8/15/04

Dist: at least 18 miles + small side trip to the spring

It's 6+ miles from TH to Trail Fork Springs

Driving Time:

Left Bakersfield at 5:35am
Reached Forsee Creek Trailhead at 9:15am (included stop for Breakfast & Gas)
Left for home at 7:15pm
Returned Home at 10:27pm

Log:

09:25am - Left Trailhead
09:34am - Reached junction with John's Meadow trail
10:58am - Reached trail junction with Jackstraw Springs
11:42am - Reached Trail Fork Springs
11:58am - Reached junction with Ridge Trail
12:11pm - Reached Summit of Shields Peak
12:52pm - Reached Summit of Anderson Peak
01:55pm - Reached Summit of San Bernardino East Peak
02:31pm - Reached Summit of San Bernardino Peak
02:57pm - Reached Washington's Monument
04:24pm - Reached junction between Ridge Trail and Trail Fork Springs trail
04:35pm - Reached Trail Fork Springs
05:21pm - Reached Jackstraw Springs
05:30pm - Left Jackstraw Springs
06:58pm - Returned to Trailhead

Stats:

Time from TH to Trail Fork Springs: 2 hrs 17 mins (very brisk pace)
Time from Trail Fork Springs back to TH: 2 hrs 13 mins (moderate pace - excludes 10 min stop at Jackstraw Springs)
Time from Shields Peak to San Bernardino Peak (stopping for lunch and at intermediate peaks): 2 hrs 20 mins

Notes:

My pace up the Forsee Creek trail was at a very brisk pace.  I doubt I will ever beat the this time
unless I specifically made a point to do so.

Just a trickle of water at Jackstraw Springs, but enough if you need it
Trail Fork Springs was basically dry

I brought 16oz X 3 of liquid.  Given the cool day, this was just enough.  It would have
been inadequate on a warm/hot day.

The Forsee Creek Trail is a very delightful and gentle trail.

The forecast had been 77deg for Big Bear with 22% chance of T-storms and
82deg for Forest Falls with 17% chance of T-storms.  Temperature on the
Forsee Creek trail was around 68-70 degrees.

Bring a notepad next time.

Saw very little wildlife for some reason.  Never saw a single lizard or squirrel.  Saw
an occaisional bird and one or two chipmunks.  Also, virtually no flying insects whatever (yeah!).

Leaving at 5:30am the traffic was light the whole way to the TH.
Traffic was not light on the way back but it never slowed down, thus I made good time.