Santa Paula Canyon: Be One With Nature

The Chapel Tower at Thomas Aquinas College

Just north of Steckel Park, where the locals gather on Sunday afternoons to bond and drink bad beer beneath the ancient Oaks and Sycamore that flank Highway 150, Santa Paula Creek spills into the flood plain from the remote depths of the Los Padres National Forest. Although the creek’s precise location is not immediately obvious to the casual observer, masked as it is by lush campus of Thomas Aquinas College, its existence, and the means to access it, are anything but a secret. In fact, it’s probably not too much of an over-statement to say that Santa Paula Canyon, and the creek that pulses through it, have attained almost legendary status amount Ventura County hikers and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes.

Like other immensely popular destinations, water is the magnetic draw here. Not just water that trickles along a rocky streambed and collects in stagnant and ephemeral pools. But clear blue water that in the right season gushes forth from the folds and creases of the mountainside to furiously tumble and cascade over the stoney cliff faces into swimming pool-sized “punch bowls” below.
These punch bowls, and the falls that continually feed them, are very special and unique places in this otherwise arid, waterless landscape. But water, particularly if one can swim in it, is an attractive nuisance that always seems to draw a certain element. And that element always finds a way to make a complete mockery of the “leave no trace” ethos that the rest of us try damn hard to practice.

Santa Paula Creek Flowing Muddy Brown

Be One With Nature by Marking it Up

Trial Markings Just in Case You're Confused About the Way Forward Here

Reflections in a Trail-side Pool

The Forested Path Up the Canyon

Orange

Yellow

Cream

Down Canyon

Geology

Up Canyon

These destructive folks about whom I speak know all about Santa Paula Creek. And they have memorialized their visits to this canyon in bright red, blue, green, and purple spray-paint that is visible on virtually every tree, branch, and rock along the trial that weaves its way up the creek bed to the lower falls. Most of the marks are just tags left by punks who feel the need to mark their territory like the animals that they are. Some of it, however, is more philosophical like the graffiti ironically urging others on the trail to “be one with nature.” The canyon walls beneath the pool at the first falls too are plastered with unsightly graffiti while beer bottles and other trash litter the canyon bottom. On the day I visited, I rounded a bend in the trail to come face-to-face with a “gentleman” whose shorts were around his ankles as he dropped a dookie trailside with absolutely no shame or regret.

But it is possible to look past the spray paint and the trash and the dookies and the words of the philosopher kings. And you should. Because despite all of it, this is still damn compelling and wild country that is worth the visit. There are very few local places that I can think of that rival it. Tar Creek before the Forest Service closed it off probably qualifies. Matilija Falls if you can get there without raising the ire of the cranky landowner over whose property the path supposedly crosses. Perhaps a few spots along the Sespe. Maybe the Fishbowls in a good water year before they silted up. But the list is short and the chance of reaching your desired destination can be dubious. So I’ll go to Santa Paula Canyon again despite the negatives. I’ll go to see the canyon. I’ll go to experience the blessed water while it’s still around. I’ll go to sit beneath the falls and feel the cool spray. I’ll go on an uncrowded day when the skies are threatening or the temperatures are cool to listen to the silence ricochet off of the walls of the gorge. And I’ll turn a blind eye and ear to the rest.

Canyon Art

Lower Falls

Lower Falls and Pool

Welcome to the Jungle

No Thrill on Thrall: High Desert Trail to Burkhart Saddle

Looking Toward the Burkhart Saddle Up the Cruthers Creek Drainage

There are essentially two established routes to the summit of Will Thrall Peak: the Burkhart Trail from the south out of Buckhorn Campground (a variation of which involves dropping into Cooper Canyon on the PCT from Cloudburst Summit along the Angeles Crest Highway), and the High Desert Trail from the north out of the Devil’s Punchbowl. You can also get to Will Thrall from Mt. Williamson by way of a cross-country jaunt across Pleasant View Ridge to the summit of Pallet Mountain and then down to the Burkhart Saddle where all three of these routes intersect. And I just discovered courtesy of Cucamonga Man that you can also access Will Thrall by way of a cross-country route via Alimony Road (4N15) in Juniper Hills. Having previously experienced the cross-country route from Mt. Williamson with an exit at Buckhorn, a couple of friends and me decided last Sunday to make an early season attempt on Will Thrall by way of the High Desert route from the north.

This route starts from the parking lot for the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area which is managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. From here, the trail (which initially follows a fire road) climbs gently south for approximately ¾ mile where it intersects with the High Desert Trail which runs in an east-west orientation along the northern foothills of the Pleasant View Ridge. Going east here will take you out to the Devil’s Chair and ultimately South Fork Campground. Traveling west will take you to Cruthers Creek which drains the narrow canyon leading to the Burkhart Saddle.

We tacked west here and began the 3 mile walk toward the mouth of Cruthers Creek Canyon enjoying the shade, the Mojave views, and the gigantic Manzanita along the way. The terrain here is mellow and trekking is easy, primarily because you’re continually losing elevation all the way to Cruthers Creek. You’ll realize just how much elevation you’re losing on your way back out.

The High Desert Trail Just Beyond the Split from Devil's Punchbowl

The High Desert from the High Desert Trail

Descending Into Cruthers Creek

Signage at the Base of  Cruthers Creek

Colorful Rock Formations

At Cruthers Creek, the track turns south, crosses the stream (where we found water flowing), and begins the steady climb toward Burkhart Saddle some 3+ miles up the canyon. A dirt road from the north intersects the trail in the canyon bottom here, but it traverses private property and is secured by a locked gate. That is unfortunate because the road provides direct access to the canyon and would trim some miles off the overall trip if it was available for use by hiker trash. Not that miles are necessarily a bad thing, but whether having to traipse them is desirable or not I suppose depends upon your objective.

Out of the canyon, the trail initially climbs northward up the exposed western slope of the canyon before switching back south at a point along an obvious ridge. The ascent here would be uncomfortably warm on a mid-summer day. Shortly beyond this point, the trail crosses back over to the western slope of the canyon and then continues south well below the ascending ridgeline. Mileage markers, which I understand to be measured from Buckhorn Campground, dot the trail which is useful in terms of tracking your progress.

Cool Cruthers Creek

Climbing Out of the Canyon

Looking Back 

Desert View from Higher Up

From Cruthers Creek all the way to the Burkhart Saddle is a sustained climb. This climb is never steep, but it is unrelenting with few level stretches and fewer suitable spots to pitch a tent for the night. If I was a PCT through-hikers who opted for this official detour around the Williamson Rock closure area, I would probably try to plan my route to avoid spending the night along this stretch of trail.

As the path climbs deeper into the canyon and the air thins, the character of the surroundings changes. The canyon narrows, the slopes steepen considerably, and the flora thins. Manzanita, sage, and chaparral give way to evergreens. In several places, the track crosses scree slopes which could be dicey in winter conditions, but on our visit, the path was devoid of snow for most of way and trail conditions were excellent. Tip of the hat to the fine folks who maintain our trails and keep them passable.

Trail Ascending the Steep Western Wall of the Canyon

Trail Conditions

The path wasn't bereft of snow the entire way, however. At approximately the 6,000 foot level, roughly 1/2 mile from Burkhart Saddle (between mileage markers 6 and 5) we encountered snow where the path takes a hard bend and tacks east. It wasn't much snow, but it covered ice and sat on an off-camber stretch of the trail that was exposed. A tumble here could definitely get you a helicopter ride out of the canyon. My friend gingerly attempted to start across the snowy section and immediately slipped in his trail runners. We then tested the shoulder and it promptly gave way. Finally, we attempted to skirt this section of the trail by going high, but the slope was so steep and loose, and the rock so crumbly, that ultimately we abandoned that option as folly. So we contended ourselves with sitting on a nearby log in the snow, having a bite to eat, enjoying the amazing moment, and living another day to tell the story.

Dangerous Patch

Your Fate if You Slip Here

The Sketchy Part of the Trail from Down Canyon

After absorbing as much of the mountains as we could, we turned tail and retraced our steps back to Devil's Punchbowl. As mentioned, the return trip is all downhill except for the climb back out of Cruthers Creek which my device measured at roughly 800 feet from the creek-bottom to the high point along the High Desert Trail. My device measured total mileage and gain for the day at roughly 13.9 miles and 3,750 feet of elevation gain.

As for my hoped-for date with Will Thrall, it was disappointing that it was cancelled, but it will happen at some stage. In the meantime, this was a really nice tease by a less visited section of the San Gabriels that just enhanced the attractiveness of the object of my mountainous desires.

Almost Back to Devil's Punchbowl

The Punchbowl

Mt. Lukens: Crescenta View - Rim of the Valley Loop

Mt. Lukens from the Rim-of-the-Valley Trail

About nine years ago, a couple of friends and I climbed Mt. Lukens via the Stone Canyon Trail as part of training regimen for Mt. Whitney. It was my very first foray into the San Gabriel Mountains and candidly I wasn't all that impressed. As a transplant from greener and more lush climes, I was accustomed to trails and peaks that were a bit more alpine-y. I didn't find Mt. Lukens to fit that bill. Moreover, the day we went gray fog clung to the mountainside like a dreary blanket, the trail was overgrown, and the summit was cluttered with radio towers and other transmission paraphernalia. To someone with my pre-conceived ideas about what a summit was supposed to look like, Lukens was, well, disappointing. To sour my mood even more, I found a tick deeply embedded in my shoulder when we got back to Wildwood in Tujunga Canyon. I must have subconsciously decided that Lukens wasn't worthy of my time so for years I didn't go back.

That changed this weekend when I paid Lukens another visit, this time from the La Crescenta side of the mountain. Parking at Deukmajian Wilderness Park in La Crescenta, I climbed the Crescenta View Trail to Lukens' summit and then looped back down to the trailhead in Dunsmore Canyon via the Haines Canyon Motorway/Rim-of-the-Valley Trail. I'd like to attribute it to my maturation as a hiker and my greater familiarity with, and appreciation for the San Gabriel Mountains and the Angeles National Forest (others might call it my naivete), but this visit to Lukens was nothing like my previous trip years ago. To the contrary, this trip, dare say, was downright enjoyable.

I arrived a Deukmajian around 11:30 a.m. because climbing a steep south-facing slope is always more enjoyable in the mid-day sun. Surprisingly (or maybe not surprisingly) I had no problem finding a place to park. In all seriousness, temps were only in the mid to high-70s so it really was quite pleasant out. But climbing this trail during the heat of a mid-summer day could be brutal.

From the parking area, I made my way up the main fire road in Dunsmore Canyon for approximately 0.5 miles. Here, the La Crescenta View Trail branches to the right where it begins its ascent up the rugged ridge on the east side of Dunsmore Canyon. The climb here is fairly gently, but it becomes more aggressive the higher up you go. In fairly short order, over-the-shoulder views of the Verdugos, the Los Angeles Basin, and the San Fernando Valley really start to pop.

Start of the Crescenta View Trail

Over-the-Shoulder Look Into Dunsmore Canyon

Crescenta View from the Crescenta View Trail

Trailside Bench

You of course pay for these expanding views with elevation, which you gain rapidly as the path zig-zags its way up the very steep slope. The work you’re putting in, however, is made easier by the condition of the trail which is in really fine shape thanks to the efforts of the trail crews who have done a nice job maintaining this track.


After about 2 miles of climbing, you reach a level spot along the ridge where folks have constructed a large stone circle reminiscent of the wind-breaks one sees atop Mt. Baldy and some of the other local peaks. Looking southwest from this vantage point, the switch-backs of the Rim-of-the-Valley Trail can be seen slicing across the west side of Dunsmore Canyon. If you do this hike as a loop, this trail will be your descent route.

The Path Weaving Its Way Up the Steep Slope

Hair-Pin Turn

Typical Trail Conditions

Rock Circle

Rock Circle View

Beyond the stone circle, the path makes one final climb up the steep and rocky ridgeline before intersecting with the Pickens Spur (2N76C), an unmaintained lateral that branches from the Mt. Lukens fire road approximately 0.5 miles beyond. The walk here is easy all the way to the Lukens’ summit and the vistas are quite grand. At the junction with the Mt. Lukens Fire Road, you can peer north into the entire desolate-looking drainage of Big Tujunga Creek backed by the prominent Mt. Gleason ridgeline. Looking east affords a nice look at the peaks and peaklets that comprise the Wilson cluster.

Ascending the Steep Ridgeline

Big Tujunga Canyon from Mt. Lukens Fire Road

Josephine, Strawberry, Lawlor, Deception, Disappointment, San Gabriel, Markham, Lowe, Occidental, and Wilson

From this point, the path to the summit involves a fairly uninteresting and tame fire road walk of about 1 mile to the summit which is crowded with unattractive radio towers and other structures. The day I went, it was also more crowded with other hikers than I expected given the fact I saw only one other person on my ascent (and that person was descending). I struck up a conversation with some of these folks and discovered that most of them had come up from Haines Canyon. One couple and their small dog had come up Stone Canyon and planned to descend via Grizzly Flats. When I queried them about conditions on the latter trail, they assured me that it had been recently brushed-out and was clear.

After locating the benchmark on the far northwest corner of the flat summit, I spent a bit of time lounging about, taking in the view, and plotting my descent down the Haines Canyon Motorway which is plainly visible to the southwest. Nobody I spoke to on top could confirm the existence of a junction with the Rim-of-the-Valley Trail back to Dunsmore Canyon, but both Tom Harrison and Google Earth told me it was there, so I threw caution to the wind and dropped off the south side of the summit to begin my downward trek.

The Very Scenic Summit of Lukens

Survey Marker Atop Lukens

Lukens View

The path here is basically a single-track on an abandoned fire road that nature is trying to reclaim. The road swoops widely back and forth, alternating between the sun and shade, as it slowly descends between Haines Canyon and Cooks Canyon. Approximately 3 miles from the summit, the Rim-of-the-Valley Trail branches south into Cooks Canyon at a pretty obvious trail junction. I was expecting this junction to be more difficult to locate based upon my conversations with folks on the summit, but there is no missing or mistaking it unless you’re just no looking for it.

Descending Haines Canyon Motorway

Deer Tracks

Cooks Canyon Water Tank

View Across Cooks Canyon to Crescenta View Trail

Trail Junction for the Rim-of-the-Valley Trail

After the junction, the trail descends into Cooks Canyon fairly rapidly in a series of switch-backs that ultimately take you to the canyon bottom. Here, unlike everything that came before, the forest is lush and the trail nicely shaded. Water was still flowing in the creek which was a pleasant surprise. I stopped to splash around in the stream and to appreciate the unexpected magic of this place. Soon I started encountering others doing the exact same thing. Everyone was nice and happy to be out and I completely understood the force that compelled them to visit here.

A short distance downstream, you climb a small ridge which is not that difficult, but it is a bit of a disappointment because your mindset at this stage is that you're already down. The pain is brief, however, and in no time you're back in Dunsmore Canyon and headed for the trailhead which is nicely stocked with real restrooms, a water fountain with decent and cool water, and a grassy area with picnic tables where you can chill and relish the day you just spent in the amazing local mountains. I recognize I'm late to the party, but check this place out if you haven't already. It's muy bueno.

Lovely Cooks Canyon

Blessed Water in Cooks Canyon

Trail Through Cooks Canyon