LA-Hike: Devil's Chair and Punchbowl

THIS SUNDAY May 21

Great Outdoors LA Chapter’s May hike will be the iconic Devil’s Chair and Punchbowl. The fascinating geology of this area is all because of the San Andreas Fault, where two different pieces of the North American continent are rubbing against each other.

• Where: parking lot for Devil’s Punchbowl County Park parking lot.
• When: 8:00am

This will likely be a long drive for most so be sure to check your recommended departure time. After a quick safety briefing our aim is to be on the trail by 8:20. The early start is to get ahead of the morning heat, which is forecast to be in the 70s by 10:00.

The hike out to the Chair and back is 7.5 miles with about 600 feet of elevation gain – so relatively flat for a hike in the San Gabriel Mountains! Bring sturdy footwear and hiking poles if you use them. Recent online reports are that the trail is navigable but there’s a lot of loose material due to the very wet winter. We also strongly recommend that you wear full-length pants due to the stinging poodle-dog bush that has grown up all over the area after the Bobcat Fire of 2020. There is a small chance of rain in the forecast, so a light poncho isn’t a bad idea (and of course we’ll assess whether to continue the hike if it starts raining, based on conditions). We’ll have the option of adding the 1-mile Devil’s Punchbowl loop trail at the end of the hike if folks are interested. We also encourage you to bring your lunch for a post-hike picnic at the County Park.

As always on Great Outdoors hikes, we recommend having the ten essentials. In particular bring enough water and electrolytes, sunscreen, and a hat if you wear one – the hike is almost entirely exposed.

The hike is no charge.  To participate you must register on the Great Outdooers LA site (see "Register" button in this announcement or on webpage), and ALSO email your trip leader Matthew Bokach at orobourical@yahoo.com to RSVP or ask any questions.

For photos and a much more detailed description including a trail map and the elevation profile go here: https://trails.lacounty.gov/Trail/1481/devils-chair-trail or here (noting that this hiker did the trail in wintertime): https://modernhiker.com/hike/hiking-the-devils-chair/ .

We also encourage folks to consider carpooling, especially on a long drive like this. Save money, save gas, save the environment.

Health Issues/allergies: It is the responsibility of participants to carry on their person a record of significant allergies, medications and medical history in the event of a medical emergency.  Discuss any medical concerns with the hike leader if you wish.