Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Towsley Canyon Exploratory

Towsley Canyon
I've probably driven I-5 north from Los Angeles to Santa Clarita and beyond hundreds of times in the past couple of years. On most of those occasions, I think I've probably also looked at the parking area on the west side of the freeway just off of Calgrove Boulevard and wondered about the local trails leading west from there. But wonder is all I ever did. I never actually stopped to explore because the hills seemed low, the topography uninteresting, and the trails excessively urban. To reinforce this feeling of apathy, just before the Calgrove Boulevard exit, there's a big sign on the side of the freeway telling you that Calgrove is the exit to take for the Michael D. Antonovich Open Space. I've been to the Michael D. Antonovich Regional Park at Joughin Ranch above Porter Ranch before and honestly it's not that swell. So I figured how much better could Michael Antonovich's Open Space be? The Angeles and Los Padres, both of which are nearby and easily accessibly, are far more worthy destinations. So even though I knew there were trails in the area, I never really felt any compulsion to stop and stay for awhile.

Then on Saturday, I found myself with a couple of hours from heaven so I decided to get out and go exploring. It was already past noon so it had to be local. But I didn't have an appetite for familiar local. I wanted new local.

As I started looking at maps, Towsley Canyon, the place I had dismissed and eschewed for all of these years, jumped out at me. It was local. It was new. And it was short. Bam! I grabbed my pack, jumped in the car, and headed out.

Towsley Canyon is one of several units that comprise the Santa Clarita Woodlands Park. The other component units are (1) Pico Canyon, (2) East and Rice Canyon, (3) the Michael D. Antonovich Open Space, and (4) O'Melveny Park.  In addition to a 6 mile loop trail, Towsley Canyon is home to Ed Davis Park and the Towsley Lodge, an old Spanish-style ranch house that can be reserved for private functions.

The trail through Towsley Canyon begins as a poor asphalt road in the parking area immediately off of The Old Road. Actually, that description is somewhat confusing as there are 3 parking areas immediately west of The Old Road: one along the shoulder of The Old Road, a larger and more official looking one just as you enter the park, and then a third small weird lot still further in. The first two parking areas are free; the third one costs $7. Unsurprisingly, no one parks in the small, weird area for which you have the privilege of paying $7 to avoid walking an extra 0.10 miles.

The road into the park leisurely winds its way through the canyon bottoms for about 0.50 miles to Ed Davis Park. There, the Don Mullally trails splits off from the main road, ascends the southern slope of the canyon, and then drops into adjacent Wiley Canyon.

Continuing up Towsley, the asphalt disappears and the road slowly begins to narrow eventually becoming a foot path. As the trail constricts so too do the canyon walls which began to close in around you. Here, you enter the Narrows where the geology becomes interesting as the trail passes through the Pico Anticline. The canyon is well shaded along this stretch and is bounded by intermittent Towsley Creek.

Towsley Canyon Narrows
Leaving the Narrows
View Back Through the Narrows
Beyond the Narrows, the canyon opens up considerably, the land spreads out, and the trail begins to climb the exposed southern slope to the ridge that separates Towsley and Wiley canyons. A fairly obvious, yet "unofficial" use path continues west along the creek allowing for additional exploration.

I stuck to the main trail this day, although the "unofficial" path looked intriguing. I'll have to save that option in my memory banks and return to have a look in the future. As for the official trail, it continues to switch-back up to the top of the ridge, passing a messy oil seep along the way and affording really nice views north to the Santa Clarita Valley and beyond. Once you achieve the ridge, there are a couple of places to put down for a bit while you admire the fine scenery, including a flat with a couple of majestic Coastal Live Oak trees.

Looking Into Towsley Canyon from the Don Mullally Trail
View Across Towsley Canyon from the Don Mullally Trail
View North from the Crest
Santa Clarita and Beyond
Coast Live Oak
Beyond the ridge, the trail starts an incremental descent into the cool and shade of Wiley Canyon. The day I was there, the look and feel of autumn was in the air. Once at the canyon bottom, the trail (which gradually widens into a fire road as you descend and track east) follows a creek bed that carries the occasional whiff of seeping oil. Further down canyon, the trail intersects the Don Mullally Trail that track north, crosses the ridge again, and deposits you back into Towsley Canyon at Ed Davis Park where an ample lawn and multiple picnic tables greet you. 

Now that I've been to Towsley Canyon, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. It's kind of a cool place. For an urban hike, it offers much more than I expected and certainly more than its unattractive location immediately off the I-5 would suggest.

Fall Colors in Wiley Canyon
Interesting Rock Formations in Wiley Canyon
View Into Towsley Canyon from the Bill Mulally Connector Trail
Ed Davis Park in Lower Towsley Canyon
Man that's a dry and clinical write-up. Apologies. I'll try to do better next time.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Divide Peak: To Infinity and Beyond


Mouth of North Fork Matilija Canyon 
A recent trip report by David R reminded me that it had been years since I'd been up beautiful Murietta Canyon just north of Ojai. I used to ride this canyon on a fairly regular basis when I lived in Ventura, but after moving further east in 1998, I hadn't been back and it was bumming me out. So on Sunday morning, I  made a return visit to my old stomping grounds to get reacquainted with this magical place.

My objective for the day was Divide Peak, a 4,707' bump along the Santa Ynez Mountains that separates the Ojai Valley from the coast and affords incredible views of the Santa Barbara Channel and the Channel Islands. From road's end in Matilija Canyon, the route is about a 4.5 mile road walk up scenic Murietta Canyon, a steep 1.5 mile scramble up the Monte Arido Trail, and then a 0.8 mile amble along Divide Peak Road to the summit. You can avoid some of the road walk (and shave a bit of mileage) in lower Murietta Canyon by taking a foot-path that leads to Murietta Trail Camp and then rejoins the main fire road at 34.498565, -119.402450. 

North Fork Matilija Canyon

View Down Matilija Canyon from Murietta Road

Scenic Murietta Canyon
The day was unusually warm for late November and the road felt steeper than it should have felt. I wore a halo of flies as I made my way up Murietta Canyon, grateful that I had grabbed my bug net at the last moment before leaving the house. But the canyon was quiet, colorful, and completely vacant. I had the run of the place.

The walk up Murietta Canyon is pretty straightforward. Get on the road and walk uphill. The road up the canyon climbs gently at first but steepens further up as you approach the saddle. There, you have options. You can tack right and continue north up to Old Man Mountain and beyond on the Monte Arido Fire Road. You can continue west on the fire road which descends into Juncal Canyon and into the upper Santa Ynez River drainage. Or you can turn south and ascend 1,200 feet on the Monte Arido Trail to the Divide Peak Fire Road and the crest of the Santa Ynez Mountains.

Jameson Reservoir from the Monte Arido Trail
Juncal Canyon from Upper Monte Arido Trail

Murietta Trail from Upper Monte Arido Trail

Old Man Mountain and Monte Arido

The path for this latter option is not immediately obvious, but it is not difficult to find. Simply scale the southern embankment just beyond where the Monte Arido Fire Road joins the saddle and the way forward will come into focus. Initially, the trail follows what appears to be an abandoned road bed and the going is easy. Eventually, however, that road bed peters out at which stage the trail climbs steeply and directly up the spine of the ridge. Not being in prime adventuring condition, I struggled here, but the expanding views into Juncal and Murietta Canyons distracted me and pushed me forward. I took a breather at flat spot along the ridgeline straddling the two canyons that would make a very fine spot to spend the night.

After a final stiff climb, the Monte Arido Trail intersects the Divide Peak Fire Road. You'll know you're done with the climb when you arrive at a large sandstone boulder with a cairn atop it. To get to Divide Peak, turn right and follow the sandy and relatively flat road for approximately 0.8 miles. The summit can be attained by climbing steeply up very loose rogue motorcycle trails that scar Divide's north-eastern flank. The easier and less frustrating alternative, however, is to wrap around Divide's northern side on the fire road and then come back at the summit from the west.

As far as summits go, Divide's is somewhat underwhelming. It's basically broad, flat, and exposed humpback. But the views of the Santa Barbara Channel and the Oxnard Plain are unmatched. On the day I was there, I could clearly see Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Anacapa Islands. I could also plainly see Santa Catalina Island floating in the Pacific almost 100 miles away.   

The trail register is located in a water-bottle canister tucked into a rock-pile just northeast of Divide's high-point. I could not located a benchmark. I sat on the rock pile for a spell enjoying a burrito and the sound of the breeze. 

Back at the Monte Arido Trail junction, I contemplated attacking the Santa Ynez Mountains high point which sits at 4,864' and approximately 3/4 mile east of the junction. But that is all I did. I knew I didn't have enough gas in the tank or water in my bottles so I began the long walk back and committed to return to explore this area on another day.   

Divide Peak Summit Canister. Big Ass Ham.

View South from Divide Peak

Oil Platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel

Anacapa Island from Divide Peak

To Infinity and Beyond

Lake Casitas from Divide Peak. This Drought is Real Yo.


Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Glamping at La Jolla Valley Trail Camp

Sunrise in the La Jolla Valley
Just a quick report out of the Santa Monica Mountains.  A friend and I recently spent the night at the La Jolla Valley walk-in campsites located in Pt. Mugu State Park. To reach the camp, we would typically take the La Jolla Canyon Trail which begins in the parking area near the beach just across PCH from Thornhill-Broome State Beach. But ironically, that trail is currently closed because in these days-of-drought, it was completely washed away during a storm last winter. So instead of taking the direct route through La Jolla Canyon, we were forced to take the alternate route which ascends the Ray Miller Trail to its junction with the Overlook Fire Road coming out of Sycamore Canyon, traverses Overlook to its junction with the Guadalasca Trail at the top of Hell Hill, and then drops you into the La Jolla Valley on the well trod fire road. It's ok. We had nothing but time on our hands, and the views of the azure Pacific from the Ray Miller Trail were more than worth the price of admission. Coming in by way of the Chumash Trail to the west is a shorter and more direct route (and considerably steeper), but I don’t believe you can leave a car overnight at that trailhead.

The La Jolla Valley walk in campsite burned in the Springs Fire in 2013. The area has not fully recovered from that event and won’t for some time, but re-growth of the vegetation has occurred. Additionally, the park service has added brand new food boxes to the picnic tables at each site so you can keep your edibles and other aromatics beyond the eyes and hungry reach of the local varmints during the night. Super deluxe if I don’t say so myself.


One of Many Campsites

Food Box Hanging from the Picnic Table Hidden Behind the Blue Pack
The night we were there, the moon was full and bright, the sky brilliantly clear. We sat at the picnic table solving the world’s problems, enjoying an adult beverage, and listening to our boisterous coyote neighbors who apparently were doing the same thing. Later, as the moon began to make its way across the sky and our eyelids became increasingly heavy, all became incredibly still as we entered our tents for the night. At first light, we jump out of bed, made some cowboy coffee, packed up, and headed out.


First Light at La Jolla Trail Camp

Morning Sun Creeping Across the La Jolla Valley

Sunrise as it Crests the Eastern Ridgeline

Looking West Along the Road Through the Valley
La Jolla Valley is a super nice, easy to reach spot to get some solitude in the midst of the greater Los Angeles concrete jungle. The La Jolla Valley campsites are available on a first-come, first served basis, but I have never had a problem getting a site. In fact, on most of my trips to La Jolla (this one included), I have been the only one camped there, even on warm summer weekends. As an additional, added bonus, there is a fairly clean pit toilet in a concrete enclosure at the site. The night we were there, the facilities were adequately stocked with all the necessities if you catch my drift. There is a $10/night fee to camp at La Jolla Valley which you pay at a self-serve terminal located in the parking lot at the Ray Miller trailhead. 

Now get out there and experience the local mountains.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Sespe Creek Recon: Searching for Water in all the Wrong Places

Update - March, 2016

Sespe Creek, Piedra Blanca Creek, and Lion Creek are all flowing once again thanks to the winter rains we have had. The flow won't last long, but for now water is moving in all three creek beds with nice, deep pools for swimming forming along the Sespe. Here's a couple of pics from last weekend.

Lion Creek
Piedra Blanca Creek
The Sespe
Sespe Swimming Hole
Sespe Swimming Hole ~ Another View
Can You Tell I Like This Swimming Hole?
Gratuitous View of the Topa Topa Bluffs

Original Post - October, 2015

It may not be readily apparent, but I really do still get out into the amazing playground that is our local mountains. Because of my indolent and slothful ways, however, I've allowed this blog to become a bit hairy, stale and stinky of late. Well I'm going to remedy that right here and now. This thing is getting off the goddamn couch and is going to shave, shower, and dress so that it is at least minimally presentable to all you fine outdoor folks out there who have been patiently waiting in great anticipation for another riveting installment of Wild Southland. Ok, perhaps that overstates things just a wee bit, but for all three of you who actually visit this blog, here's some stuff for you to look at and read.

Sespe Creek Water Recon

A couple of weeks back, I decided to recon Sespe Creek for water. Starting from the Piedra Blanca trailhead, I first traveled west on the Middle Sespe trail for approximately 4 miles. This stretch of trail, which lies outside of the Sespe Wilderness, sees considerably less travel than its counterpart going east. On the day I was out, I saw no one. The trail meanders in and out of a number of drainages as it parallels the Sespe on a relatively level plain that sits above the riverbed which is not always visible. On this section of the trail, I spotted one pool of water in the river below which I attempted to reach by dropping down a dry wash. Those efforts were thwarted when the wash eventually topped-out at some dry falls that were about 25 feet high. I might have been able to down-climb them, but decided against it since I was solo and nobody would know to look for my body in the wash since it wasn't on the itinerary that I had left with my spouse. So I sat in the shade, had a snack, and then headed back up to the main trail.

View North Toward Piedra Blanca and Thorn Point
Thorn Point Up Close and Personal

View West Along the Middle Sespe Trail
Beautiful and Invasive Thistle


View East Down the Sespe from the Middle Sespe Trail

The Pine Mountain Ridge from the Middle Sespe Trail
The Only Pool of Water I Saw Along the Middle Sespe
After striking out along the Middle Sespe, I back-tracked to the junction with the Piedra Blanca Trail and headed east toward Bear Creek trail camp. Here too, I surprisingly had the trail to myself. And just like the Middle Sespe, water was very scare along this stretch as well. I saw one small, stagnant pool between trail junction and Bear Creek, but that was it. Piedra Blanca Creek, which was flowing quite nicely in March, was dust dry.

Bear Creek trail camp was different. The two big pools that sit adjacent to the camp (which was completely empty) had a nice amount of water (and fish) in them. I pulled out a book, popped a beer I had brought along, and savored the silent moment. Fine literature and still cold adult beverages in the wilderness. Does it get any better?

Eventually, I had to pick myself up out of the shade and start heading back. Before I did, however, I decided I needed a couple of pics of the pools to document the fact that there actually is still some water in the dry Ventura County back-country. To get a better vantage, I dropped down near the water's edge and onto a sandstone slab on the edge of the pool. In wetter times, that sandstone had been under water and covered in moss. You couldn't see the moss now that the sandstone was dry, but is was still slick. With camera in hand, and day-pack on, I stepped onto the mossy sandstone and then slowly and reluctantly glided into the pool and up to my neck in the warm water. I was able to keep the camera above the fray, and out of harm's way, but nothing else. Amazingly, after I'd found my footing and removed my pack (which had been fully submerged), I discovered the contents (including my book, wallet, and phone) completely dry. Props to Osprey for making such great gear. If you're in the market for a day-pack, let me recommend the Osprey Talon 22.

Large Pool at Bear Creek Trail Camp

One of the Many Denizens of the Bear Creek Pools

Beautiful Blue Dragonfly

Red Dragonfly-looking Thingy

Aquaculture

Reeds

Second Pool at Bear Creek Trail Camp

The Pool I Slid Into

Sunfish (ID assist to iWalton)

More Sunfish

View West Along the Sespe Trail. Note the Dry Riverbed

View East Toward Bear Creek Trail Camp

Piedra Blanca Formation
So there is still water in the Sespe, just not much. And the water that does exist is pretty much collected in intermittent pools located along the river's course. But there is water in them thar hills if you know where to look. But I'm told you need to be careful about drinking it because it might give you a bellyache.