Name: Happy Holidays: Devil's Punchbowl/Pleasant View Ridge (Optional: Devil's Chair)
Start: 2011-12-17T06:00:00-08:00
End: 2011-12-17T09:00:00-08:00
Location: Orange Park n Ride

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REMINDER: ***By joining the meetup, you agree to Meetup Terms of Service releases the Organizer and Assistant Organizers from any liability related to incidents that occur at Meetup gatherings*** > YOU acknowledge THAT WE ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS. > YOU ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR SAFETY Hiking is a rewarding and pleasant activity in nature, but there are certain dangers you should be aware of. Those include, but are not limited to, trip and fall injuries, bee stings, poison oak exposure, ticks, snake bites, mountain lions or wildlife. By signing up for this event, you agree to hold harmless the hike organizer, assistant organizers and other participants for any injuries sustained during this hike***

A mountain hike to greet Holidays and ends year 2011-greets 2012. Photos from last time Devil's Punchbowl and Devil's Chair http://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/1310939/

The hike encourages all regular intermediate hikers who often train at local hikes to be in the mountains near us that you rarely have a chance to experience. This is a strenuous hike and fit regular intermediate plus-advanced hikers who hike mountains often. It's intended due to the pace, distance, altitude and elevation gain, besides the unknown factors as this is also an exploratory. Know your limits!

NOTES : I'm not playing favorites, but I need to know that you are up to the challenge of this strenuous hike so that everyone has a good experience. If I don't know you or haven't hiked with you before, I may ask you not to pick this as a first hike to try.

DEPARTURE TIME

OC Park n Ride: 6:00AM (it's cooler weather in the mountains 50-60s, so please dress layers) Trailhead: 8:00 AM meet and hike Carpooling is recommended, and No Parking Fee is required for parking

INTERMEDIATE HIKERS:

Route: start from The Devil's Punchbowl County Park, the most conspicuous features of the park are geological

Highlights: Spectacular rock formations, lovely pine forests, views of the high desert
Near: Pearblossom, CA
Distance: about 9 miles (Pinyon Pathway, Devil's Punchbowl loop and Devil's Chair)
Elevation Gain: 1000+ ft
Hike Time: 4-6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Condition: Well maintained trail
HikeType: Out and Back

Essentials: 10 Hiking Essentials http://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/messages/boards/thread/9535234 and the most: Wear good traction shoes, hat, sunscreen, bring plenty water and snacks or a light lunch!

ABOUT THE HIKE: The Devil's Punchbowl is a point where 2 earthquake faults collide, creating upwards jutting vertical walls as high as 300 feet. It is a spectacular setting, with the high desert spreading out on one side, and the pine covered Angeles National forest on the other. The hike takes you along the mostly shaded rim of the Punchbowl, to the dramatic Devil's Chair, a breathtaking overlook with 360 degree views of the geologic formations. A rainbow of rock surrounds the Devils Chair with pink streaked chalk white cliffs, undulating tan crags, chocolate brown slabs, and green-gray ledges. This, combined with the green of the mountains and the blue sky, makes for a memorable image

Trails Map: http://www.devils-punchbowl.com/pages/map.html

INTERMEDIATE PLUS HIKERS: with the above and continue on the Burthart trail to Pleasant View Ridge:

- Distance: About 15 miles roundtrip to the Saddle. 18 if you go for Will Thrall, too.
– Elevation Gain:
From trailhead to saddle, the straight gain is 2193ft. But the ridge trail adds 500 feet each way, so it’s actually 3193. with Will Thrall, elevation gain is 3637 feet.
– Duration: 7+ hours, with time for rests and snacks along the way.
– Trail Condition: Well-marked and easy to follow up to the Saddle. The use trails past the saddle can be tough to spot. If you’re aiming for Will Thrall, look for a fallen tree directly to the west of the saddle marker.
– Parking is free, but the park does close at sunset.

The Highlights:

- Incredible range of climates and environments – from Joshua Trees at the bottom to Jeffrey Pines at the top.
– Fascinating geology at the Devil’s Punchbowl and on the rocks of Will Thrall.
- Long-distance solitude.

- Access to several peaks from the saddle, as well as an opportunity to through-hike to the Angeles Crest Highway.

Optional all the way to Cooper Canyon Falls

GOOD TO KNOW Wear good traction hiking shoes, hat, sunscreen, bring plenty of water, snacks, a light lunch and Ten Essentials http://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/messages/boards/thread/9535234

ABOUT THE HIKING TRAILS:

1. ABOUT THE DEVIL'S PUNCHBOWL COUNTY PARK: consists of 1,310 acres and was opened in December 1963 (http://www.devils-punchbowl.com/pages/1963.html). The forty acres where the nature center is located was once in private ownership and was purchased by the County of Los Angeles because of its unique features. Surrounding U.S. Forest Service lands were then added to enhance the park. The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation now operates this area as one of its Natural Areas facilities. The Ranger on duty or Volunteer Naturalist will be happy to assist you and answer any questions that you may have. The Devil's Punchbowl Nature Center is designed to assist you in learning more about the flora, fauna, and the geological features of the park.

The most conspicuous features of the park are geological. The Punchbowl is a deep canyon cut by the runoff of large quantities of water from the higher San Gabriel Mountains occurring over a long period of time. These mountain peaks above the park are 8,000 feet in elevation while the Nature Center is located at 4,740 feet above sea level. The Punchbowl Canyon is 300 feet deep at the vista point. The peculiar uptilted rock formations to be seen in the entire area are layers of sedimentary rocks that were formed long ago by the depositing of loose material in horizontal layers by water. Later they were squeezed into their present steeply-tilted form by the continuing action of uplift along the Punchbowl and Pinyon Faults and pressures along the San Andreas Fault. The Punchbowl Fault is to the south of the rock formation while the Pinyon and San Andreas Faults are to the north. A detailed description of the process theories is available in handout form from the Nature Center. More info here: http://www.devils-punchbowl.com/pages/Text.html

2. Pleasant View Ridge: This trailhead in the San Gabriel high country is the southern end of the Burkhart Trail and provides access to the beautiful miles-long ridge known as Pleasant View Ridge overlooking the great Mojave Desert. This prominent ridge is separated from the main body of the San Gabriel range by a desert bound drainage, Little Rock Creek. Mountain known as Burkhart Saddle (6,959’). The 7,893 foot summit of the mountain known as Pleasant View Ridge (http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/350814/Pleasant-View-Ridge.html) is a little more than a mile from Burkhart Saddle. The other accessible peaks along the ridge are Will Thrall Peak (http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/237122/will-thrall-peak.html)...

3. Cooper Canyon Falls: This is a down and up hike so be prepared for the return, but it is extremely rewarding when you appreciate the extreme diversity you encounter on every twist and turn of the trail. Just about every San Gabriel Mountain ecosystem can be seen in this short three and a half mile hike. From wild roses and ferns moist from underground streams to high country Limber Pine groves at relatively lower than expected elevations…

DIRECTION:
CARPOOL LOCATION: we will leave the Park and Ride at 6:00AM
More info for Orange Park and Ride: http://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/messages/boards/thread/9270810
***Park & Ride in Orange on N Tustin St and E Lincoln Ave Orange, CA 92865***
Traveling NORTH on the 55, exit Lincoln Ave. West. Make 2 lefts, go under the freeway and take a left onto Tustin Ave. heading South. If you're traveling SOUTH on the 55, exit Lincoln and make a left on Tustin. The Park & Ride will be on your left hand side. You'll need to make a U-Turn to get to this side of the street

Trailhead: Exit the Antelope Valley Freeway (14) at Pearblossom highway (138), and follow it to the town of Pearblossom where you will turn right (south) on Longview Road (County N6). Follow the signs to the park 7 miles ahead. Note that facing the nature center, the Burkhart trailhead is on the right side of the parking lot. (Lat:34.41381 Lon:-117.85858) 28000 DEVILS PUNCH BOWL RD, PEARBLOSSOM

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Happy Holidays: Devil's Punchbowl/Pleasant View Ridge (Optional: Devil's Chair)

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HikingOC (Meet to Hike in Orange County & Travel the World)

Happy Holidays: Devil's Punchbowl/Pleasant View Ridge (Optional: Devil's Chair)

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