EPIC 20 mile hike

I started out at Eaton Canyon with the intent to go up the Razorback and see how the falls above were doing. Since it was extremely overcast, I decided to get a good elevation gain before the summer sun makes it too uncomfortable.

I quickly got tio Henninger Flats and visited the visitor center to check out the large topographic model to determine my route. I felt like I basically was playing the worlds biggest game of connect the dots with a lot of my favorite hikes, with the lines between taking me to places I've never been before. I continued one the Mount Wilson Toll Road for awhile until I reached the bridge leading to the Idlehour camp.

Once I hit first water, I immediately started taking a detour up the stream to search for a newt, which I couldn't believe I actually found. This time seeing one in the wild and looked just like my old pet newt. After relaxing on a very comfortable rock at Idelhour for awhile, I headed further into Upper Eaton Canyon. I found a nice spot to take a dip and figured it would be a good idea since I was about to climb out of the canyon and get greeted by the sun for the first time. It was cold but felt amazing. Right after that, a small dry newt found me as it tried to get back to the water. Break time is over, now it's time to start my second climb to get up to Inspiration Point from the back side.

I emerged at a very familiar trail junction, but decided to take another detour and visit the ruins of Ye Alpine (Mount Lowe) Tavern, since I had only been there before in the snow. I was pretty excited to actually find an original hinge that shows fair damage from when the tavern was destroyed. Ran back up to Inspiration Point, which was well above the clouds, but very nice to have all that solitude. I noticed a higher peak with a sign, so I deiced to go check out Easter Rock for the first time, which ended up being the peak of the day.

As I headed down Castle Canyon, my plan was to go to Echo, then down to Lake... until I noticed Leontine Falls way in the distance. These are the are the highest and furthest into Rubio Canyon, and the only one I've never seen up close. This gave me my second mind and since I had a couple hours of light left, decided to climb down the insanely narrow incline trail from Echo down to the ruins of the Rubio Pavilion. Instead of exiting the canyon, I headed back up it, stopped by Moss Grotto and Ribbon Rock Falls, then climbed up to the Thalehaha overlook. After a short break, I finally found the intense trail that hugs the ridge line and canyon walls up to the Leontine Falls overlook. You can only see the top portion, but next time I plan on bringing rope so I can get to the base of the falls.

By this time the sun was about to set, so I headed back down the canyon emerged ouf of the trail right at dusk. I wanted to challenge myself, I sure did and it was one of the best hikes of my life, hands down.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Eaton Canyon
• Henninger Flats
• Idlehour
• newt
• falls
• swim
• Mount Wilson
• Ye
• Alpine
• Mount
• Lowe
• tavern
• Inspiration Point
• Easter Rock
• Castle Canyon
• Echo Mountain
• Rubio Canyon
• pavilion
• Moss
• Grotto
• Ribbon
• Rock
• Thalehaha
• Leontine
• Falls
• hike
• climb
• run
• vibram
• fivefingers
• komodo
• sport

[FALKORDOG]

Yeper... that good hiking!