Where the trail gets a little iffy.

Monday, January 27, 2014--Switzer Falls in the San Gabriel Mountains: Today represented our first venture into the San Gabriels. It had been about a month since we hit the trail, so we decided to re-enter slowly by picking an "easy" hike as listed in John W. Robinson's Trails of the Angeles: 100 Hikes in the San Gabriels. We chose Hike No. 17, Switzer's Picnic Area to Commodore Switzer Trail Camp, Switzer Falls, Arroyo Seco Cascades. The book billed it as a 4-mile round trip (in and back), with a 600-foot elevation gain and loss, and that was our experience of it, as well. I recommend the book. His directions were perfect!

You need an Adventure Pass for National Forest destinations, and we bought ours at REI in Arcadia. You can get a one-day pass for $5 for one vehicle; or for $30 you can get an annual pass that you can share with another car; or for $35 you can get an annual pass and two separate placards. The placards affix to the rearview mirror much as a handicapped placard does. We chose the $35 setup. The pass is good for one year from the month of purchase.

The falls. Remember, we're in a drought.

It was 1:30 p.m. before we were on the trail. That was after a leisurely morning and a lunch in Pasadena. Were I to do this again I would definitely get on the trail much earlier. We got back to the car in daylight, but evening was at hand.

It was a beautiful hike that essentially follows a creek bed that we had to cross eight times (or 16, if you count the return trip!). With California officially in a drought let it be said that the creek was never very wide or vigorous.Nonetheless, some of the crossings required surefootedness. I was grateful for my trekking poles to steady me.

While I agree overall with the "easy" rating for this hike, I do so with one caveat. Eventually the trail left the canyon floor to climb up a bit (only to climb back down again as we near the area of the falls.) In a few of those higher places, the hiking path was narrow, sometimes slightly slanted toward a pretty good drop-off. Sometimes the trail bed in these locations contained loose gravel/soil. I don't believe any of this changes the "easy" ranking, but I offer this information as a good head's up to be watchful in those areas.

Overall, the hike was quite delightful. We saw no wildlife except for a few quite chubby gray squirrels. The temperature was great. The trail was not overly crowded. In our four-hour round trip we saw maybe 6 to 8 people.

Next time we plan another hike from Robinson's book. No. 58, Chilao to Horse Flats, Hillyer. This one's rated "moderate," is listed as a 6-mile round trip with a 1,000-foot elevation gain. I'll be checking in after that. Until then...

September 2013-December 2013: In preparation for the Camino walk in the summer of 2014, we began a series of near-weekly walks and hikes to get ourselves accustomed to walking at all, and then walking with our equipment. We wore our Asolo hiking boots, carried our Leki trekking poles, and carried the pack and hydration system we plan to take to Spain.

Our initial hikes were of the two-mile variety, which seemed more than enough given how hot the fall was in Southern California. It seemed hard for us to get going on the trail much before 10 or 11. I take responsibility for much of the lateness, not being an early morning person.

Gradually we increased the mileage per hike as well as the elevation gain and loss. We hiked in the hills above Claremont, in the Griffith Park area and in the Santa Monica mountains. In late November, with our priest friend Kelli Grace Kurtz, we put in a full "Camino day," walking some 15 or so miles down and back on the Santa Ana River Bicycle Path.

With arrival of the holidays and family time and travel, we went on hiatus, to pick up again in January.