|
|
|
** Use at Your Own Risk **
11D |
Barley Flats |
5600'+ |
Location: Los Angeles County, about 4 miles north of Mount Wilson, 35 miles from Los Angeles, 19 miles from La Cañada-Flintridge
Maps
| Auto Club | Los Angeles and Vicinity |
| Forest Service | Angeles National Forest |
| USGS Topo | Chilao Flat 7½ |
| Official HPS Maps | TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| Viewable JPG file - Approximately 585K | |
| GPX file or Google Earth KML file to download to GPS units and other map software (How to use GPX and KML files) | |
| Routes as shown on CalTopo using the above files (How to use CalTopo) |
Nearby Peaks: Mount Lawlor
ROUTE 1
(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)- Distance: 5 1/2 mile round trip on road and cross-country
- Gain: 1000'
- Time: 3 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, easy
Original: Dick Akawie, March 1973
DRIVING ROUTE 1
- From the intersection of I-210 and Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2), drive north on Angeles Crest Highway 9.5 miles to Angeles Forest Highway. Keep straight.
- Continue about 4.5 miles to the junction with the Mount Wilson Road at the Red Box Ranger Station.
- Continue on Angeles Crest Highway 3.7 miles farther to the Barley Flats Road - 2N46 (paved) on the left.
- Park here, outside the gate. In past years vehicles could drive up this road but it has been closed for many years.
HIKING ROUTE 1
- From the parking area (4580'), walk through the personnel gate and up the paved road 2.5 miles to a locked gate on the left that goes to the LA Sheriffs Air Rescue 5 facility and Helipad. Do not enter this area or approach the Air Rescue Heliport.
- Continue straight (west) toward the large green steel water tank on the ridge past the Forest Service tree farm. All of the previous "Camp Unity" buildings have been removed. A use trail to the left and past the tree farm goes up the slope to the water tank.
- The register is about 50 yards south of the water tank and up a slight rise to the left of the continuing old road bed. The use trail may be overgrown, not easy to follow, and it may be necessary to detour around several bramble patches.
NOTE: The heliport is an active air rescue station with regular helicopter takeoffs and landings. At the request of the LA County Sheriff's Department and S&R personnel, for safety reasons, DO NOT enter or approach the helipad area.
ROUTE 2
(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)- Distance: 8 miles round trip cross-country
- Gain: 2200'
- Time: 5 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, moderate
Original: Southern Courtney
Note:The Alder Creek Trail (also referred to as the Barley Flats Trail) may be severely overgrown following the Station Fire in 2009 and not passable. This was the case in 2018.
DRIVING ROUTE 2
- From the intersection of I-210 and Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2), drive north on Angeles Crest Highway 9.5 miles to Angeles Forest Highway. Turn left onto Angeles Forest Highway.
- Drive north on Angeles Forest Highway 8.3 miles to the Upper Big Tujunga Road. Turn right.
- Drive east on Upper Big Tujunga Road 4 miles to Alder Creek. This is the trailhead.
- Continue driving 0.3 mile (until the end of the No Parking signs.) Park on shoulder.
HIKING ROUTE 2
- Hike back 0.3 mile to Alder Creek. Find trail on south side of highway, go southeast, and cross Alder Creek.
- At the vandalized steel post reading "Barley Flats Trail", cross the Big Tujunga Creek.
- Hike east about 100' to the trail switchbacking out of the wash to the south.
- Hike up a good trail for about 1.5 miles until it reaches a firebreak ridge.
- Go up the use trail on the ridge. After the ridge section, the trail is fine, if the buckthorn has not overgrown the trail, to the Barley Flats Road. The trail joins the road just east of the locked gate to Air Rescue 5 and the Heliport. Do not enter this area or approach the Air Rescue Heliport.
- Continue west toward the green water tank.
- See directions for Hiking Route 1.
NOTE: The heliport is an active air rescue station with regular helicopter takeoffs and landings. At the request of the LA County Sheriff's Department and S&R personnel, for safety reasons, DO NOT enter or approach the helipad area.
ROUTE 3
(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)- Distance: 6 miles round trip on old road
- Gain: 1000'
- Time: 4 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, moderate
- Route: Heavy brush
Original: Dick Akawie, March 1973
DRIVING ROUTE 3
- From the intersection of I-210 and Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2), drive north on Angeles Crest Highway 9.5 miles to Angeles Forest Highway. Keep straight.
- Continue about 4.5 miles to the junction with the Mount Wilson Road at the Red Box Ranger Station. Park here.
HIKING ROUTE 3
- From the parking area (4600'), hike east along Angeles Crest Highway for 100' and go up the dirt road on the left (2N46) for about 3/4 mile to a trail junction on the left.
- Ignore the junction and continue to follow the old roadbed (very brushy at times) up to the top of the ridge where it meets a good road.
- Follow the old road east a short distance to where a large green steel water tank comes into view. The register is on the flat area about 50 yards south of the water tank and up a slight rise to the left of the continuing old road bed.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
This route may be badly overgrown by brush.
NOTE: A heliport is located approximately ½ mile east of the Barley Flats summit. The heliport is an active air rescue station with regular helicopter takeoffs and landings. At the request of the LA County Sheriff's Department and S&R personnel, for safety reasons, DO NOT enter or approach the helipad area. This is the location of Air Rescue 5 and is fenced, gated and posted.
ALTERNATE ROUTES
It is possible to traverse the ridge from Mount Lawlor. This route is now overgrown in spots with brush.
HISTORICAL NOTES
The fenced facility near Barley Flats was originally built as the administration and launcher facilities for a Nike Ajax (non-nuclear) antiaircraft battery. It was in place between 1954 and 1961. The fire control radar system for the battery was located on the summit of Mt. Disappointment. The launch site magazines were destroyed, but the administration buildings remained and were used as a probation camp by Los Angeles County Sheriff until 1992, then used as a religious retreat named Camp Unity. The buildings have now been removed (2020) and the site is a Forest Service Tree Farm.
History of Summit Signature
Climbing Archives
Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.