| Column name | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Column headings for lists of hikes by miles, number, etc. | |
| No. | The trip number assigned in Trails of the Angeles by John W. Robinson, Sixth Edition, January 1990, published by Wilderness Press. The added hikes are assigned numbers in the following format: "39-1" denotes the first hike similar to hike 39, starting at the same location as hike 39, or in the same general area as hike 39. |
| RT miles | The total round-trip miles to do the entire hike. This mileage is my best estimate of the true mileage. If you have better mileages from, say, a mountain bike, please let me know. |
| Elev. Gain | The total elevation gain and loss in feet, separately, by doing the hike in the indicated direction. Thus, for example, hike 33, Eaton Saddle to Switzer Campground, has +700, -2500 shown, indicating that one descends a total of 2500' and ascends 700' on this hike. The net elevation change on this hike is thus -1800, which is the difference in the elevation of Eaton Saddle and Switzer Campground. This hike is therefore harder than one that had an elevation gain of -1800.
Another example: A hike that gained 200', dropped 500' and then gained another 1000', would have a cumulative gain of 1200' and a cumulative loss of 500' on that leg. If you did that hike in only one direction, the elev. gain would be +1200, -500. If you then returned the same way, the total elevation gain must of course equal the total eleavation loss, so the reported elev. gain would be just 1700'. |
| Season | "Season" is normally the best time to do that hike, and is only a rough guide. Several examples:
Higher elevation hikes can't be done as easily or safely when there is snow on the ground, and thus these hikes have a season of jun-oct, typically, when it is pretty much guaranteed that there won't be snow on the ground. However, if we have an early snow in October, I'd recommend you think twice before doing one of those hikes. If you love hiking in the snow, and know how to navigate snow-covered trails and survive in very cold weather, no one will prohibit you from hiking those trails in February. (But please let someone know where you are going!) Conversely, if the snow is gone by March, and you have a warm spring day, go right ahead, but be prepared for mud. Lower elevation hikes are usually too hot and/or buggy in the summer, and thus usually get a recommended season of nov-may or nov-jun. These are simply the months in which the temperatures are usually cool. However, even those hikes may be ok if done early in the morning or late in the evening, or on one of the cooler summer days. If you are used to the heat, in good shape, and have plenty of water, no one will prohibit you from hiking those trails in July or August. But be forewarned that you may encounter bugs that may make it impossible to stop for even a moment. |
| Additional Column headings for my hikes | |
| Date | The date I did that hike. |
| Total miles | The total miles given by my pedometer. It is usually accurate to about 10% versus "truth" and from comparing "up" miles with "down" miles. A detailed comparison of my pedometer against the very accurate Grand Canyon Bright Angel Trail mileages shows overall excellent agreement. Pedometer history:
|
| Total time | The total time that the hike took, including all stops. |
| Alt. gain (cumulative) | Same as Elev. gain above. |
| ave. mph | My average hiking speed, including all stops. |
| slope ('/mile) | The average slope of the uphill portion of the hike in feet/mile. |
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Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998 by Tom Chester.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to me at this source:
http://la.znet.com/~schester/angeles_mtns/tables/tckey.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Last update: 16 September 1998.