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I spent the day in the Angeles NF tagging a handful of unnamed summits around the SR39/Glendora Mtn Rd area north of San Dimas and similar Inland Empire communities. I had slept the night along SR39 above Morris Reservoir where I planned to start hiking in the morning. It isn't the best place to camp in the National Forest, as I found there is quite a bit of traffic during the night from enthusiasts racing up and down the highway.

Peak 2,843ft

The peak is located SSW of Silver Peak, an LPC summit I visited in 2011. The two are connected by a ridgeline that continues north to Pine Mtn, another LPC summit. I used the same trailhead, Forest Rd 2N28 (aka, the Silver Fish Trail), gated at the highway and no longer open to vehicle traffic. Signs at the TH say it's closed to the the public due to fire damage, but the fires were in 2020 and no longer seem applicable. I checked later, and it seems the Bobcat Fire restrictions were lifted Apr 1. To save some road hiking, I used the shortcut trails that go more steeply up subsidiary ridgelines, a total distance of almost 2mi each way to the summit with 1,500ft of gain. I picked up a few ticks along the way, but thankfully not too many. Once the ridge is reached, the hiking is more relaxed heading south towards the highpoint. It took about an hour to reach the summit, green this time of year with the brush recovering nicely from the fires. I left a register under a small cairn of rocks that just might survive the next burn. I returned via the same route.

Peak 3,529ft

This summit is found above the Heaton Flats TH, utilizing the same trail more commonly used to reach Iron Mtn and Bonita Peak. I had done these two peaks back in 2007, but had skipped Peak 3,529ft because it was already a big day. The trail climbs out of the San Gabriel River drainage to a saddle between Peak 3,529ft and Bonita Peak before turning north to go up and over Bonita. From the saddle, an overgrown use trail goes south and southwest up to the summit of Peak 3,529ft in about 1/3mi. Despite the overgrowth and the dancing around yucca at the midway point, it's a very serviceable trail. It would take a little over an hour to reach the summit which has decent views, but no rocks to sit on, no obvious highpoint, just a few small clearings among the brush. I sat on the ground to take a short break before heading back down the same way. I came across a few other parties on my return, including a young asian guy who asked enthusiastically, "Did you make it?" I know he was referring to Iron Mtn and I probably should have just said, "Yes," but instead I mumbled something about having a different objective while vaguely waving at the skyline above us.

Peak 3,754ft

From Heaton Flat, I drove up Glendora Mtn Rd to Horse Canyon Saddle, then a short distance west to the junction with Forest Rd 2N161. The dirt road is gated at the pavement, but makes for a short walk to the northwest and north to reach the peak. The road goes around the west side of the peak, but the summit can be climbed via an old firebreak from either the south or north. While the south side is shorter, it's much easier (less brush and ticks) to climb it from the north. I went up from the north and then down the south side, about 40min for the roundtrip effort.

Peak 3,733ft

Located along Gendora Ridge Rd just above Peacock Saddle, this was the easiest summit of the day. It took only 15min for the roundtrip starting from a small turnout west of the peak and going up an old firebreak. There is a good view north to Iron & Baldy and the rugged ridgeline connecting them. To the east can be seen Sunset Peak in the foreground - it was towards this that I headed next.

Peak 5,500ft

I drove a few more miles east on Glendora Ridge Rd. Peak 5,500ft lies about 2mi SSW of Sunset Peak, an HPS summit I visited in 2006. There is a dirt road climbing from Glendora Ridge Rd to the ridge connecting Sunset to Peak 5,500ft and further south to some telecom sites at the southern edge of the range. Unfortunately, this road is gated at the pavement and only those with special access privileges are allowed to use it. That would make my hike about 3mi each way, and that was taking the shortcuts up the firebreak. In all, it would involve about 2,400ft of gain and take a bit over 3hrs.

Starting from the gate at the road, I stayed on the dirt Forest Rd (2N071) only a short distance before switching to the steeper, but more direct firebreak. 1,200ft of gain over almost a mile and a half saw me to the top of the intermediate Pt. 5,595ft. Though higher than my target peak, Pt. 5,595ft has little prominence due to its proximity to Sunset Peak, only half a mile to the northeast. I stayed on the firebreak as I continued south over several additional intermediate points with the Forest Road either to my right or left. Without paying close attention to the map, I made the error of going up and over Pt. 5,432ft where though the road in this section would have offered an easier route between two saddles (I would use the road on the way back). I spent about an hour and a half in reaching the summit where I found a survey stake in a small pile of rocks and a register consisting of a handful of loose pages and cards. The clear skies of the morning had been replaced by afternoon haze, making for poorer views. I was rather tired by this time and not so interested in the views anyway. On the way back, I made better use of the road though I stuck mostly to the firebreak again. I did find a bit of excitement in a rattlesnake found on the roadway. It was windy and chilly and the medium-sized snake had little energy to fend me off. After it took a half-hearted jab at my trekking pole, I let it be and continued on my way. I finished up back at the Jeep just before 5p and called it a day. I drove back down Glendora Ridge Rd and Glendora Mtn Rd towards Glendora, stopping to camp for the night at one of the turnoffs while still within the Forest boundary. Once again, it wasn't the quietest place I could have found, but it was better than the previous night...

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