Mt. Pinos, Fall 1999

Summary:

Who:
Gregg, '95 Jeep Wrangler
Rob, Chevy Tahoe
Steve, 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
What: Day trip to break in Steve's new Jeep
Where: CA - Mt. Pinos and Lockwood creek in the Los Padres Nation Forest near Frazier Park
When: Can't remember exactly, Fall 1999?
Difficulty: Moderate

Trip Report:

This was just a day trip, so preparation and gear were minimal. I think it was a Saturday morning, and we met in the church parking lot near JPL. This is where we warmed up, not really on purpose. Steve was there first, and I pulled in and jumped right over a cement parking block (usually at the front of a parking space). Didn't see it, so it gave me quite a jolt. Then Rob pulls in and hits the same block, but pushes it about 10 feet out of the way, instead of going over it. Pretty funny start.

We headed off up the 210 then to the 5 towards Gorman and the Hungry Valley SVRA which Joe and I had been to a year or two before. We went past the SVRA and at Gorman went west past Frazier Park. So far, everything's paved. We turn off on West Frazier Mine Road with Lockwood creek trail as our destination. W. Frazier Mine is dirt, but not all that difficult. When we get to Lockwood creek, we find out that it's closed. A few bikers are there and the guess is that it got too torn up. So they built a different route up through the hills. I was looking forward to some water driving, and the start of the bypass looked pretty tough. So we stopped and had lunch along the creek.

Over lunch we decided not to take the bypass with the shiny new Cherokee. But I went up it for fun. And it was fun. Rob rode with me on the way up and Steve took pictures (haven't gotten them yet). He said we were bouncing good, but we got up it no problem (and no slips). Steve walked up the hard part, then got in the Jeep (the back seats were out, so it was a little awkward). We went a little ways down the trail then turned around. From there we just kinda winged it and I'm not sure what trails we were on. I think we went up Frazier mountain and ended up at Ranger station back near the road.

Maps, books, etc.

I picked up an OHV map at one of the ranger stations. It was very helpful, with trail descriptions and difficulties. I also read about the Lockwood Creek trail in other trail reports. Wish I could have seen it for myself, but we had fun anyway.

Info from the ranger station

Mt. Pinos, Fall 1999

Summary:

Trip Report:

Maps, books, etc.

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