Category Archives: running|adventures

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Chilly Los Angeles

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Century City and Downtown Los Angeles from the Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains

Sometimes it gets chilly in Los Angeles. The temperature at Downtown Los Angeles (USC) dipped to 39°F last night. That’s about eight degrees below normal and only a couple of degrees away from tieing the record for the date.

It gets colder in the valleys. The temperature was in the mid-30s when I started my run at the ‘End of Reseda’ on the San Fernando Valley side of the Santa Monica Mountains. I was headed over the hill to Will Rogers State Park, then to Temescal Canyon, and then back to Reseda.

When you start a long run on a cool day just as the sun is coming up it’s hard to know what clothing you’re really going to need. In Southern California it seems more times than not the extra shirt goes into the pack a mile into the run and stays there.

The running was excellent on the Will Rogers segment of the Backbone Trail. I hadn’t been on this segment since last Winter and much work had been done on the trail. Even with yesterday’s rain the trail was in good shape.

This time I didn’t mind so much that I had an extra shirt in the pack. The day had dawned mostly clear with a few scattered and tattered clouds, but by the time I was headed back to the valley it was nearly overcast. It was breezy and cool and there were some big buildups to the south and east of the city. It looked like a shower might pop up at any time.

Some related posts: Chaparral Freeze, Cape Ivy on the Rivas Canyon Trail, Will Rogers Western Ranch House

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No Snow in Sight!

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View to the ocean from Eagle Rock in the Santa Monica Mountains

Well, actually you could see some snow on Mt. Baldy and the higher peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains, but that snow was 50 miles away. So far there had been a little frost in the shadows and mud in the low spots of the fire roads of Topanga State Park, but not a patch of snow in sight.

Lynn & Frank were heading back to the land of rain and snow for Christmas and there WAS snow on their local trails. More snow and bone-chilling temps were in the forecast, and a long snow-free run in the Santa Monica Mountains was a great way to celebrate the holidays!

We had taken a detour from the Backbone Trail to the top of Eagle Rock. After enjoying the view we would extend the detour down the Musch Trail and pick up the Backbone Trail at Trippet Ranch. From Trippet we would follow the Backbone Trail down into Topanga Canyon, up Hondo Canyon, over to Saddle Peak and then down to Malibu Canyon.

With a couple of short side trips the distance from the End of Reseda (Marvin Braude Mulholland Gateway Park) worked out to about 21 miles. The distance and elevation gain were about the same as last Saturday’s run — also on the Backbone Trail.

Related post: July Fourth Trail Run to Trippet Ranch, Hondo Canyon and Saddle Peak

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Mushrooms and Mud on the Backbone Trail

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Santa Monica Mountains near Circle X

The temp was in the 40s and the chaparral wet with rain when we started the run. We were doing a two part trail run. The first part would be the 15 mile segment of the Backbone Trail from Kanan Rd. to the Mishe Mokwa trailhead on Yerba Buena Rd. The second would be the 6 mile Mishe Mokwa – Sandstone Peak loop.

The weak front that produced the overnight rain had marched on, and now skies were clear and it was a little breezy. As has been the case with many weather systems this year, there hadn’t been a lot of rain. Though muddy in spots, the Backbone Trail was in surprisingly good shape, and the running excellent.

In addition to the greening of the hills and the sprouting of many annuals, the frequent, light rains had also created perfect conditions for the growth of a  variety of mushrooms and other fungi. Fortunately I was running with a sharp-eyed mushroom collector from the PNW that could pick out partially buried earth stars and other mushrooms among the leaves, twigs and other debris in the deep shade along the trail.

Here are three of the more peculiar fungi. Click the image for more info and a larger image.





Orange Jelly



Comb Tooth



Earth Star

Some related posts: Circle X Crags and the Channel Islands, Mishe Mokwa – Sandstone Peak – Grotto Trail Run

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Thanksgiving Hike & Run on the Wildwood Trail

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Runners on the Wildwood Trail

Even by Pacific Northwest standards it had been wet. Over the past five days Portland had recorded over four inches of rain. Earlier in the week heavy rain and strong winds had pummeled the area — flooding roads, toppling trees, causing numerous traffic accidents and leaving thousands without power.



Today, Thanksgiving Day, was the first in several that no rain was forecast. Taking advantage of the good weather our Thanksgiving Day — and that of many Portlanders — started with a hike at the Hoyt Arboretum.

The arboretum’s collection includes over 1000 species, accessed by a 12 mile network of well-maintained and marked trails. The collection includes species from around the world. Some examples are dawn redwood from China, butterfly maple from North Korea, Himalayan Juniper from Nepal and Patagonian Cypress from the Andes. Given they are usually found near treeline, I was surprised to see the arboretum’s collection includes bristlecone pines.



My run on the Wildwood Trail started at Fairview, at the end of a loop hike in the arboretum that had taken us to an overlook with a view of Mt. St. Helens — and on a clear day — Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams. I had promised to be back to the house in “about two hours ” so the plan was to run north on the Wildwood Trail for about an hour and then head back.

Trail runners love running new trails — especially trails as beautiful and well-maintained as the Wildwood Trail. The 30 mile long trail is just part of a 70+ mile system of trails in a 5100 acre urban park managed by the Forest Park Conservancy.



I was amazed — after all that rain the Wildwood Trail was in great shape. My socks were dry and my running shoes were just a little damp around the edges. The running was superb. I’d run down to Burnside, up to Pittock Mansion, and then down to Macleay Park. Continuing to descend, I’d run along Balch Creek and past the iconic Stone House.



The theme was green on green, with towering Douglas-fir, hemlock and cedar. A mixed understory of alder and maple was highlighted by mosses, ferns and remnant splashes of yellow, orange and brown.

At Wildwood’s junction with the Aspen Trail I was about 55 minutes out. Time to start thinking about turning around. I ran a few yards down the Aspen Trail, then decided I’d rather stay on the Wildwood Trail.

It had been just four days since I’d run a 50K in Kernville, California, and I knew I was going to be slower on the way back. At some point soon I really would need to turn around. I started up some switchbacks, wondering what was on the trail ahead…


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Whiskey Flat Trail Burger & Double Burger Run 2012

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Aid station near Corral Creek

Was that rain I heard outside of the motel? Bleary-eyed, I grabbed my phone and checked the current weather radar. If it wasn’t raining, it would be soon. The radar showed an elongated patchwork of lime green blotches, sprinkled with yellow, approaching the blue dot marking the room in Kernville, California.

It looked like the front was going to pass through a bit earlier than forecast — right about the time we would be starting the 50K. The good news was there didn’t appear to be a lot of shower activity behind the front. Whether that would be the case in the middle of the day remained to be seen.

The annual Run-4-A-Way Burger Run follows the 14.5 mile Whiskey Flat Trail from the Burlando Trailhead in Kernville up the Kern River to Johnny McNally’s Fairview Lodge and Restaurant. This year R.D. Mike Lane had added a 50K. That’s what I was running. The “Double Burger” would do the trail both ways — from McNally’s down to Kernville and then back again.

It was rainy, dark and gloomy as we drove up Mountain 99 toward McNally’s. I like the rain as much as anyone in Southern California, but hoped the radar was right, and we wouldn’t have to deal with wet weather for the next several hours. I reminded myself that when the weather looks wet and rainy it’s (almost) always better on the trail than it looks like from the car.

Up at McNally’s Donni and Neil got us signed in, handed out the bib numbers and T-shirts, and got us started at 7:01. There were just a few of us running the 50K and the faster runners were soon out of sight. They would make it down to Burlando in less than 2.5 hours.



Whatever your pace, the running was spectacular! The light rain turned to showers after the first few miles. On the higher mountains snow could be seen along the margins of the clouds.  From time to time the sun would break through the clouds, illuminating the valley. At one point showers and sun mixed in dazzling display.

The Whiskey Flat Trail was in great shape. According to Stewards of the Sequoia Executive Director Chris Hogan, volunteers worked 500 hours to restore the trail — clearing brush, improving the tread, removing down trees, and installing water bars to control erosion. Their hard work, and the work of other volunteer trail maintenance groups, keeps our trails open and enjoyable.

Although I wasn’t particularly speedy, the run went well for me. I ran the race in Hoka One One Mafate 2s. The Mafate 2s are way different from the shoes I’ve been using in ultras. The Double Burger 50K is 100% single track and the shoes handled it well. Whether it was the shoes, the weather, my pace, or whatever I don’t know; but my legs and feet felt better (and I felt better) over the last several miles of the course than in any 50K I’ve done the past few years.

Many thanks to Mike Lane, Donni & Neil Higgins, John Seals & Lisa Ross, McNally’s, all the volunteers, and all of the hikers & runners for a great event! Here’s an interactive Cesium browser View of the Burger Run course and an elevation profile generated in SportTracks.

Related post: Whiskey Flat Trail Burger Run 2011

Here are a few additional photos from the run. Click for a larger image:





Whiskey Flat Trailhead



Sun Shower



Granite Slabs




Rainbow



Aid Station



View Downriver
photography, photography|landscape, running, running|adventures, trails, trails|pt mugu state park

Wendy Drive – Mugu Peak Challenge

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Top of Mugu Peak

Running should be fun! If you’re comfortable running twenty miles (round trip) and are familiar with the trails of Pt. Mugu State Park this training “challenge” is way to get in a mix of running on pavement, dirt roads, single track trail, fast downhill, runnable uphill, and a brutal hill climb, and wrap it all up in a fun-to-solve route-finding puzzle.



The “challenge” is to run from the trailhead at Wendy Drive & Potrero Road in Newbury Park to the flagpole on the summit of Mugu Peak. That’s it — the route you use is entirely up to you, as are all other details of the run. At the top of Mugu Peak (if it’s not foggy) you’ll be rewarded with great views of the coast near Pt. Mugu, the Channel Islands, La Jolla Valley and Boney Mountain.

I ran it last Sunday. A middle-of the pack runner, my training goal was to do it in under two hours. My time was 1:55:30. Turns out my route was about a half-mile longer than what I believe to be the shortest possible route. I pushed the pace some, but have a race coming up, so didn’t go all out.

Based on my times in some similar XTERRA races I’m thinking my race pace goal should be around 1:40. A very fast runner might be able to do it in around 1:10. You’ll have to decide what’s a good goal for you. Just remember that once you get to Mugu Peak, you have to get back! (And keep an eye out for those pesky rattlesnakes and other wildlife!)

Update April 12, 2014. In near perfect weather did the peak from Wendy in 1:42:02.

Update January 5, 2014. In less than ideal conditions did the peak in 1:47:49, so it looks like 1:40 should be possible for me.