Photos: In the San Gabriels

The west fork of the San Gabriel River meanders down the mountains. Conservationists want to preserve larger swaths of the San Gabriel Mountains; under their proposal, portions of the San Gabriel River’s east, west and north forks would be protected under the national Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A mountain waterfall flows into the west fork of the San Gabriel River.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Bill Reeves casts on the San Gabriel River. “I’d be happy if this place stayed just the way it is,” the conservationist said. “But with 10 million people living within an hour’s drive, these mountains definitely need more protection.”  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Hikers pass fire-scarred trees along the middle fork of Lytle Creek in the Cucamonga Wilderness.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Mike Arias and his father, Joaquin Arias, of Diamond Bar, hike down the middle fork of Lytle Creek out of the Cucamonga Wilderness.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A fern pokes out of a rocky outcrop along the west fork of the San Gabriel River.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A fire-scarred pine tree along the middle fork of Lytle Creek in the Cucamonga Wilderness.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Indian paintbrush blooms along a trail in the Cucamonga Wilderness. San Gabriel Mountains Forever wants Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas) to fashion a bill that would shield a larger portion of the 655,000-acre range and its free-flowing rivers from pollution and population woes with the strongest federal protections available.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Bright green moss covers a rock along Lytle Creek in the San Gabriel Mountains. Conservationists want to add 30,000 acres to three existing wilderness areas and have part of San Antonio Creek, Lytle Creek and the San Gabriel designated national wild and scenic rivers.  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Hikers follow a trail near the middle fork of Lytle Creek in the Cucamonga Wilderness. “Our aim with this proposal is to protect the one-third of the Angeles National Forest that is still unspoiled open space,” said John Monsen, regional representative of the Sierra Club. “The trick is to get it introduced in time for this Congress to vote on it. If it is delayed another year, there is no telling what will happen.”  (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)