Six to Stoddard Peak

Last weekend Vader and I tackled the Stoddard Peak hike (34.22271092880485, -117.66681119935319) near Mt. Baldy in Angeles National Forest. A respectable 6 mile round trip with about 1,000 feet of elevation gain, perfect test for my current fitness level. Still getting used to the Southern California’s dry exposed terrain, and it’s still wild to me that you can be hiking here in February at this elevation without any snow in sight. Vader is turning into a seasoned trail monster and is crushing these hikes lately. We opted not to make the final ascent to the summit since the trail required scrambling and didn’t seem too dog friendly. We’ll save the summit push for another trip.

Sidewalk: built to last.

Tree roots: challenge accepted.

To my pleasant surprise water indeed exists here. Vader attempts to navigate a Lytle Creek tributary. Lytle Creek is fed by snowmelt and winter storms from the various San Gabriel mountain peaks.

Accidentally wandered into The Shire! Real life hobbit house in 4k!

This MiniPoo is built for adventure!

As we climb we are greeted with sweeping Angeles National Forest views, framed by the rolling hills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

One hillside suddenly shifted the scenery, dotted with trees that stood out against the usual dry chaparral landscape. Much of what grows here are Jeffrey pine and Coulter pine, with pockets of bigcone Douglas-fir mixed in. As a Portlander used to dense forests, just seeing a tree line pop up along the trail was exciting.

Vader pausing to take in the mountain views.

One of the many water crossings we encountered. Vader likes to walk right through them, wet paws be damned! He won’t take a drink unlike his brother Roscoe, who was legendary for taking his time and catching up on his hydration.

And to conclude our hike, a recurring event… Vader finds a stick and gets the zoomies. Chaos ensued.