Allow Me to Introduce Myself

My name is Phillip, and ever since 2005 when I first stepped into our local mountains, I knew my life would never be the same.

I was 15 at the time when my buddy and his family invited me for a bike ride in the west fork of the San Gabriel River.

I nearly blacked out, as the trail was long, uphill, and the weight of my Wal-Mart bike was comparable to that of a WW2 Sherman Tank…but I enjoyed every second. A new world had been revealed to me. From that day onward, exploring the mountains was my most ardent desire.

My first hike occurred shortly afterward on a Black Friday, if my memory serves me right, to the water tower above Chantry Flats where Adam’s Pack Station is located. I’d never experienced views from a mountain top, so I wanted to see more.

While most college students spent every weekend drinking and partying, I was either hiking, mountain biking, or snowboarding. I didn’t care what I was doing as long as it was in the mountains, and if it included a little adrenaline, even better. 

When I learned the Angeles Forest had over 300 abandoned mines and more secret waterfalls than known ones, I nearly lost my marbles. I was inseparable from my beautiful San Gabriels.

I bought books, scoured through maps, and watched every Youtube video imaginable to find many of these forgotten gems.