Mt. Islip, California
Posted by: 
showbizkid
N 34° 20.701 W 117° 50.395
11S E 422749 N 3800731
Mt. Islip is a 8250 foot peak on the east front range of the San Gabriel Mountains in the Angeles National Forest.
Waymark Code: WM662
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 01/17/2006
Views: 87
A climb up to the peak of Mt. Islip is a fun hike with only about 1500 feet in elevation gain to reach 8250 feet in elevation. Much of the hike is on the Pacific Coast Trail.
There are multiple routes to Islip, but this is the most straightforward and my favorite:
- Take I-210 to Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2) and drive about 39.5 miles to Islip Saddle (mile marker 64.1). Park here.
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From the parking area (6680'), hike across the Angeles Crest Highway to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).
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Hike up the PCT, past Little Jimmy Campground up to Windy Gap.
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Turn right at Windy Gap and follow the trail up to a junction with a trail coming up from Little Jimmy Campground.
- Turn left and continue up to a signed junction with the Big Cienaga Trail.
Turn right and continue to the summit.
Just prior to the summit there’s the remains of a rock hut. On the summit you will find the concrete footpad for a fire lookout tower that stood here in the 1920’s and 30’s.
Really nice views here when the weather is clear. I have done this hike in both fall and winter and it was great both times.
For more details on the history of the peak, here’s a Sierra Club Webpage. For alternate routes to Mt. Islip, here's another Sierra Club Webpage.
For those who search such things, Mt. Islip hosts a GEOCACHE and two USGS BENCHMARKS.
To log your visit to this waymark, post your own photo of yourself on the peak and leave some brief comments. Logs without photos will be archived. Thanks.
Me on the peak:
The stone cabin remains in winter:
View from Islip. That’s Mt. Baldy peaking through the saddle:
