=====updated=====
we finished this hike on 1/27/2018
in 2018 Jan, I decided to come back and take the challenge again before summer hits LA
the trail wasn't as hard as our first attempt, besides lower temperature, physical wise I do have much improvement over 2017.
compare to last year I had to stop every 20 minutes, this time we powered through 6.4 miles with 2000 ft elevation without stopping, its still not an easy hike consider it gets sandy, and a bit boring towards the end.
even Actaeas needed some rest at the top
but hey! we did it together!
I will not say the view is rewarding because you can see something pretty similar on your way up, it just slowly reveals more while you hike.
its the accomplishment we were seeking! :)
and we took a same photo at a much higher place
=====original post below=====
one more post to clear out before I can get my hands on Thanksgiving photos, I over slept on Nov 13, Actaeas was too kind to wake me up, I jumped up and get us ready in 10 minutes, but it was a bad call to go out ignoring the temperature close to noon.
we stopped by Monsieur Crêpe before the hike, didn't care that we were already late.
Actaeas was extra hiper that day, he is definitely way stronger than he looks like, once there was a dog walked by, Actaeas charged forward and dragged the table with him to say hi , I almost had no coffee that morning.
the air was starting to get warm, from the parking area to the trailhead was really confusing, you have to walk through a dirty picnic area, pass through a turnstile and turn right(north) to the paved road, keep going up after the road ends, you will see the wood trail up to the canyon with a Flash Flood Area sign.
after walking for few minutes, we were distracted by oak trees and made an early turn went across a short bridge, which wasn't the right way, we were trapped there for a while :P
we got out and decided to go Canyon View Nature Trail toward the waterfall, seeking for cooler temperatures in the canyon. It was a pleasant hike but when the time we got to the end, there was no water anymore.
we backtracked to the trail junction and headed toward Jones Peak
the trail path is clear but shadeless, really HOT even in November, also be prepare, the hike is all the way up.
apparently photo shooting will be the last thing I care when I am nearly to die...
photos I took that day don't do this place justice, the view we got was super rewording.
Actaeas and I did not get to the very end because of the heat, this hike definitely deserves a second visit! we will be back to finish it!
