Angeles National Forest

San Antonio Canyon 

  

click photo to enlarge		 This is the Mt. Baldy Visitor Center in the Angeles National Forest. It was originally the one room school house for the village of Mt. Baldy and it was built in 1921. We have been volunteering here one day a month now for a year. During the day here, the kinds of people that come in change. In the early morning you get the serious hikers who want information on the condition of the trails in the winter and to pick up any permits they might need. Later in the morning it changes to more recreational hikers and then families. We have now hiked most of the trails in the area and have pictures we can show when people want to know about any specific trail.
Cloudless Sulphur
click photo to enlarge		 This is another building on the grounds. Just to the right of the building you can see a little bit of red peeking through the trees from the visitors center. One of the Forest Rangers uses this as her office now. They offer many educational programs for individuals and school groups at the visitor center for more information click here.
Common Buckeye
click photo to enlarge		 Later in the morning we will drive back down the Canyon and work out of this shed selling Forest Adventure Passes and dispensing whatever information people ask about. Or at least we try<grin>. Some of the questions are really out there. Sometimes I will go out with one of the rangers picking up trash or whatever else they may need help with. One time we went up to Glendora Ridge road with a blanket because a motorcyclist had gone over the edge and climbed back up. While waiting for an ambulance in case he was in shock we wanted to provide any assistance that might have been required.
Lower San Antonio Canyon
click photo to enlarge		 This is a lousy picture but it shows the canyon where the shed is located. It is just behind the pine trees in the lower left. The stream bed on the right can become a raging river in the spring with snow melt and rain. It empties the entire San Antonio Canyon. Many people have died getting to close to this and falling in. We have hiked up the canyon to see the power of the water when it floods. It has taken out entire roadways.
San Antonio Canyon
click photo to enlarge		 This photo looks the other way up San Antonio Canyon. It can really be quite pretty and we enjoy meeting the people who come and helping them enjoy their day in the forest. After a few hours selling passes out of the shed we will go back up the canyon to the visitor center and finish our day there.