Hike to Nowhere

This past Saturday we decided to do the long hike out to the Bridge to Nowhere. This hike is in Azusa Canyon up Highway 39 in the Angeles National Forest. Some say this hike is close to the Inland Empire, but because I’m coming from the other side I say its closer to Covina. This bridge was built around 1936 and it was supposed to be part of a road connecting the San Gabriel Valley to Wrightwood.  The road was supposed to follow the river through the canyon but due to rockslides and wash-outs the developers quickly realized this road was going to be too hard to maintain, so they abandoned it. The bridge stands however, but it leads nowhere!

Cooling off in the river

This hike is a fun trek with some boulder scrambling, river crossings, and nice meandering trails through the canyon. We went on a Saturday that happened to have a lot of people so lots of non-hikers were on the trail. The trail is a bit hard to follow but that’s part of the fun! I never felt we were in any danger of getting lost. The hike is an out and back with a total distance of 9-11 miles depending on where you park and there is around a 1000 foot elevation gain. You barely notice the elevation gain though because it is such a gentle climb. I’d say the hardest part was dealing with the heat. There isn’t a lot of shade on most of the hike so bring lots of water and a good wide brimmed hat.

Lots of brush and sharp plants.

Exhibit A: Sharp plants. Kristen's leg got shanked

We started out a little late, hitting the trail around 8am. We brought Heather and Kristen’s mom along for the hike so it was a fun group. I would prefer to do this trail on a weekday or a Sunday though because of the crowd of inexperienced hikers. I’m not sure if I will come back and do this trail again, its one of those that you do once to say you’ve done it but don’t revisit.

The crowd at the bridge. All of these people are waiting to bungee jump! Crazies...

Heather, Kristen and I at the bridge

Fitness wise, the week has gone very well. I lost almost 2 pounds! I’m really trying to cut back on my carb intake, which of course is no fun. Who doesn’t love pasta and potatoes? We grilled up a bunch of chicken and salmon on Sunday to last us through the week and hopefully save some time.

Some people may think I have a trainer, run, and hike long distances to lose weight. That is only partially true. I find it important to say that I do all of that to get healthier, to get stronger, and yes, some of it is to lose weight. I would rather be strong with a little extra meat on my bones than skinny and unable to walk up a steep hill or carry heavy things. Being healthy has always been my goal.

Next week we are re-visiting one of our favorite hiking spots, Chino Hills State Park. Lots of climbs there so we can train up a bit more for the bigger hikes.

Less than a month to go until Yosemite! 29 days!