You make some cool videos and some awesome exploring.. 👌 im also a hiker that love exploring off the trail.., id like to join you for your next cucamonga canyon adventure.
Yeah, it would be nice to organize a trip up there sometime! If you'd like to go sooner, I can give you some details or just hit you up when I decide to head back. I'd like to try and get above that large waterfall with the pool eventually. Apparently there's a way to get around it if you backtrack a little. It would be nice to not do these alone. It's a secluded spot.
Great stuff man! Cool video footage! I’m loving your adventures, it’s great to see another human enjoying the water elements as much as I do. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I defiantly love explore and spots like these are certainly rewarding. I'm happy you enjoy the videos and of course all of the water holes and waterfalls in the San Gabriel Mountains
I have been up 3 1/2 hours hike past the water crossing. Looks like you went further than I did. Ofcourse it looks like cougar country and it was getting dark so we split. Nice to see what was beyond where I went.
Nice! I've hiked up the water crossing another time before and went slower the first time just to take a look at all of the water holes on the way up and didn't go all that far. When I recorded this, it was just to see what was at the upper sections, so my intent was to cover ground. It's really wonderful up there, and I suggest trying to make it up all the way if you can. A while back, I stayed on the trail after the crossing. I didn't go all the way on the trail, but it looks like it ends near Stroddard Canyon Falls after crossing a few other tributaries. It's definitely a neat area that I need to explore more.
The entire San Gabriel mMountain range is "cougar country." But- you are about 10 million times safer up there than in downtown LA on the best of days.
It's about two miles from the trailhead, but you'd have to park about a half mile or so away from the trailhead since there are a lot of no parking signs or something about needing a reservation near the trailhead. In my experience, beginning of the trail feels steeper than it might look, and it gets hot here so I suggest starting early. Here's a google maps link to the creek crossing (below). From there, I went up stream. There are a bunch of deep pools. A little ways up, there's a cabin someone constructed with a chainsaw (I think) in a fallen tree with a fishing pole in it so someone may have been fishing successfully there. www.google.com/maps/dir/34.16519146782213,+-117.62905676733173/34.1811501,-117.6295833/@34.1731823,-117.6368258,3249m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m7!4m6!1m3!2m2!1d-117.6290568!2d34.1651915!1m0!3e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDgyOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
@@nature_exploring ok thanks, me and my buddys r going to head up there this weeekend, is the middle fork the one with the 50' water fall or is that the west fork ?
@@Indiebassin if you go upstream here (34.18120344589349, -117.62919775140347) and then stick to your left (the west side of the canyon) and then stick to the west (north) fork I think here (34.19049329894088, -117.619118032704) you'll make it if you keep going but it requires a lot of rock hopping, the other waterfall is not to far up the other side of the fork - my advice is when you're going up the canyon after you leave the trail, you should stick to where the water is flowing on the left side of the canyon while your going up - there's only one main fork if I remember correctly and you just stick left (the right fork doesn't go all that far before you hit the waterfall)
As a kid in the 60's living in Fontana, I used to dream about hiking all the way up Cucamonga Canyon to the saddle between Cucamonga Peak and Ontario Peak. Never did it. I did manage to get about half way up (backpacked and camped- it was brutal going), and almost broke my neck climbing the big falls. Those were the days long before the closure. Has anyone ever been either all the way up or down this impressive canyon? PS- used to be decent trout fishing, beginning as far down as the wash at the mouth of the canyon. That was before the flood control concrete was installed. Sure loved that place- kind of "cut my outdoor teeth" up there
I did some digging and I think that people have done some canyoneering starting from above or rock climbing to get around the falls like you did. I guy named Christopher Earls Brennen has a blog where he discussed going above the larger waterfall which he refers to as the lower falls of middle Cucamonga canyon like you did. He also mentions that there is a main fall above this, but I don't think he went all that much further (brennen.caltech.edu/advents/cucamg.htm). There is also a page on ropewiki page that discusses this a little (I think) but I'm assuming that the picture of the waterfall the guy is repelling down must be above where I was able to get if it is indeed the same canyon (ropewiki.com/Cucamonga_Canyon_%28Upper%29).
Also, there still may be some fish here. The first time I explored this area was during a drought year in the summer or fall if I recall correctly, and there was still plenty of water flowing through the canyon. Also, the cabin I stopped by had a fishing pole in it. I did a video on the lower part of this tributary a few months before I decided to go further up and I got some good footage of a fishing pole at four minutes an eleven seconds in this video (th-cam.com/video/xVSSQTKQaHM/w-d-xo.html) so clearly someone is still fishing there.
Me too!! I grew up in Pomona (64 now) and started going up there in the mid 1970's. Tried making it to the top with a friend twice in the mid 1990's. First time had to turn around because it got too dangerous. Came back the next year with ropes and climbing gear and still did not make it. Destroyed my backpack and got stabbed in the Achillies tendon by a bayonet plant (yucca) which cramped up my foot for the rest of the hike. Have taken up fly fishing in my retirement, trying to get back in shape to make it back up there.
@@Howie875 Cool! I have yet to find anything about "through hiking" hiking Cucamonga Canyon. Strange- it is such an immense canyon, very Sierra-like, and yet basically untrodden above the falls, apparently. Would be interesting to see if trout got established up there- they used to stock it at the fire road crossing just above the big falls- maybe some of them managed to work their way upstream, despite all the cataracts. Too bad it's such a pain to get in there now, and really too bad how the assholes have tagged everything. Syphilization, as Edward Abbey said. Coolest thing I ever did there was to hike in via the fire road in a rainstorm in Dec. '69, while a "hundred year" flood was raging (it rained for 2 straight weeks, my senior yr. at Fontana High). You could hear the roar for miles. The "creek" looked like the Colorado River- brown, roiling, about 50 yards wide and hard to say how deep- there were large pine tree trunks being swept downstream. I guess you could say I "cut my outdoor teeth" up there. If you ever come across info on hiking the upper canyon, please let me know! Cheers, tom
@@thomassmith-s4i Wow Tom that description of that flood is fascinating! I remember that time. I was 9 and it seemed it rained for month! A cousin of mine who grew up in Pomona told me a story of a big flood in the 1930's (which is when and why they started all the flood control projects) and she said where San Antonio creek crosses Holt Avenue (was an actual creek then, no cement channel) it was about 100 yards wide, and she saw a house float by! Yes, in the days we used to go up To Cucamonga canyon it was in almost pristine condition. I can't believe how much graffiti these slimebag taggers have left up there. I think it gets so steep and dangerous above that last waterfall that few people attempt it or make it. At one time I entertained the idea of going from the top down from a ridge at Cucamonga peak, but I realized that would be a horrible way to get stuck, not being able to go up or down, so I abandoned that idea. If I find any info, I will send it your way, but my canyon climbing days are over. Take care, Ron.
Awesome! It's an interesting spot. The larger waterfall if further upstream. When you go up, there's a spot where the stream forks and the large waterfall is up the left fork (the smaller last waterfall is to the right - not the big one). It takes a good amount of rock hopping, but if you keep going, you'll get there. It can be an 8-10 mile round trip depending on where you park. I'm not exactly sure how far up it is.
@@nature_exploring thanks a lot. I got confused because on your video I thought the east fork (going left) was where the smaller one was and the west (going right by following the steam) is where the big one is. We did about 8 miles. Stooped where the cabin was. Might have to go back alone. thanks a lot
@@jogandhikechinohills Opps, I may have made a mistake with that. I the west fork (to the left going upstream) is where the bigger one was. The fork I am referring to is past the cabin (going upstream). I'll double check the video later. I know I made a mistake in the Montecito hot spring video and one of my Silver Creek Falls video, where I say one thing but mean something else. Sometimes I catch it before I edit the videos together, but I sometimes I don't and wind up updating the description.
I just checked and the west fork is to the left and east fork is to the right. Unless you get turned around significantly, the directions (east and west) should be about right, and it looks like it from that map. In the future, the left fork is where the big waterfall is (upstream from the cabin).
I fished that area back in the 80’s and I went upstream from that waterfall, I went up about 1 miles and it was beautiful but I turned around because I kept running into rattlesnakes.
Nice! I've heard about people going above the waterfall by scrambling around and up from lower down the canyon. I'll have to go back and try that sometime. It's definitely a gorgeous area!
@@nature_exploring. It is but sadly but people leave there trash and graffiti everywhere, I live in Orange County and Trabuco and San Juan creek are no longer hidden gems😖
@@johnreyes1749 I've seen pictures of Sapphire Falls and that spot is full of graffiti. It's been officially closed since before I moved to the LA area. Thankfully the spots further up stream are more or less untouched. I need to get out to OC more. I've been out to the San Juan Hot Springs along San Juan Creek, which are closed for wading, but it's clear that people still use them from the trash. I make these videos to encourage folks to get outside and explore, but at the same time I hate when people trash and vandalize the nice spots.
@@johnreyes1749 Yeah, the East Fork is pretty trashed now. I hardly ever go despite there being some neat spots up there. I don't mind people knowing about places, but I hate when these spots get trashed and vandalized. It's very unfortunate.
These waterfalls in this video should be open. I think Sapphire Falls is officially closed, but I've seen videos of people exploring those waterfalls recently (there's a video titled "Sapphire Falls after Heavy Rainfall 3/9/23" on TH-cam) so I'm not completely sure if the signs are old or if it's actually closed but not really enforced.
You make some cool videos and some awesome exploring.. 👌 im also a hiker that love exploring off the trail.., id like to join you for your next cucamonga canyon adventure.
Yeah, it would be nice to organize a trip up there sometime! If you'd like to go sooner, I can give you some details or just hit you up when I decide to head back. I'd like to try and get above that large waterfall with the pool eventually. Apparently there's a way to get around it if you backtrack a little. It would be nice to not do these alone. It's a secluded spot.
Great stuff man!
Cool video footage!
I’m loving your adventures, it’s great to see another human enjoying the water elements as much as I do.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I defiantly love explore and spots like these are certainly rewarding. I'm happy you enjoy the videos and of course all of the water holes and waterfalls in the San Gabriel Mountains
Is there any poison ivy in this canyon to be aware of?
My hiking partner is very allergic to it, so I thought I ask.
Another great adventure!! Thank you for sharing 🥾🥾
Thanks! I'm happy I decided to go further up. It makes me want to go up further at other places like this where I've turned back.
I have been up 3 1/2 hours hike past the water crossing. Looks like you went further than I did. Ofcourse it looks like cougar country and it was getting dark so we split. Nice to see what was beyond where I went.
Nice! I've hiked up the water crossing another time before and went slower the first time just to take a look at all of the water holes on the way up and didn't go all that far. When I recorded this, it was just to see what was at the upper sections, so my intent was to cover ground. It's really wonderful up there, and I suggest trying to make it up all the way if you can. A while back, I stayed on the trail after the crossing. I didn't go all the way on the trail, but it looks like it ends near Stroddard Canyon Falls after crossing a few other tributaries. It's definitely a neat area that I need to explore more.
The entire San Gabriel mMountain range is "cougar country." But- you are about 10 million times safer up there than in downtown LA on the best of days.
how far is the west fork from the trail head ima go fish there on Saturday
It's about two miles from the trailhead, but you'd have to park about a half mile or so away from the trailhead since there are a lot of no parking signs or something about needing a reservation near the trailhead. In my experience, beginning of the trail feels steeper than it might look, and it gets hot here so I suggest starting early. Here's a google maps link to the creek crossing (below). From there, I went up stream. There are a bunch of deep pools. A little ways up, there's a cabin someone constructed with a chainsaw (I think) in a fallen tree with a fishing pole in it so someone may have been fishing successfully there.
www.google.com/maps/dir/34.16519146782213,+-117.62905676733173/34.1811501,-117.6295833/@34.1731823,-117.6368258,3249m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m7!4m6!1m3!2m2!1d-117.6290568!2d34.1651915!1m0!3e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDgyOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
@@nature_exploring ok thanks, me and my buddys r going to head up there this weeekend, is the middle fork the one with the 50' water fall or is that the west fork ?
@@Indiebassin if you go upstream here (34.18120344589349, -117.62919775140347) and then stick to your left (the west side of the canyon) and then stick to the west (north) fork I think here (34.19049329894088, -117.619118032704) you'll make it if you keep going but it requires a lot of rock hopping, the other waterfall is not to far up the other side of the fork - my advice is when you're going up the canyon after you leave the trail, you should stick to where the water is flowing on the left side of the canyon while your going up - there's only one main fork if I remember correctly and you just stick left (the right fork doesn't go all that far before you hit the waterfall)
@@nature_exploring ok thank you so much!
so when i get to (34.19049329894088, -117.619118032704) i go up the main fork not the trib right ?
As a kid in the 60's living in Fontana, I used to dream about hiking all the way up Cucamonga Canyon to the saddle between Cucamonga Peak and Ontario Peak. Never did it. I did manage to get about half way up (backpacked and camped- it was brutal going), and almost broke my neck climbing the big falls. Those were the days long before the closure. Has anyone ever been either all the way up or down this impressive canyon? PS- used to be decent trout fishing, beginning as far down as the wash at the mouth of the canyon. That was before the flood control concrete was installed. Sure loved that place- kind of "cut my outdoor teeth" up there
I did some digging and I think that people have done some canyoneering starting from above or rock climbing to get around the falls like you did. I guy named Christopher Earls Brennen has a blog where he discussed going above the larger waterfall which he refers to as the lower falls of middle Cucamonga canyon like you did. He also mentions that there is a main fall above this, but I don't think he went all that much further (brennen.caltech.edu/advents/cucamg.htm). There is also a page on ropewiki page that discusses this a little (I think) but I'm assuming that the picture of the waterfall the guy is repelling down must be above where I was able to get if it is indeed the same canyon (ropewiki.com/Cucamonga_Canyon_%28Upper%29).
Also, there still may be some fish here. The first time I explored this area was during a drought year in the summer or fall if I recall correctly, and there was still plenty of water flowing through the canyon. Also, the cabin I stopped by had a fishing pole in it. I did a video on the lower part of this tributary a few months before I decided to go further up and I got some good footage of a fishing pole at four minutes an eleven seconds in this video (th-cam.com/video/xVSSQTKQaHM/w-d-xo.html) so clearly someone is still fishing there.
Me too!! I grew up in Pomona (64 now) and started going up there in the mid 1970's. Tried making it to the top with a friend twice in the mid 1990's. First time had to turn around because it got too dangerous. Came back the next year with ropes and climbing gear and still did not make it. Destroyed my backpack and got stabbed in the Achillies tendon by a bayonet plant (yucca) which cramped up my foot for the rest of the hike. Have taken up fly fishing in my retirement, trying to get back in shape to make it back up there.
@@Howie875 Cool! I have yet to find anything about "through hiking" hiking Cucamonga Canyon. Strange- it is such an immense canyon, very Sierra-like, and yet basically untrodden above the falls, apparently. Would be interesting to see if trout got established up there- they used to stock it at the fire road crossing just above the big falls- maybe some of them managed to work their way upstream, despite all the cataracts. Too bad it's such a pain to get in there now, and really too bad how the assholes have tagged everything. Syphilization, as Edward Abbey said. Coolest thing I ever did there was to hike in via the fire road in a rainstorm in Dec. '69, while a "hundred year" flood was raging (it rained for 2 straight weeks, my senior yr. at Fontana High). You could hear the roar for miles. The "creek" looked like the Colorado River- brown, roiling, about 50 yards wide and hard to say how deep- there were large pine tree trunks being swept downstream. I guess you could say I "cut my outdoor teeth" up there. If you ever come across info on hiking the upper canyon, please let me know! Cheers, tom
@@thomassmith-s4i Wow Tom that description of that flood is fascinating! I remember that time. I was 9 and it seemed it rained for month! A cousin of mine who grew up in Pomona told me a story of a big flood in the 1930's (which is when and why they started all the flood control projects) and she said where San Antonio creek crosses Holt Avenue (was an actual creek then, no cement channel) it was about 100 yards wide, and she saw a house float by! Yes, in the days we used to go up To Cucamonga canyon it was in almost pristine condition. I can't believe how much graffiti these slimebag taggers have left up there. I think it gets so steep and dangerous above that last waterfall that few people attempt it or make it. At one time I entertained the idea of going from the top down from a ridge at Cucamonga peak, but I realized that would be a horrible way to get stuck, not being able to go up or down, so I abandoned that idea. If I find any info, I will send it your way, but my canyon climbing days are over. Take care, Ron.
This is awesome! We were there today! We made it to the cabin and back. Is the biggest waterfall in your video past the cabin! Thanks
Awesome! It's an interesting spot. The larger waterfall if further upstream. When you go up, there's a spot where the stream forks and the large waterfall is up the left fork (the smaller last waterfall is to the right - not the big one). It takes a good amount of rock hopping, but if you keep going, you'll get there. It can be an 8-10 mile round trip depending on where you park. I'm not exactly sure how far up it is.
@@nature_exploring thanks a lot. I got confused because on your video I thought the east fork (going left) was where the smaller one was and the west (going right by following the steam) is where the big one is. We did about 8 miles. Stooped where the cabin was. Might have to go back alone. thanks a lot
@@jogandhikechinohills Opps, I may have made a mistake with that. I the west fork (to the left going upstream) is where the bigger one was. The fork I am referring to is past the cabin (going upstream). I'll double check the video later. I know I made a mistake in the Montecito hot spring video and one of my Silver Creek Falls video, where I say one thing but mean something else. Sometimes I catch it before I edit the videos together, but I sometimes I don't and wind up updating the description.
I just checked and the west fork is to the left and east fork is to the right. Unless you get turned around significantly, the directions (east and west) should be about right, and it looks like it from that map. In the future, the left fork is where the big waterfall is (upstream from the cabin).
I fished that area back in the 80’s and I went upstream from that waterfall, I went up about 1 miles and it was beautiful but I turned around because I kept running into rattlesnakes.
Nice! I've heard about people going above the waterfall by scrambling around and up from lower down the canyon. I'll have to go back and try that sometime. It's definitely a gorgeous area!
@@nature_exploring. It is but sadly but people leave there trash and graffiti everywhere, I live in Orange County and Trabuco and San Juan creek are no longer hidden gems😖
@@johnreyes1749 I've seen pictures of Sapphire Falls and that spot is full of graffiti. It's been officially closed since before I moved to the LA area. Thankfully the spots further up stream are more or less untouched.
I need to get out to OC more. I've been out to the San Juan Hot Springs along San Juan Creek, which are closed for wading, but it's clear that people still use them from the trash. I make these videos to encourage folks to get outside and explore, but at the same time I hate when people trash and vandalize the nice spots.
@@nature_exploring. It’s like the East Fork of the San Gabriel river, everyone knows about it now.
@@johnreyes1749 Yeah, the East Fork is pretty trashed now. I hardly ever go despite there being some neat spots up there. I don't mind people knowing about places, but I hate when these spots get trashed and vandalized. It's very unfortunate.
Is it open?
These waterfalls in this video should be open. I think Sapphire Falls is officially closed, but I've seen videos of people exploring those waterfalls recently (there's a video titled "Sapphire Falls after Heavy Rainfall 3/9/23" on TH-cam) so I'm not completely sure if the signs are old or if it's actually closed but not really enforced.