Category Archives: photography

Sun Burnished Hills

Sun burnished hills along Lasky Mesa in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.

The greens of Southern California’s rain season have given way to the sun burnished colors of Summer.

Increasing temperatures over the next few days should also result in an increase in rattlesnake encounters, such as this one today on the “main drag” at Ahmanson Ranch (Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve).

Note: Jon Sutherland nicknamed the main road that connects the Victory trailhead to Las Virgenes Canyon the “main drag.” Jon has run out at Ahmanson for more than 30 years. He is second on the Running Streak List for most consecutive days run. As of March 1, 2008 his streak was 14,160 consecutive days (38 years 281 days)!

Related posts: Southern California Greenscape

Cooper Canyon Falls

Cooper Canyon Falls, in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Cooper Canyon Falls is in the San Gabriel Mountains on a segment of the PCT that is shared with the Burkhart Trail. It is on one of the main tributaries of Little Rock Creek. Including the cascade at the top, Cooper Canyon Falls drops a total of about 50 ft.

From Sunday’s run/hike of the Pleasant View Ridge loop.

Google search: $g(San Gabriel Mountains), $g(waterfalls), $g(PCT), $g(Pacific Crest Trail)

Pleasant View Ridge Snow

Snow on Pleasant View Ridge, in the San Gabriel Mountains.

A small patch of snow crunched under foot as I worked my way west along Pleasant View Ridge. Overnight the temperature had dropped below freezing, and careful route-finding was required to work around icy patches of steep snow clinging to the ridge. In other years this might be tedious, but after last year’s parched Spring, it was enjoyable to have to wind my way through the maze of rocks, trees, chinquapin and snow.

Most of the snow could be avoided by staying on the sunny side of the ridge. but in a couple of places it was easier to drop down and around large patches of snow on the north side of the ridge. The snow was rock hard, and I wondered if the descent from the highest point along the ridge was going to be a problem. There was little doubt that the north slope of peak 8248 would be snow covered. If the snow extended to the northwest ridge and face, I might have to turn back.

Fortunately, as the photograph above shows, most of the ridge was free of snow, and I was able to continue on the loop. It was great to have snow on the peaks and water in the creeks!

Related posts: Pleasant View Ridge, Peaks Along Pleasant View Ridge

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La Nina Fades as SoCal Rain Season Nears End

Sun-parched mustard leaf at Ahmanson Ranch.

It’s been late February since Southern California has had a good soaking rain. As of May 1, the water year rainfall total for Downtown Los Angeles (USC) stands at 13.42 inches. This is 90% of the 1921-2006 average of 14.87 inches. According to the NWS 1921-2006 dataset, the average amount of precipitation in May and June is 0.3 inch and 0.1 inch, respectively. We’ll see if we get that much this year!

La Niña appears to be winding down.  In it’s April 30 ENSO Wrap-Up, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology characterizes Pacific climate patterns as being generally neutral, “with the majority of indicators returning to near-normal levels.” The April 28 ENSO Update from the CPC suggests that La Niña will continue through May-July 2008, but many of the factors discussed indicate general weakening of La Niña. Based on the ONI and MEI, La Nina conditions have existed since about August of 2007.

The photograph of the sun-parched mustard leaf is from a run at Ahmanson Ranch on April 29, 2008.

Google search: $g(la nina), $g(Los Angeles weather)

Oat Mountain from Rocky Peak Road

View across Blind Canyon to Oat Mountain from the Rocky Peak fire road.

View across Blind Canyon to Oat Mountain from the Rocky Peak fire road. At one time slated to become a Los Angeles County landfill, Blind Canyon is now part of Rocky Peak Park.

From an out and back run on Rocky Peak Road to the top of the Chumash Trail.

Related post: San Fernando Valley from Rocky Peak

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