ready to go hiking

This podcast is about how I prepare for a day hike.  This includes what research I do to find the exotic locations for my hikes and what type of gear I take with me on my adventures.

While getting ready for the last hike to the Devil’s Chair, I laid out all of my gear I was going to take and took some photographs.  I numbered the items later and talk about them on this podcast.

If you ever wonder what to take, or don’t think you’re taking the right things; check out what I bring on a typical day hike.

Check out these cool links:

• Andrew Skurka’s Great Western Loop Gear List
• Ten Essentials from R.E.I.
• The Ten Essentials from GORP
• Jerry Schad’s 101 Hikes in Southern California
• Afoot & Afield in San Diego by Jerry Schad
• Trails of the Angeles by John Robinson

Devil's Chair Group Photo

This podcast is about a winter day hike to visit the Devil’s Punchbowl and the scenic sights from the Devil’s Chair, a peninsula of rock overlooking the Devil’s Punchbowl, a mass of twisted rocks near the San Andreas Fault Zone.  In this edition I led a group of 8 energetic hikers from the visitor’s center over the Burkhart Trail to the Devil’s Punchbowl Trail.  We crossed over a couple of sparkling icy creeks and met a friendly hiker who took time to chat with us on the trail.

Also in this episode I talk about the history of the Devil’s Punchbowl County Park, the San Andreas Fault and throw in a little bit of music, movie clips and informational audio about the region.

Check out the photos, click on the group photo.

I also posted a short video of the hike on You Tube

WATCH  THE VIDEO

Check out the links:

• United States Geological Survey (USGS)
• San Andreas Fault Zone
• Devil’s Punchbowl County Park

CAUTION – This episode’s about  how to be safe along the trail and how to safeguard your valuables at the trailhead.  True stories of horrible violent crimes committed where the killers dumped their victims along the roads of the Angeles and Cleveland National Forests of Southern California.

Ralated Links, Stories and Video:

Rodney Alcala Murder Trial Video

Orange County’s 50 Most Notorious Crimes

Jason Bautista dismembers his mother

Randy Kraft Serial Killer

William Bonin – Freeway Killer

Alejandro Avila

Here’s a few links to articles that might help you safeguard your valuables while you enjoy yourself on the trail

• Trailhead Security and Thefts
• Avoiding Trailhead Thefts
• The Highway that Crime Cruises – Great Story
• Trailhead Thefts
• Douglas County Sheriff’s Dept PDF Pg. 2 Trailhead Breakins

This episode is about an ill fated winter hike and what to do if you find yourself trapped in your car in the backcountry. I had planned a group hike to visit the Devil’s Chair on the back side of the Angeles National Forest but a heavy winter storm moved into the region. I sat at home, watching the rain and realized I might not be properly equipped to handle traveling in the winter along a snowy, icy stretch of highway. In this podcast I remind everyone about what can happen if you venture into the backcountry unprepared and what to do to make sure you’re safe on the road.

Here are some great links you should check out.

• Winter Storm Safety Checklist PDF
• Winter Storms The Deceptive Killers PDF
• Traditional Mountaineering
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Weather.com
• KABC 7 Los Angeles Mega Doppler 7000 (Radar Images)

Carey's Castle

The 50^th Episode of Anthony’s Audio Journal, is about our hike into Joshua Tree National Park and our adventure up the Red Butte Wash to visit the Carey Castle.  This trip was unique because there isn’t really a trail to Carey’s Castle, in fact, it’s not a trail at all.  The only tell-tale signs that it’s there is a small black dot on the USGS Topographic map and the words, “Carey’s Castle”.   It’s a pretty well kept secret, and folks want to keep it that way.  There are no signs at the trailhead or along the way.  There’s no sign at the castle or any mention of it in any of the Joshua Tree publications that I’m aware of.  The few cairns that have been placed by hikers are routinely knocked over and scattered about or purposely built to redirect hikers into dead ends, further adding to the mystery of the hike to Carey’s Castle.

The hike involves over four miles of walking in loose gravely sand and climbing through the boulder choked wash that forks many times throughout the adventure. Elevation gain is a modest 1400 feet but by the time you’ve walked through the deep gravel and climbed up and over the boulders, it seems like more, much much more.

Be sure to click on the photo to  link to all the photos I took of our trip.  Also check out the link to Joshua Tree National Park to find out more interesting facts about the park and possible hiking adventures.

Joshua Tree National Park

Palisades Glacier

In last episode Doug and I began a 4 day three night adventure  up the North Fork of Big Pine Creek to visit the largest glacier in the Sierra Nevada Mountains; the Palisades Glacier. We also explored the historical Lon Chaney Cabin, and enjoyed the fabulous turquoise green glacier fed chain of lakes below some of the tallest peaks in California. In this episode we have an unusual encounter with a hostile backpacker and meet some unusual characters at Lake #3, before hiking up valley to the Glacier Trail. From here we work our way through a talus and boulder field to stunning views over the glacial fed chain of lakes and the Palisades Glacier.We conclude our hike with a stop at peaceful Black Lake for our last night in the wilderness.

Be sure and watch the video Doug put together of our hike and posted on YouTube in brilliant High Definition.

WATCH

Front porch of the Lon Chaney Cabin

In this Part One of a two part episode of Anthony’s Audio Journal, Doug and I embark on a 4 day three night adventure up the North Fork of Big Pine Creek to visit the historical Lon Chaney Cabin and hike among the changing fall leaves.  We work our way up along the creek and pass several glacial fed lakes before reaching our camp beneath imposing Temple Crag at scenic Third Lake.

After spending our first night at the Walk-In Camp, Doug and I meet some some interesting folks and and I hear about a terrifying bear encounter from someone I meet along the trail.

Be sure and click on the photo to a link to all of our photos from the trip; you won’t believe the  magnificent turquoise color of the lakes and the timber and stone Lon Chaney Cabin.

Also follow the link to the video slideshow Doug put together of our photos and video he posted on You Tube.

Watch the Video

Smokey Bear Ad Campaign

This podcast of Anthony’s Audio Journal is about wildfires in the Southern California area, what to do if you’re caught up in one while you’re hiking, and all about Smokey Bear’s big 65th birthday.

In last episode I talked about how Katie and I smelled smoke on our hike to the summit of Mt. Islip. We thought we might be walking into the mouth of a raging wildfire and I didn’t know exactly what to do. This episode talks about three major fires in the last few years, including the largest fire in California history. I also share some advice by experts on what to do if you’re in the back country and a wildfire approaches.

Another focus in this episode is about Smokey Bear and his 65th birthday this year. Over the years the forest service has had some great public service announcements to promote fire prevention. In this episode I mix in some great PSA’s from the past to help bring back some nostalgia and its just plain entertaining.

I’ll post some photos from the Cedar, Esperanza and Station Fires as well as some great advertising photos and memorabilia a from Smokey Bears fire prevention campaign.

Katie at the Summit Shelter

Episode 46 is about a day hike to the summit of Mt. Islip in the Angeles National Forest of Southern California. Katie and I took our Siberian Husky with us on this warm weather hike and worked our way through a beautiful meadow and under the delightful shade canopy of the tall pine forest to Little Jimmy Camp. After taking a break we continued up through the Windy Ridge trail junction and on to the summit of Mt. Islip.

Along the way we admired the different typed of pines and wondered where the smell of smoke was coming from as we made it to the summit and the remaining fire tower base blocks and the stone summit cabin.

Mt. Islip Day Hike on You Tube

Music featured in this episode is from The Stone Coyotes, Ritchie Hernandez and Lee Maddeford from the Music Alley Network.

Be Bear Aware

This episode is about confrontations with bears while on the trail or at home. There have been many encounters with bears this summer; bears coming into the neighborhood or into the picnic areas. This podcast gives you a brief idea of what went on in the Southern California area this year, what the local wildlife personnel are doing about it and how you can prevent an unwanted encounter with a bear. I talk about bear food storage containers; how they are tested, who tests them and some of the field trial successes and failures.

Here are some links to bear resistant container manufacturers you might find useful:

• Bear Vault
• Ursack
• Backpackers Cache (Garcia Machine)
• Bearicade (Wild Ideas)

Here is the link to the Sierra Interagency Black Bear group or S.I.B.B. please take the time to read all the information on their site as it is packed with useful and intertaining information about bears, food storage, and regulations

• Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group