Cattle and Cow Canyon

Canyon

Cattle and Cow Canyon

Page Type: Canyon

Location: California, United States, North America

Lat/Lon: 34.23423°N / 117.71645°W

Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering, Trad Climbing, Toprope, Scrambling, Canyoneering

Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Page By: TacoDelRio

Created/Edited: Sep 27, 2007 / Sep 29, 2007

Object ID: 341421

Hits: 1743

Page Score: 88.35% - 11 Votes

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Table of Contents

Overview

Cattle Canyon is a major canyon that runs east-west (direction of flow) from just west of Baldy Village, to Heaton Flat in the west. It acts as drainage to Mount San Antonio, Iron Mountain (Big Iron), Lookout Mountain, and the entire bordering Glendora Ridge to the south.

Cattle Canyon and Cow Canyon are sharing a page due to Cow Canyon being a small, yet important tributary to the much larger Cattle Canyon.

Entrance in Heaton Flats area

Cattle Canyon's primary drainage is from Mount San Antonio's large south face. Here, West Baldy drops down nearly 9,100ft by the time Cattle Canyon meets San Gabriel River's East Fork.

There are many smaller canyons that lead into Cattle Canyon which offer canyoneering. There are some areas of rock that although loose, may offer toproped routes or trad climbing.

This canyon allows access to an old and tough route up to the summit of Mount San Antonio, known as Bighorn Ridge. Unfortunately, upon my last scout of the route base, it is blocked off from access to the east due to Thompson Ranch.

Map of Canyon System

Getting There

Cattle Canyon can be accessed north of Azusa in the west, and north of Claremont/Upland in the east.

-R39/Azusa Avenue/San Gabriel Canyon Road (West/Azusa)

Cattle Canyon's mouth can be reached from the west via R39, also called Azusa Avenue, and San Gabriel Canyon Road. You can access R39 by exiting the 60, 10, or most preferably, the 210 freeway, and heading north on Azusa Avenue. Azusa becomes San Gabriel Canyon Road. Take this through the canyon until you meet the first bridge and road, which is East Fork Road. Take this all the way east, over the small bridge, to Heaton Flat, where there is parking. You then walk back south down the road, and head east under or past the small bridge. You are now at the terminus of Cattle Canyon.

-Glendora Ridge Road (West/Azusa)

Using the same directions for the R39 approach, go up SGC Road, cross the bridge onto East Fork Road, and instead of driving past Glendora Mountain Road, take GMR south. It will fork into GMR and GRR (Glendora Ridge Road). Take GRR east. GRR terminates at Baldy Village. You will come across an RV park entrance before the road dips down into San Antonio Canyon. if you have permission, this is the eastern method of entrance into Cattle Canyon.

There are many smaller canyons which you'll pass on this route. Some offer canyoneering. An in-depth search on Google may bring you across some of these canyons. Some may even be somewhat unexplored, as this is a relatively new sport/hobby/activity.

Mt Baldy from GRR

-Baldy Road (East/Claremont - Upland area)

Baldy Road, as you can imagine, is the primary road accessing Mount San Antonio (Mt Baldy). You can reach this road by taking the Mountain Avenue exit off the 210 freeway in Upland.

I personally prefer to exit Baseline off the 210 (coming from the west). I take a left on Baseline, then a right on Padua (next turn). Padua reaches a stoplight. Taking a right puts you on Baldy Road.

From Baldy Road, you want to turn left onto GRR (Glendora Ridge Road). This will take you to Cow Canyon Saddle. With permission (assumed), you may enter the canyon from this point.

More information can be found on the Mt Baldy page.

Red Tape

To access via Cow Canyon Saddle in the east, you need a permission slip, which can be obtained here, on the Route 1 section of the Lookout Mountain Page for the Sierra Club Hundred Peaks Section.

Despite there being a rather well-maintained road heading along the majority of the canyon, bicycles are not allowed.

Near the convergance of Cattle and Coldwater canyons is Thompson Ranch, which has gated the road. This is private property, and is illegal to enter without permission of the landowner.

Thompson Ranch Entrance Gate

This canyon marks the southern boundary of the Sheep Mountain Wilderness. Permits are required to enter this wilderness area, and may be picked up at the Heaton Flats Ranger Station. If you are caught without one, you will likely be turned around and made to acquire a pass. These passes are free.

Camping

There are plenty of places for camping in the area. Many folks camp and throw tons (literally) of trash into the river at the convergance of East Fork and Cattle.

Trash left by people who have no respect

External Links

Eldoradoville - Ghost Town

Peacock Canyon Canyoneering

Images