Okay, it's time to get everyone's mind out of the gutter and back to
complaining about letterboxing sites. I've just planted a new
letterbox that requires a very strenuous hike. It's a 2.7 mile hike
up into the San Gabrial Mountains north of Pasadena, California, on a
trail with no shade, planted at the beginning of the hottest months
in Southern California (there's also that 2.7 mile hike back down the
mountain to your car). Anyone attempting to find this letterbox in
the next 4 months is crazy (bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and a
hat). Here are the clues posted on the LBNA:

Distance: 5.4 miles round trip
Difficulty: Very Strenuous. This trip requires a 2.7 mile hike up
the historic Mount Wilson Toll Road, and then a 2.7 mile return by
the same routeno public vehicles are allowed. The toll road itself
is a 12-foot wide, well-graded dirt road, but it travels very steeply
up into the San Gabrial Mountains, and there is no shade until you
reach Henninger Flats; because of this, you should only make this
trip early in the morning, or when the weather is cool. This trail
passes through a rugged wilderness area, so watch for rattlesnakes,
wear sunscreen and a hat, and bring water. Henninger Flats is open 7
days a week, and hiking is allowed from sunrise to sunset.

Directions travelling west: Take the West 210 Freeway to Pasadena
and exit on Sierra Madre Blvd./San Marino. Turn slight left onto
Maple Street. Take Maple a few blocks to Altadena Drive. Turn right
on North Altadena Drive for 2.7 miles to Crescent Drive. Turn right
on Crescent and right again on Pinecrest Drive to find the entrance
to the trail. You'll need to park out on Crescent. Observe the
parking signs carefully.

Directions travelling east: Take the East 210 Freeway to Pasadena
and exit on Sierra Madre Blvd./Altadena Drive. Stay straight to go
onto Corson Street for one block to Altadena Drive. Turn left onto
North Altadena Drive for 2.7 miles to Crescent Drive. Turn right on
Crescent and right again on Pinecrest Drive to find the entrance to
the trail. You'll need to park out on Crescent. Observe the parking
signs carefully.

Henninger Flats is a pine-shaded area that has a rich history. It
was originally homesteaded in 1880 by William K. Henninger who
planted hay, melons, corn, and fruit trees in his "farm in the
clouds." After harvesting his crop, he would pack the produce down
the steep trail he built to Eaton Canyon, and beyond to markets in
Pasadena and Los Angeles. This trail later became part of the Mount
Wilson Toll Road, and from 1891 until 1938 it was one of the few
trails into the San Gabrials. In 1917, Chinese laborers widened the
Toll Road to its present size to allow the passage of the 100-inch
Hooker telescope on its way up to the Mount Wilson Observatory. This
was the largest telescope in the world until the 1947, 200-inch Hale
Telescope on Mount Palomar. Bottles of Japanese sake have been found
along the trail that date from this time period. Since 1928, the
Flats have served as a high-elevation experimental conifer nursery
for the Forest Service. 20,000 trees are grown yearly at the nursery
for use in the reforestation of burned areas, soil erosion control,
and roadside stabilization. Many of the early trees in Los Angeles'
Griffith Park came from seedlings grown on Henninger.

Camping, firewood, wood stoves, horse corral and flush toilets are
all free of charge to the public (camping and fire permits are
required, so please call (626) 794-0675 for information). There is a
Visitor's Center with exhibits and photographs showing the history of
the Mount Wilson Toll Road and the local mountains. A County
Forester is on duty 24 hours a day. No motorized vehicles are
allowed.

SPECIAL NOTE: Please make this trip primarily to enjoy the
historically rich hike, and the visit to Henninger Flats; otherwise,
you may be very disappointed should you happen to find my letterbox
missing after that long, hot climb.