true at the beginning and end, near the ranger station. Hike at your own risk.The Organizer, Assistant Organizers and event hosts in this group are not professional guides. The function of the organizer is only to organize the event. Each person who signs up for an event is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests. By signing up for a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the Organizer, Assistant Organizers and event hosts of this Meetup Group from and against any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activi