Our routebaggers adventure ascended the west ridge of Josephine and descended by the road to Josephine Saddle and then out the Colby Canyon Trail. It was a beautiful clear day and the country smelled good after the healthy rain on Friday.
We met at the La Cañada meeting place at 0800 and drove to the Colby Cyn trailhead on the Angeles Crest Hwy. We left cars there and took others to the start of our climb at a point 2.5 miles west of the Clear Creek Junction on the Angeles Forest Hwy., there is a highway marker that reads 22.45 at this place. Our route was south up the small side canyon to the main ridge, a gain of 700'. At the start, one surmounts the 20' dry waterfall by a scramble on the left. The route then goes up the dry creek bottom, taking the left branch after gaining about 40' elevation and then the right branch after another 40'. The route then goes up to the left to a grassy slope under trees and then up deer trails, keeping somewhat to the right, to the main ridge. This scramble from the highway to the main ridge is relatively easy and quite scenic. From the main ridge, it is a pleasant walk on good use trails to the summit. The gain is 300' more than the route on the road from Clear Creek junction, but the distance is considerably less and the climbing experience is much better.
Those participating were: Bill T Russell, Pat Russell, Andrea McFarlan, David Murray, Don Tidwell, Howard Gross, Pete Doggett, Asher Waxman, Jeff Naumann and Roy Magnuson.
