West Fork Wildflower Ride...

We three, took a ride along the West Fork today. I couldn't convince my son to ride the mtb (quite the dedicated roadie) so we were limited to riding the paved section which, if you overlook the climb up Cogswell Dam, did make for a nice relaxing ride. While that was fine, it unfortunately meant I wouldn't be able to follow in the tire treads of White Boy Be Crazy, who earlier in the year continued along the dirt on the far side of the dam. This approx. 14 mile route is one of the easiest mountain rides you will find in the San Gabriel Mountains, and a great place to spend an afternoon; maybe this year I can get it together and organize a little ride up there. The West Fork is a popular catch and release spot for fisherfolk, and a couple guys had figured out that by bringing their bikes they could reach the areas further back, away from the easier, walking distance stretches of river.

a couple of the numerous small cascades dropping into the canyon 

and another more vertically inclined one. you could easily get under this one and catch the spray. the sun was just peeking over the drop way up above and making little prisms out of the spray, and i thought it would make a nice photo, a bunch of little sparkles dropping from the sky, but apparently not.

maybe i need a special filter for that

columbine

the river road through one of the narrow sections of canyon

monkeyflower

leopard lily, i'm thinking

yet another of the small waterfalls

admittedly, that climb to the top of Cogswell Dam is quite steep,

so i didn't give them too much grief for walking much of it. Mt. Baldy in the distance

first snake of the day, just a plain old...i actually don't know what kind

does a plethora of flowers this time of year equate to a plethora of berries later?

if so, there will be a feast this autumn

snake no. 2, a pudgy little rattler

one final view of the West Fork San Gabriel River

By the way, does anyone know about access across Cogswell Dam, I know there is a gate at the houses (which I have never seen closed) and no one has ever said anything to me; I have never been warned away, nor heard of anyone being told to stay out. There were a bunch of Public Works people up there today, and again, not a word to my son or me as we rode through, but when my wife came up behind they asked what she was doing in a restricted access area. She continued on, regardless, to get up to us across the dam. What gives? The land all around is National Forest, so can the County deny access across the dam which, from what I can tell is owned by the County Flood Control District, and managed by Public Works?