(First trip I just did two, next trip I got the other two, see the update)
I set out to do the Los Angeles equivalent of the DeCaLiBron, a loop in the San Gabriels that visits four HPS peaks. I only got two of them but I shall return.
I got a late start as usual and drove to the Monte Cristo Campground, which is on the Angeles Forest Highway about 9 miles south of Mill Creek. After locating the trailhead and parking, there was some confusion over where the loop starts. There's a barely visible use trail that starts just after the metal gate, but the use trail shortly became more visible. At this point I was glad I was doing the loop counter-clockwise because I wouldn't want to descend that section due to it being steep and loose. After a while I got to Iron Mountain #3, complete with a hand-painted sign. I didn't see a register or a benchmark.
I soon saw that I could have taken a fire road instead of most of the ridge trail. Somewhat disheartening, but also the steepness was good training.
Continuing further up, including more steepness, I got to Roundtop. There wasn't a sign, a register, or a benchmark that I could see.
At that point, my backup phone alerted me that it was at 15% charge. I'd taken it with my main phone because I'd forgotten to charge the main phone and it was also very low. I wasn't expecting the new-ish backup phone to have the same issue as the phone it replaced, but maybe it inherited bad settings or a bad app. I had a mapping app and the Polar HRM app open, but they haven't seemed to run down the main phone as much.
Leaving aside my issue with phones, I'm now cautious when both phones are low. Even though I'd done a good majority of the elevation gain, I didn't know if the way back was going to be on a fire road or a barely-distinct use trail. I didn't know if I would be able to finish before dark or whether I'd spend a few hours by headlamp looking for the exit. So, I decided to get the other two peaks (Granite and Rabbit) on a later visit. Instead, I continued along Roundtop Road - passing by Granite - to Mt Pacifico Road and thus back to the Angeles Forest Road. There wasn't much traffic but it didn't take that long to impose on someone for a lift back to the campground. I got there while there was still some light.
Another factor was that it was frigging cold due to a strong wind. In fact, there were water seeps across the roads that had frozen solid. They weren't large enough to affect a car, but bikers might run into problems. I had to put my puffer on but I'd wished I'd worn leggings. Likewise, the first part of the loop is a bit overgrown and I wish I'd worn my ankle-high gaiters for that section. The vegetation on the rest was more like the nearby Emma Mountain. I saw no one else on the trail and, while I saw lots of boot prints in places, it doesn't look like the loop sees lots of traffic.
Next time I'll probably do the whole loop with recharged phones, or I might just do Rabbit and Granite as an out and back.
UPDATE: On Sat Jan 17, 2026 I went back and did the whole loop counter-clockwise as I'd intended to the first time. I visited Iron #3 as before, but I didn't bother with the short spur to Roundtop since I'd already done it. Then, I walked Roundtop Road as before, but this time I left the road and did the brief hike up to Granite.
More adventure ensued as I didn't see exactly what's the summit, but I walked to where the mapping app has it (a large tree) so I'll claim it. I didn't see a benchmark or a register. Wandering around the summit area took some time and I didn't bother to take any photos, especially because my phone was in a wrist holder. Then I began the interminable, Type 2 Fun descent on steep and loose ground.
By that time it was starting to get dark and I was considering coming back to do Rabbit another day, but there didn't appear to be a way to avoid it. It has a register but I decided to keep going instead of signing it or taking photos. I had to use my headlamp for most of the descent down Rabbit, and that wasn't exactly fun.
I was (momentarily) glad to get down to a fire road, thinking I could get down the last two miles in half an hour or so. And, it started OK even if the road was a bit rough. Then, even more adventure ensued as I reached a point where the recent storm had really done a number on what was now a "road". In parts the water had washed out the center of the road with a channel that was around three feet high. There were several stream crossings that I just walked through. Coming down Rabbit I'd seen a car and I'd assumed it was on this road, but it must have been the fabled Ghost Car of the Angeles because only a heavy tank could drive that road as it is now. Eventually I made it back to the campground and "civilization". While the fires looked cheery, they were overshadowed by a party playing loud music.
While I did this under the average time listed elsewhere, I really underestimated how long this would take and the difficulty due to the tread and steepness. I'd only recommend people try this if they have offtrail desert experience. It's all Class 1, but the steep uphills and downhills make it fairly difficult. OTOH, the steepness is good training.
Also, note that on the way to Roundtop there are at least three major false summits, then you get to... a fire road you could have taken instead. But, that'd take the Type 2 Fun out of it, right?
This time I wore knee-high gaiters and those were welcome.
As for which direction to take, I would have normally said counter-clockwise. Mainly because (if you're going that direction) the first section is fairly steep and loose, and the section from Iron to the first false summit is even steeper. While none of it quite reaches the steepness of the Lawlor firebreak, parts comes close. I think the grade coming down from Granite isn't quite at the grade of some of the parts up to Roundtop.
In any case, I'll probably return for training purposes.
