2007 Trip Reports - San Gabriel Mountains

San Gabriel Mountains

Leaders, Neal & Marian Johns

By Jean Hansen

After hosting the May Desert Explorers meeting, Leaders Neal & MarianJohns, apparently not having had enough of all of us, let an excellent trip upLytle Creek and into the San Gabriel Mountains. They led trip participants Jay Lawrence, Ken Sears, Tommy Perasso, Bob & Shirley Bolin, Ted Kalil, Sunny & Jean Hansen and Allan & Din Wicker on several 4X4 roads which I didnot know even existed! The scenery was spectacular and the weather wasbeautiful. Along the way, we saw several shrubs in bloom, which Marianidentified as Ceanothus (which some people refer to as “mountain lilac”) and Fremontodendron ( “flannel bush”). After exploring several roads to their respective ends, Marian and Neal led us on a fantastic road up to the ridgeline where we were able to look out at Lytle Creek and further up, the entire high desert. From that point, we eventually descended to Lone Pine Canyon Road, where we all separated to head home. Thanks, Neal & Marian!