Escape From San Bernardino
It's hot as hell in San Bernardino, California, all summer long. Baseline Ave. is like an aircraft runway to the mountains. See San Bernardino Peak centered in the windshield? Let's go!
We leave the pavement in East Highland, right in the middle of the San Andreas Fault. Welcome to the jagged badlands. Namaste!
The Southland drops deeper under the horizon as we switchback up the rugged foothills. Soon, Seven Oaks Dam, the 12th highest in the world, claims the vista, like a ziggoraut or pyramid. It is a temple built honoring water.
The dam drops away, and we continue up Alder Creek Truck Trail deeper into the Santa Ana Divide.
Running Springs, CA is a mountaintop village poised just above us, and her creeks flow in lush, cramped ravines, hurtling down to the city below. White Alder trees always signal such cascades to the hot and sweaty traveller. Here we discover Alder Creek, the namesake of our road.
After lunching amidst the orange flowers of the Columbine, we returned to Forest Road 1N09 .
The rugged road twists and turns through the jagged landscape torn by seismic stress. Crisscrossed with emerald riparian threads, the canyon glistens under the summer sun.
Soon, we come to the monumental edifice of Keller Cliffs.
More twists and turns through the intricate canyons, and suddenly Bear Creek opens wide before us.
Climbing back out of the floodplain, I look back and see our trail snake beneath us, under the sunburst highlighting Slide Peak.
We climb higher, to the meadows on the alluvial fan opposite Slide Peak. Where a meadow spreads like golden butter in the glaze of a hot afternoon.
A beautiful doe makes eye contact with me as we round the next bend.
Away from the setting sun, so vibrant in the hot valley below....
We exited the Santa Ana River Canyon after nightfall, and drove back into our city while it sparkled and shone with hundreds of legal and illegal firework displays, lighting up the city's blight with optimism, patriotism, barbecues, family and friends, and good cheer.
Happy Independence to all.
In Metta,
Love,Cat
Beautiful photos, especially that flower and the deer. You ever go to Silverwood Lake? We love to camp there.
I love Silverwood Lake! I have only camped there once, it was great. I like to go to the back end, Miller Canyon, hike 2 miles to the lake. It's a great trailhead for the PCT, too. My man loves to 4wd, and Cleghorn finishes at Silverwood.
Thanks so much for your kind words!
Are you a local, too?
<3
I'm just about two hours from there. We camped there in April. Had a very successful fishing trip too- well, for us anyway! All trout.
Wow cool, I have been wanting to try my hand at fishing and always wondered how the anglers I see at Silverwood fare.
Glad you had a nice camp in April! I bet it rocked Cheers!
At the fish cleaning station we met a family that caught mostly Striper. They fished from a boat though, we did shoreline.
Oh yeah, if you like that flower, maybe you will like these :) https://steemit.com/photography/@creationofcare/walking-with-wildflowers
amazing! Seven Oaks Dam was the 12th tallest dams when it was built in 2000 and is still in the top 10 in the US today; and in the top 25 highest earth fill (no concrete) dams in the world
Thanks for the facts! <3
@creationofcare
Great writeup!
Keep sharing.
So glad you enjoyed!
I love these American countryside so much! Thanks for sharing it!
Thanks so much for saying so! <3
So, what were road conditions like? The few photos showing the route, looked like stuff I could do in my Camry...
The route has a lot of easy sections, but Matt says he sure wouldn't try it in a passenger vehicle. Tbh, we did indeed do it in the Jetta, and made it, but it was a white knuckle at times and I got out to move rocks by hand! Ultimately, it depends on which section and how recently it was regraded:)