A California black walnut lends a little Fall color to the chaparral on the Phantom Trail in Malibu Creek State Park.
From a run of the Phantom Loop, starting at the Cistern Trailhead on Mulholland Highway. Here’s an interactive 3D-terrain view of the 7-mile route.
Some related posts:
– Spring Fever Running the Phantom Loop in Malibu Creek State Park
– Ladyface Via the Phantom Trail and Heartbreak Ridge
– Bulldog Loop Plus the Phantom Loop
The Angeles National Forest Trail Race starts and ends on top of Mt. Wilson. This was the view south over Pasadena and the Los Angeles Basin from the mountain-top parking lot, about an hour and a half before sunrise and the start of the race.
Related post: The Angeles National Forest (Mt. Disappointment) Trail Race Returns
Even in Southern California the weather can be a little fickle. Just two weeks ago, heat had been one of my concerns for the No Name 50K. During that race the temperature reached into the mid-80s. Heat definitely wasn’t an issue for this morning’s race on Mt. Wilson. Several days out one computer model had forecast sleet and a temperature of 32°F! Instead, at the start of the race runners were treated to a spectacular sunrise and a temperature of around 40°F.
After a five year hiatus, the Angeles National Forest (Mt. Disappointment) Trail Race is back. Started in 2005 by R.D. Gary Hilliard, this was the 15th running of the highly regarded event. Today we ran the 25K course, but generally a 25K, 50K, and 60K is offered. Rumor has it there may be a longer distance added next year.
Whatever the distance, a hallmark of any ANFTR/Mt. Disappointment courses is that it starts and ends on top of Mt. Wilson (5739′). While not particularly high, the altitude is just high enough to take the edge off a runner’s performance. Many a runner has underestimated the difficulty of the final five-mile climb from West Fork to the top of Mt. Wilson — especially on a hot day in July or August.
Thank you Gary and Pam for your dedication, passion, and the hours and hours of work required to put on a quality event! And thanks also to all the volunteers, runners, and others that support the race.
Here’s a high-resolution, interactive, 3D-terrain view of the ANFTR/Mt. Disappointment 25K course.
All the results from 2005 to 2024 are available on UltraSignup.
Some related posts:
– A Morning Thunderstorm, Debris-Covered Trail, Fast-Paced Fire Road, and Tough Climb on the ANFTR 25K Course!
– Another Scorching Angeles National Forest/Mt. Disappointment Trail Race
Here are a few images from a meandering run in Malibu Creek State Park on the Cistern, Lookout, Crags Road, Forest, and Chaparral Trails.
Some related posts:
– Spring Fever Running the Phantom Loop in Malibu Creek State Park
– Malibu Creek State Park: Lake Vista Ridge, the Forest Trail, and September Wildflowers
– Afternoon Run on the Forest and Lost Cabin Trails in Malibu Creek State Park
Ahead, the lights of two runners turned this way and that, and behind me more headlamps danced up the canyon. The moon was high in the sky and nearly full. I took advantage of a smooth stretch of fire road, and turned off my headlamp to enjoy running in the surreal light.
I was in Cheeseboro Canyon and a mile or so into the 2024 No Name 50K. Along with several other runners, I had opted for the early start. Partly because there’s something special about running in the hours before dawn, but also because strong Santa Ana winds were forecast, and I wasn’t sure how hot and windy it was going to get. So far, so good. The only wind was a sometimes cool, sometimes warm, down-canyon breeze.
Usually, when I run Cheeseboro Canyon, it’s from the Victory Trailhead at Ahmanson, and I run down the canyon. It was good to be running up the canyon for a change. The Cheeseboro Canyon Trail is a combination of fire road and single track that gains about 500′ over the 4+ miles to the Sheep Corral Trail junction. There are several very short, steep, rocky sections, but most of the trail is straightforward and enjoyable. Because of all the rain the past two years, the trail near Sulfur Springs was a bit muddy. Running by headlamp, I managed to step in the muckiest of the mud.
From the top of Cheeseboro, it’s about a mile over to Palo Comado Fire Road on a well-used, up-and-down single track. Just before Palo Camado, I stopped at an overlook to take in the view to the east. San Gabriel Peak and Mt. Wilson were silhouetted in the distance, and a few orange-red clouds preceded the sun.
Once on Palo Comado Fire Road, it took about 15 minutes to get up to China Flat. The timing was perfect — the warm light of the new sun highlighting Simi Peak and the greens and golds of the oak grasslands.
The aid station at Albertson Mtwy Fire Road marked the beginning of a 3-mile downhill to Lang Ranch. I put out of mind that we would be coming back up this hill and just enjoyed the descent.
Following a quick stop at the Lang Ranch aid station, I retraced my steps on Albertson Fire Road back to the Alapay/Lang Ranch Ridge Trail and the start of a scenic 3.5-mile keyhole loop. This memorable segment sets the tone from the start, gaining about 500′ in a mile. The route is a variation of the popular “Lang Ranch Loop,” and the support from the hikers on the trail was much appreciated. So was the encouragement from the awesome group of local runners (in the title photo) — each of the three times I passed them. I still hear their cowbell!
After returning to the Lang Ranch Aid Station, I started up Albertson Fire Road a second time. The volunteer at the Alapay/Lang Ranch Ridge Trail checked my bib number, and I began the long climb back to China Flat.
After doing the steep climbs on the Lang Ranch loop, the grade on Albertson didn’t seem so bad. Plus, the weather was cooperating. We were on the second day of a Santa Ana wind event, and I had envisioned running into a 20 mph headwind here. Other than a couple strong gusts, the wind was more of a cooling breeze.
The runner passing me confirmed that the Albertson climb was made for poles — if only I had them. I’d done Albertson on a training run and debated using them for the race. Poles are helpful in a lot of ways, but more efficient uphill propulsion is probably the most important.
After a false summit or two, I eventually reached the aid station at the top of the climb. The smiling volunteers asked me if I needed anything. I told them I was good to go and continued down into China Flat. I could relax for a while. It would be mostly downhill until the aid station in Palo Comado Canyon — about 3.5 miles away.
Running down Palo Comado from China Flat was a bit like the run down Albertson, except it was 20 degrees warmer. With the low humidity, I reminded myself to stay hydrated and not pound the downhill. The Cheeseboro Ridge section of the course was a few miles ahead, and the last thing I needed was crampy legs.
At the Palo Comado aid station, I grabbed a peanut butter sandwich and headed up the hill. Like the climbs at Lang Ranch, the hill was steep but relatively short. As I started the descent into Cheeseboro Canyon, I looked across to the power lines on Cheeseboro Ridge. There were runners over there, and I wondered how they were doing. I would find out soon enough.
At the Cheeseboro aid station, I filled my Camelbak to the brim, put some chips in a baggie to eat on the run, and started up the fire road toward Cheeseboro Ridge.
The Cheeseboro Ridge segment of the course follows an SCE powerline service road for about three miles, gaining more than 700′ along the way. On a hot day, it can be very hot, and on a windy day, very windy. There is zero shade. The Cheeseboro Remote Weather Station is passed about a mile up the service road.
Keeping in mind that the station measures the temperature inside a white, ventilated instrument housing several feet off the ground, the Cheeseboro RAWS midday temp was around 78degF and the wind was 16 mph out of the ENE, gusting to 29 mph. On the fire road, the in-the-sun temp was at least in the mid-80s but didn’t feel too bad.
I was glad to get to the high point of the ridge at the rocky overlook. There were still a couple of small hills to go, but from the viewpoint, it was going to be mostly downhill to the finish.
Many thanks to SoCal Trail, the volunteers, photographers, runners, and everyone involved for a great race!
Even with the warm weather, it was beginning to feel a little like Fall in the San Gabriel Mountains. Yellow goldenrod and red California fuchsia bloomed along the trail, and the canyon live oaks were covered in green acorns.
I was back on the Three Points – Mt. Waterman Loop and having a better time of it than in June. The June run had been near the Summer Solstice, with in-the-sun temperatures reaching 100°F. Today’s run was a few days away from the Fall Equinox. Not only was the temperature about 10 degrees cooler, the sun was lower in the sky and less intense.
But much was the same as in June. There was still plenty of whitethorn on the first couple of miles of the Three Points – Mt. Waterman Trail — and a few prickly passages for anyone wearing shorts and short sleeves. Some trailwork had been done higher on the mountain, but a few fallen trees were still on the trail. Most of these were easy to step over, around, under, or through.
There was very little monsoon rainfall this Summer, but consecutive wet rainy season and a tropical storm had already recharged the seeps and small creeks. The creeks were only slightly lower than in June, and the places that had been wet and muddy in June were still wet and muddy. At Waterman Meadow, a few late-season blooms of sneezeweed beamed yellow in the midst of the greens of the grass and ferns.
The high point of the Three Points – Mt. Waterman Trail is near the junction with the trail to the summit of Waterman and the trail that comes up from Highway 2. It’s at an elevation of about 7686′. Including detours to get around downed trees, the junction is a bit more than 6 miles from Three Points. The junction marks the start of a nearly 2000′ descent over 4.7 miles to the PCT in Cooper Canyon.
This morning, I encountered no one on the Three Points – Mt. Waterman Trail and only one pair of hikers on the normally busy Mt. Waterman Trail. Buckhorn Campground was nearly empty. I topped off my water at a convenient faucet at the campground and then started down the Burkhart Trail.
The creek in the canyon below the Burkhart Trail happily bubbled and gurgled, its water easily outpacing me as I descended to the PCT. Some work had been done on the trail to help those hiking to Cooper Canyon Falls cross the muddy seeps. Near one seep, a patch of dazzling red California fuchsia contrasted sharply with the coal black of a tree burned in the Bobcat Fire.
I wouldn’t say the trail has been abandoned, but it’s been quite a while since any trailwork has been done on the PCT between the Burkhart Trail and Cloudburst Summit. A mass of trees is still blocking the trail near the creek crossing at the bottom of Cooper Canyon. As expected following a fire, trees continue to fall on the trail. Parts of the trail along the creek or near seeps are overgrown with “Hey Bear!” willows.
The PCT in Cooper Canyon has been isolated by the 19-year closure to protect the critically endangered mountain yellow-legged frog. In December 2005, Angeles National Forest “temporarily” closed the Williamson Rock climbing area and the PCT between Eagle’s Roost and the Burkhart Trail. This Summer, the Forest Service extended the closure to at least December 31, 2026.
It’s difficult to accept that the Forest Service, conservation groups, and involved agencies have not agreed on a solution. Can’t the short stretch of the PCT that impacts frog habitat be rerouted? Only a few climbs at Williamson Rock directly impact the frog habitat. Does the entire climbing area need to be closed? Can’t bridges, walkways, and other structures be used to protect and even enhance frog habitat? There has to be solution. In 2005, I could not have imagined that 21 years later Williamson Rock would still be closed, and I might not have the opportunity to climb there again.
On this run, it wasn’t necessary to stop at Cooper Camp to cool off. Although the temperature was in the 90s on the south-facing slopes traversed by the PCT, there was a bit of a cooling breeze. This and the lower sun angle made it far more pleasant than earlier in the year.
Continuing up the trail above Cooper Camp, I could see smoke from a flare-up on the north flank of the Bridge Fire. Closures related to the Bridge Fire will further isolate the Cooper Canyon segment of the PCT. Multi-year closures are common on the Angeles, and often the closures include popular trails that were not burned.
From Cloudburst Summit, it’s a little over five miles of (mostly) downhill to Three Points. Most of the running is on an old road bed. Although it can be tedious — especially when it’s hot — the segment is relatively fast-paced. Depending on the year, there are usually a couple of places to soak a hat and pour water over your head. But, as I learned one hot day, a rattlesnake may take exception to your intrusion!
Some related posts:
– Bridge Fire Perimeter and Some Area Trails
– Facing a Future of Runaway Wildfires in Southern California
– Hot Weather on the Three Points Loop
– Williamson Rock