**** Rain falling at the Trailhead can cancel hike ****
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*** Yes the road is open all the way to Mt Wilson ***
**Highway 2 is closed beyond Red Box**
DISTANCE: ~ 7 miles total (REVERSE loop style hike)
HIKING TIME: ~ 4 hours
LOSS/ GAIN: ~ 1500′ loss/ 1500’gain
RATING: Moderate + (Not for beginners. This is a reverse hike with most of the gain in the second half of the hike in a 1.5 mile section)
DESCRIPTION: We will hike down from the Eaton Saddle Trailhead located on Mt Wilson Red Box road / Red Box Road on the old Mt Lowe Rd, passing through a cool tunnel, and good views of the San Gabriels, maybe stopping by the old Alpine Tavern and eventually arriving at Inspiration Point. Here we can take a break/ snack and check out all the interesting viewing tubes.
Then comes the fun part! We head back up the trail to join the Mt Lowe West trial, a beautiful rocky single track. After a mile and a half…. and ~1200′ ! … we will summit Mt Lowe 5,600′ to grab some more great views. After the peak, it is a gentle downhill ~2 miles back on the East side of the mountain to the Mt Lowe Road and back to the trailhead.
Leader’s Note: There are no bathrooms at the trailhead. There are some in the Red Box parking lot when you turn off Hwy 2 and on to Mt Wilson/ Red Box Road.
Carpooling from Santa Clarita Valley:
DIRECTIONS to Trailhead ( 34.23949, -118.09337 ) from Santa Clarita (~41 miles).
From Santa Clarita, take the I-5 South to the 210 East. Exit the 210 at Hwy 2 Angeles Crest Hwy, North, into the mountains/ forest. Take Hwy 2 for ~14 miles, all the way to Red Box Road junction that leads to Mt Wilson. Turn Right, at a parking lot (you will immediately see the Native American Indian Cultural Center, Haramonkngna on your right).
Continue driving on the Mt Wilson/ Red Box Road ~ 2.3 miles. There will be a turn out on the right AND a parking lot on the left side.
Park anywhere there is space. To be sure you are in the correct location, look for a locked forest gate on the right, with the number 2N50 on it. This is the Mt Lowe Campground Trail / Eaton Saddle trail head.
MEET:
At the Eaton Saddle Trailhead ( 34.23949, -118.09337 ) at 8:15AM to start down the trail by 8:30AM latest.
BRING: Water (2 – 3 liters recommended), electrolytes if it is a hot day, sunscreen, hat, lunch/ snacks, good boots with tread, and hiking poles (recommended) which can be helpful on the climb. Camera; wear layered clothing in case it gets hot or cold.
ADVENTURE PASS: No, no bathrooms at trailhead
Dogs: OK, if well behaved around other dogs/ people with hiking poles and on a leash.
Leader(s): Paul H and Gary S
