Vivian Creek Trail Hike

My goal on this day, Sunday, April 19, was to ride my bike to Forest Falls, lock it to a tree and hike half-way to San Gorgonio Peak via Vivian Creek Trail (about 8.5 miles, round trip). I awoke feeling really good and without any muscle soreness from the big ride to Big Bear and Crestline the day before. I had breakfast, a couple of cups of coffee and read the Sunday newspaper.

After I made the bed, it beckoned me, so I flopped on my back and the cats joined me -- Gracie stretched out across my legs and Suzy cuddled beside me. An hour or so later, I looked at the clock and realized the bike ride portion of the day was not going to happen and ended up taking my truck to Forest Falls. What a wimp.

I had not been very far up Vivian Creek Trail since the 70s, when I pack-packed to High Creek with college fraternity brother Adam Morales (yes, Ruth, your Adam Morales) and slept overnight. A couple of stupid college kids, we lit a campfire (against all the rules) and were lucky we didn't burn down the forest. We froze in our light-weight sleeping bags.

This day, however, was incredible. The weather was once again perfect -- in the 70s all afternoon. There were patches of snow all around, including portions of the trail, which made a few sections a little dangerous where the trail was on the edge of a steep slope. It made for some wonderful photos and video, however. I went about four miles up the trail in two hours -- from 6,000 feet at Forest Falls to about 8,500 feet. The four miles back took about 90 minutes. The first mile after crossing the river is very steep.

Some of the "better" photos from my Kodak pocket camera are available at my Picasa Web site. Below are two short videos I posted on YouTube. The first one shows water striders floating across the surface of a pool of water and occasional bubbles of methane seeping up from the decaying plants at the bottom. The bubbles get quite intense at the end. The second video is of a stream that was mostly concealed by snow, but visible in patches where the snow was melting. Turn up the sound -- it's very soothing and peaceful. No machines!





I was really excited to see two Mourning Cloak butterflies on the trip. When I was a kid, I would watch them as caterpillars feast on mulberry leaves in my backyard, then wrap themselves in their chrysalises under the eves of the house and emerge later as these beautiful, shiny butterflies with golden trim on their wings. I don't see them in the valley anymore, so it was like a visit with old friends.

This was a short warm-up for many hikes to come as I prepare for the Tour of Ten Peaks on June 20. I can't wait for the next one!