Moments in Dirt and Ink

A collection of sketches from October. A bit of the inside of a tomb in Delhi. (From a 2010 photo.) Sand crabs straining food from the waves done while walking on the beach. Checking lobster traps just off the beach. (Referencing a two day old photo.) The moored sailboats east of the wharf . The pools at Gaviota Hot Spring . Stopping along highway 1 near Point Mugu, on the way back from Leo Carrillo . A house up on Yellow Hill, from a photo taken on the hike a few days before . Quick sunset representation while hiking back down from Warm Springs Mountain .

Angeles National Forest Map link. Warm Springs Mountain once had a fairly short trail up to the top. It was once a well maintained trail, according to my Afoot and Afield, and although the mountain was burned, it would surely be repaired soon and continue to be a simple hike to the top. Unfortunately, there seems to be a general policy of neglect for the area which once contained a condor sanctuary and some of the last wild condors, at least that is what my reading would seem to indicate. I once tried for this peak in the past, but didn't know about the neglect, only the enthusiastic expectations. I didn't get far through the then 23 years of free growing brush then, but I returned now with a different plan. The old lookout was serviced by fire roads which provide a second route to the top, albeit more than twice as far as the hiking trail. These roads are easily visible in satellite photos but the only report of them is a nearly three year old track taking the f...

Leo Carrillo State Park Map link. I joined up for another stroll with Hike the Geek , this time heading up the other trail at Leo Carrillo, an old fire road called Yellow Hill. It boasts ocean views, yielding a few islands on a clear day, as it climbs up into the hills. I parked along Mulholland and we met in the state park parking lot. After waiting for no-shows, we crossed the highway and wiggled around the gate on the fire road to start up the route. We met two more a short way up. A lifeguard tower guards a particularly rough section along the coast below.

Gaviota State Park and Los Padres National Forest Click for map. I decided to go up to the top of Gaviota Peak, partly since there'd been some rain to help clear up the haze of the air and partly because I'd been thinking about going up but not gotten there. Since I failed to find the path under the highway and the rest of the trail on the other side, I decided to try from the fire road off the southbound side. After the "end freeway" sign, there is quickly a bridge and a few feet later, the bit of paving marking the road. I park to the side of the gravel just after the pavement ends and before the gate, then go looking for the pedestrian underpass. The hint from looking at the satellite photos suggest it's a bit to the north where apparent paths seem to come from the highway. I cross over Gaviota Creek and up the concrete hill northward and around some vegetation to find it a bit south again. The creek is well shielded from it, just as it was well shie...

I decided to go out for a late afternoon leg stretch to Sterns Wharf. I hadn't even remembered, but Wednesday is a particularly good day to do this. The afternoon "low" tide was just under 3 feet and a few hours before, so the cliffs by Leadbetter Beach are impassible. I try anyway, but that last point of land going from below Shoreline Park to the beach has surfers washing up along it. It is all surge and no beach. Going back up and coming down along the paths brings me to the wide beaches where it's easy to walk no matter what the tide level. Well, nearly, I've seen 12 foot storm surge and it doesn't leave much beach. Today, there's a bit of kelp washed up and the birds are picking it over for their meal beside a very calm sea. Usually happier bobbing on the water, I found a pelican on the beach.