Chantry Flats - Sturtevant Falls & Winter Creek Loop, relaxed pace

This will be an enhanced version of the Early Bird Monday night hike (adding Sturtevant Falls and no time restriction, except to finish before it gets too hot). http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/1/f/e/event_206249182.jpeg

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 (that may be a bit more challenging since the recent rain), historical cabins and campgrounds, and a high-on-the-ridge final descent with sweeping views of nearby peaks, Big Santa Anita Canyon and the San Gabriel Valley below.

The Hike: This is a low-intermediate hike of 5 miles and about 1,100 feet of elevation gain will be enhanced taking the First Water Trail down to the Santa Anita Wash and a trip to the base of Sturtevant Falls adding about 2.75 miles and around 400 feet additional climbing elevation to the Monday night Early Bird "Hoegee" hike. From the parking lot, we'll head down a paved road .2 mi. to the First Water Trail for 1 mile to the stream then turn left and go up stream to the Gabrieleno Trail - bear to the right and head to Sturtevant Falls. We will return to the junctino of the Lower Winter Creek Trail and the Gabrieleno Trail turning right to follow the trail upstream to Hoegee's Campground, where we'll stop for a break amid the pines to have a snack. Then we'll continue upstream a short distance to catch the Upper Winter Creek trail to return 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 usually available at Chantry Flat from Adams' Pack Store, but they are not open early enough.

Directions: 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 (http://files.meetup.com/1560301/chantry%20flat%20meeting%20spot.png) that leads down a paved road 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 6:30AM .

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.

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 activities.