Category Archives: photography

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Rock Formations Near the Top of Saddle Peak

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Rock formations above are near the top of Saddle Peak, in the Santa Monica Mountains, near Los Angeles.

The rock formations above are near the top of Saddle Peak, in the Santa Monica Mountains, near Los Angeles. Virtually all have been climbed, and climbers will be seen on Corpse Wall (photo center) most weekends.

I took the photo while doing the Topanga Lookout Ridge Loop. I do the loop clockwise from the trailhead on Stunt Road that’s across from the start of Calabasas Peak Mtwy fire road. The bottom of Topanga Lookout Ridge is about three-quarters of a mile up the fire road.

A use trail ascends the ridge. The easiest route requires a little straightforward scrambling but bypasses the more exposed climbing on the crest of the ridge. There are four or five optional segments where the rocky crest can be followed instead of the use trail.

Here’s a high resolution, interactive, 3D-terrain view of my GPS track of the Topanga Lookout Ridge Loop, including a side trip to Saddle Peak.

Related post: Topanga Lookout Loop, Plus Saddle Peak

landscape, malibu creek state park, photography, photography|landscape, running, santa monica mountains, trails

Brent’s Mountain, Malibu Creek State Park

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Brent's Mountain, Malibu Creek State Park. Photography by Gary Valle'

Brent’s Mountain from Mesa Peak Mtwy fire road in Malibu Creek State Park.

The peak and several other locations in the area appear to be named after Edwin James Brent, a furniture store owner in Los Angeles.

“Brents Mountain” is noted on the U.S.G.S. 1929 Solstice Canyon topographic map. The rocky peak towered above Brent’s Mountain Crags resort, which was acquired in 1939 by the Salvation Army.

Adventurers driving to the remote resort likely would have stopped at the Shell gas station at Brent’s Junction — the intersection of Ventura Blvd. (Hwy 101) and Las Virgenes Road.

The photograph of Brent’s Mountain was taken on a recent run of a variation of the Bulldog Loop.

Some related posts:
– Clearing Clouds, Santa Monica Mountains
– Turning California Sycamore Along Malibu Creek
– Reagan Ranch at Sunrise

clouds, landscape, los angeles, malibu creek state park, nature, nature|clouds, nature|weather, photography, photography|landscape, running, santa monica mountains, trails, weather, weather

Clearing Clouds, Santa Monica Mountains

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Clearing clouds along the crest of the Santa Monica Mountains. Photography by Gary Valle'

Clearing clouds along the crest of the Santa Monica Mountains from Bulldog Mtwy fire road. The photograph was taken on a recent run of a variation of the Bulldog Loop.

Some related posts:
– Turning California Sycamore Along Malibu Creek
– Reagan Ranch at Sunrise

malibu creek state park, nature, nature|trees, photography, running, santa monica mountains, trails, trees, trees

Turning California Sycamore Along Malibu Creek

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Turning California Sycamore Along Malibu Creek. Photography by Gary Valle'

Multihued leaves of a turning California sycamore near the seasonal bridge on Malibu Creek. The photograph was taken on a recent run of a variation of the Bulldog Loop.

Related post: Reagan Ranch at Sunrise

landscape, malibu creek state park, photography, photography|landscape, running, santa monica mountains, trails

Reagan Ranch at Sunrise

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Reagan Ranch at sunrise from the Cistern Trail in Malibu Creek State Park. Photography by Gary Valle'

Reagan Ranch at sunrise from the Cistern Trail in Malibu Creek State Park.

The photograph was taken on a recent run, near the start of an extended version of the Bulldog Loop.

Some related posts:
– Late Start on the Bulldog Loop
– Exploring Lake Vista Trail and Ridge
– A Displaced Bridge, Exceptional Backbone Trail Views, and a Card Table Along the Bulldog Loop