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March Airfield Museum
Hue and Allan
Eileen, Tracy, Dawn & Hue (still happy)
freewaysJepson Peak: Failed Mission
"August 14, 2004"
Sorry folks, no Jepson Peak photo today. We did not make it to the top. :( due to bad weather.
HIKE DETAILS: Jepson Peak: 11,205'
(Distance: 17 miles round trip on trail and cross-country
Gain: 4450'
Time: 8-9 hours average time round trip
Rating: Class 1,
We only made it 4.3 miles from the trailhead at the fork of Grinnel ridge and Dollar Lake. We were 2 miles shy from Dollar Lake which I heard is beautiful. As we reached the fork, dark clouds and thunder rolled over the mountain. Then came the lightning strikes all around. BAM! WHAM! BAM! so fast and furious it caught us by surpise. Since we were just here 3 weeks ago, we kind of expected the weather to be the same...hot in the bottom and comfortable once you reach the higher elevation. Weather forecast said cloudy but no rain. Since it's only a day hike, none of us brought rain gears. 6 out of 8 decided to turn around and go back to our cars. 2 decided to continue on (best decision in the end).
On the trip down, clear skies would peak out and more dark clouds would push it away. It was overshadowed with the threat of rain that never really materialized. Well it did rain but not enough to soak us up. Then we bumped into a ranger on his way to Dollar Lake, he advised us not continue on to the summit. He said a lightning struck a tree early that morning and the tree was still on fire as we spoke. He also mentioned about flash floods and all that so we stuck with our decision to turn around.
Anywyay, to make a long story short.....it did not pour as we expected...it got cold but that's about it. We were bummed. Oh well...Jepson is not going anywhere. We are going back.
"OLD POOPOUT HILL"
Warning: There have been sightings of mountain lions in this area. 2 from our team saw a couple on their hike back and SGWA patrols saw mountain lions in this same spot a week before too.
"VIEW FROM TRAIL"
Clear skies...
"At the trailhead with Hue and Narinder"
Beautiful, sunny day...who would have known? Rain in SoCal in August???
Check this out...this is the same spot as pic#2 but here you can't see San G in the background anymore... weather changed drastically.
This is were the ranger checks the wilderness permit.
"South Fork Trail"
Ignore the horse poop...they should call this trail the "Horse Poop Trail".
The trail up to the fork (Grinnel Ridge/Dollar Lake) was really easy. No wonder this trail is popular.
