Moments in Dirt and Ink

Los Padres National Forest Locate the trailhead. There's been some fires in the backcountry for a month or two and their effects could be seen near Paradise Road on the way to Red Rock, even a little bit on the river side of the road. There was also a bit of construction on the last river ford forcing us to park a bit before the parking lot and navigate bulldozed areas and pumping equipment to get to the trail. Thanks to the fires and it being just about along the fire road, the trail also required navigating bulldozed areas if a little less extreme in the bulldozing. A nice wide trail thanks to the fire road being reestablished, but no actual burn around here. The river is just a series of puddles, though many of them are quite deep. A deep pool along the generally dry Santa Ynez River.

Los Padres National Forest Decided to have an overnight on the mountain. Haven't been there for quite a few years now and the little car should have plenty of clearance for the fairly well maintained roads up there. So up I-5 to Smokey Bear Parkway and just sort of go strait to get to the entrance to Hungry Valley. Then watch out for kids on dirt bikes that are worse than jackrabbits since they'll come back around to jump out in front of you again. I went up to the top of Alamo mountain some three times when I was a camp councilor near Fraizer Park and had been up there twice since, but not since the 4x4 died. The road used to be a bit of a sand trap but it had gotten paved the last time I went so I figured they were probably taking care of the road and it would be fine to take the car up it. It's now mostly gravel, but still a very nice road. Especially considering it's going through an off road vehicular park. I guess it's nice they're taking care ...

Angeles National Forest Locate the trailhead. There was a very large moon scheduled for the 0:48UT on the 30th, according to the calendar. This made it seem quite reasonable to head out late on the 29th for a bit of moon watching. Perhaps some star gazing too. We chose to try for De Vore campground but the guidebook (1994) noted that the road on the map (1995 and still the one sold) was closed and this would probably be permanent. A little investigation confirmed this. Also there would be toilets and no water. We weren't really looking for much of a hike, though. Just a stroll in and out with stars and the moon in the middle. So, even though De Vore is supposed to be one of the 10 best campgrounds in LA (according to some Gorp listing) and the next one up, West Fork, not quite as good but still very nice, we decided to stay at Valley Forge, the first campground along the long closed road. It's got a nice historic ring to it, anyway. We drove up to Red Box la...

Santa Barbara Front Country Locate the trailhead. My mother and I decided to hike up Jesusita to Inspiration Point. There is no actual Jesusita trailhead, it connects Arroyo Burro to Tunnel at points very close to the trailhead of each of those. I think that's how it works, anyway. It might share Arroyo Burro for a bit instead. We decided to go up from the west side at Arroyo Burro where parking is generally easier and the route is longer. Also, my mother seemed to be worried about dive bombing mountain bikers that are apparently more common on the other side of the trail which has some very fun steep sections. A bit of shade at the start of the trail. Looking out over the ridges and trail and power lines.

Angeles National Forest Locate the trailhead. Today's grand escapade was found about 27 miles up highway 2 just the other side of Upper Chilao Campground. Well signed and even with a bathroom, we came to... Here be Devils Canyon. Well, on down the trail a while, actually. Devils Canyon! Um, trail. The actual canyon is at the end of the trail as most of it is going down a tributary. And so we headed out into the San Gabriel Wilderness. Also we met our first set of backpackers. The San Gabriel Wilderness starts just the other side of the road from the parking.

The Long Trail Camel's Hump State Forest Part 2, continuing from the first half . A little more view from further along. A little reminder of what I am not prepared for and should be when hiking in the east. I hadn't even occurred to me to bring rain gear for the trip, must less for a hike that started with such a clear sky. These never did get to be threatening that particular day.

The Long Trail Camel's Hump State Forest Locate the trailhead. Finally on my own with my own car in Vermont, I could go out hiking. Not that I went very far. A short way down state route 17 from Irasville where we were staying is The Long Trail. General Stark is 2.3 miles along and Massachusetts is just 155.6 miles away. Going up, occasionally there would be an opening to see the view.

Monrovia Canyon Park Locate the trailhead. We wanted something on the way to dinner down the 605 a bit and short enough to start well after lunch. Sawpit Canyon (on the map), but Morovia Canyon by the signs, looked like a good one except that they were going to close the gate at 5PM and we'd still be on the trail then. No problem since parking outside of the gate is easy too. Getting there just involves getting off the freeway at Myrtle and turning north through picturesque old town Monrovia. Turn right onto Foothill and then left onto Canyon Blvd. We parked on the street. Most of the way up to the park there was a footpath beside Canyon Blvd. The trail starts just past the pay station. Since it's run by the city, the National Forest Service permit doesn't get you in. Going up we pondered the loudness of the water sound and whether it might really be water in spite of the dry winter. The wind didn't seem to be blowing that hard. It was water; accordin...

Angeles National Forest Locate the trailhead. Rubio canyon is a particularly short hike heading out from a street corner on a right-of-way between houses. Just up Lake, then onto Palm Ln. to Maiden Ln. (which sort of merges in), then through a slew of roads all named Rubio to find a trail up a tiny canyon with many, many waterfalls. It used to have a few more, but the water company dropped a few tons of rocks on most of them a couple decades ago. A few years ago, Mother Nature dropped 11 inches of rain on the mess in less than a day which the rocks couldn't hold. The large falls were uncovered, but the lower small falls are still invisible. The trail heads out from a neighborhood corner. Decorated with a warning sign thanks to the local water company. A great little hike if you can ever get the boy off the phone. Once we got the boy off the phone, we got started down a rather warm trail along a rather south facing slope. The first half of the trail contin...

Angeles National Forest Locate the trailhead. Abbie and I decided to go hiking around Strawberry Peak. There was a small bit of effort to find the correct turn for the trailhead, but it worked out quickly enough. We started out hiking along Big Tujunga Creek with, again, a little bit of effort to locate the proper trail. Many people go just for the creek, so there were many routes that weren't correct. Eventually it sorted itself out and we were traveling along the trail up the mountain. Starting off on a well signed trail. A little bit of climbing and there's a view through the trees of the creek bed below.

Angeles National Forest Locate the trailhead. Chantry Flat is far too easy to find. Just turn north on Santa Anita Ave. in Arcadia and go to the end. As usual, parking was up to being lucky, which I wasn't. Found a nice spot a little tilted up onto the cliff, neglected to notice all the "No Parking" signs and got started. The main trailhead is actually down the road a ways past the locked gate. Shortly after the gate, the First Water Trail heads off to Hermit Falls. I went down this trail once, but it peters out before really getting to the falls. At the time we hiked directly up the creek a little to get closer to them. Near the bottom of the road is the first cabin of the day and then the footbridge. The road ends just beyond this bridge after it takes a ford.

Angeles National Forest Locate the trailhead. Just across the street from the far eastern end of the parking lot at Red Box Junction, where the road up Mt. Wilson turns off the 2, there is one end of Strawberry Peak Trail. From here it is a little over three miles to the top of the peak. The first two miles are very easy ones on fairly level trail that spends about half the time along the southern face of the mountain. First, though, it winds along some telephone poles. What I read of it said this was an old road for the first half mile and it may have been the old utility road but it was not particularly apparent. It also said the trail wasn't signed but it clearly is. The trail followed along the road climbing for a short way before turning into the mountains. Very shortly after starting, I passed a mile marker marked with the number 7. The road quieted completely as the trail found its way to the back of a nearby peak, but the observatory was still easy to spot. ...

 Strawberry Peak , Angeles National Forest: Mar 11  Chantry Flats to Spruce Grove Campground via Sturtvant Falls , Angeles National Forest: Mar 25  Colby Canyon from Big Tujunga , Angeles National Forest: Apr 1