In normal to wet rain seasons vernal pools can be found throughout the Simi Hills. The pool pictured above is near the sheep corral at China Flat, and another small pond was found nearby, along Albertson Motorway fire road. I’ve also found vernal pools in the Rocky Peak area and near Sage Ranch.
Geologically, the Simi Hills are characterized by the sandstone rocks of the Chatsworth formation. These inclined layers are of varying hardness, and erode at different rates. It’s my guess that water collects in sandy soils between, or at the base of, the more resistant layers.
When the rainy season turns wet and the grasses green, all routes to Simi Peak are scenic, but the varied trails and terrain, and the wilderness feel of the more remote sections of this 21.5 mile run makes it one of my local favorites.
It is a longer variation of the route described in the post Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Backcountry. The run starts at the Victory (or Vanowen, or Las Virgenes) trailhead of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve and explores the headwaters of Las Virgenes Creek. At the junction of the power line service road and “backcountry” trail, instead of turning south up the power line service road, this option works west over to Albertson Motorway fire road, and on to China Flat and Simi Peak.
Lasky Mesa from a ridge near Bell Canyon. Low clouds from a rapidly advancing marine layer are moving into the San Fernando Valley. Saddle Peak can be seen in the distance, on the right.
It’s about time — all the rain in Southern California is finally turning our hills green! Last year the hills of East Las Virgenes Canyon were sun bleached and rain starved.
According to preliminary NWS data, Downtown Los Angeles (USC) recorded measurable rain on each day from January 21 to January 28, 2008. Based on this NWS ranking for 1921-2006, this puts this eight day period in the top six of the station’s wettest streaks from 1921-2007.
So far this water year Downtown Los Angeles has recorded 11.73 inches of rain, which is 4.77 inches above normal. Last year on this date Los Angeles had recorded only 1.5 inches of rain. Even if Los Angeles were to receive no rain through the entire month of February (not likely), we would still go into the month of March ahead of normal.
The photograph is from a muddy run at Ahmanson Ranch — now Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.
