It had taken me about an hour to reach the benchmark from the Wendy Drive trailhead. It would take another hour to scramble up the ridge to the high point on the crest (unofficially “Boney Point”), and then another hour to work over Tri Peaks to the Backbone Trail and the summit of Sandstone Peak.
La Jolla Valley, Anacapa, and Santa Cruz Island from Boney Mountain
Once again, I got to the summit of Sandstone when no one was on the peak. After recording a video panorama from the summit, I scrambled back down the peak and then headed west on the Backbone Trail to the top of the Chamberlain Trail. Boney Bluff looms above the trail here and marks the beginning of the long descent to the Old Boney Trail.
On the way down Chamberlain, I talked to a hiker that was also doing an adventurous loop from the Wendy Drive Trailhead. At the top of the Chamberlain Trail he was planning to take the Tri Peaks Trail to Tri Peaks, and then work over to “Boney Point.” From there, he was going to descend the Lost Cabin Trail.
Western escarpment of Boney Mountain
At the bottom of the Chamberlain Trail I turned right on the Old Boney Trail and continued down to Blue Canyon. I hadn’t been through Blue Canyon since January and was curious to see how it fared after all the rainy season storms. The canyon is filled with rocky debris from millennia of flash floods. Flooding in the canyon sometimes obliterates sections of the Backbone Trail. Today, it looked like use and trailwork had reestablished washed out sections of the meandering trail.
In my experience, there are several things you can count on when running in a KHRaces event — a challenging, well-marked course, well-placed and supplied aid stations with helpful volunteers, reliable timing, good food at the finish line, and plenty of portable toilets at the start. That was certainly the case for the 2024 Malibu Canyon Trail Races in Point Mugu State Park.
The 100K, 50M, 50K, and 30K courses used many of the same trails as those in the Ray Miller Trail Races — including the hallmark start and finish on the Ray Miller Trail. The courses were out and back — which means you get to say hi to everyone in your race and be astonished by the speed of the faster runners.
Cloudy, Cool and Humid Weather
Into the clouds on the Ray Miller Trail.
Ten days before the race computer weather models were predicting the possibility of hot weather, but as race day approached the marine layer prevailed, and on June 8th the weather — though a little humid — was cool and cloudy throughout the day. Here are temps and other data on race day from an SCE weather station near the 50K turnaround near the Danielson Multi-Use area.
A few hours into the race, some runners looked like they had been in a rainstorm. For once, I was well-hydrated at the end of a race!
Water Crossings and Wildflowers
The wettest back-to-back rain years (measured at Los Angeles) in 100+ years had a tangible effect on the race, resulting in numerous get-your-feet-wet creek crossings and stunning displays of wildflowers.
Some runners were determined to keep their shoes dry, but most got their feet wet at least a couple of times. Having run with wet shoes most of the Winter, I surrendered to having wet socks and shoes early in the race. Just about every time my socks and shoes started to feel somewhat dry, another crossing would soak them.
I lost count of the stream crossings on the 50K course, but using Google Earth imagery from May 2023, it looks like there were around 12 (times two) crossings in Sycamore Canyon, plus a few more in Wood Canyon.
In many ways, volunteers make the race, assisting and encouraging runners in any way they can.
Phenomenal Performances
With the cool weather, there were some very fast times. Scott Traer crushed the 50M in 7:07:43, and Osvaldo Cerda flew through the 50K in 3:52:17! Paul Sinclair successfully defended last year’s first-place finish in the 100K with a time of 10:22:31. In the 100K, Angela Avina was the top woman and placed third overall with a time of 11:08:20. Zac Campbell and Jess Illg were the top man and woman in the 30K.
Wrap-up
My run went about as well as any 50K I’ve done. I had no issues during the race and felt good at the finish line and afterward.
Runners don’t expect a course to be exactly 50K — 31.1 miles — and the distance varies from race to race. The longest “50K” I’ve run was nearly 35 miles long and the shortest about 29 miles. My track for this race was just over 32 miles.
Hidden Pond from the Hidden Pond Trail in Point Mugu State Park.
It had rained a few hundredths overnight, and even though it was May, the weather was decidedly March-like.
Raindrops glistened in the grass, and a little mud caked my shoes as I ran across Satwiwa. To the south, rugged Boney Mountain captured the first rays of the rising sun, a remnant cloud hiding its summit. I breathed deeply and thought, “This is going to be an outstanding run…”
Western Ridge and escarpment of Boney Mountain from the Old Boney Trail
For months, it seems wet weather has had a particular affinity for Saturdays and Sundays. This has resulted in some wet, chilly runs. It’s also put a damper on other outdoor activities. A long-time rock climber, I enjoy going to Stoney Point and doing a circuit of easy bouldering problems. That’s been hard to do because 1) muddy climbing shoes don’t work so well, and 2) sandstone hand/footholds tend to break when wet.
That’s one of the reasons I was back on the western ridge of Boney Mountain — at least I’d get to climb something!
Near the halfway point on the Western Ridge.
Following a well-worn route, I scrambled up Boney’s western ridge to the crest and worked over Tri Peaks to the Backbone Trail. This time, after descending the Chamberlain Trail, I turned right (north) on the Old Boney Trail and looped back to where the western ridge route began. From there, I retraced my steps back to Wendy Drive. Here’s an interactive 3-D terrain map of my GPS track.
There were other reasons for doing this route. It’s been a very wet couple of years, and there is little trail infrastructure to handle the runoff from all the storms. Last weekend, another strong storm drenched Southern California, and on Friday, there was additional rain. The Boney – Old Boney route crosses just one creek (twice), and it usually has a decent limb/log/rock bridge. I suspected other routes would involve soaked socks and shoes.
Bush sunflower along the Old Boney Trail.
I’d also read that the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council (SMMTC) recently worked on the Old Boney Trail. After experiencing the challenges of brush on that trail firsthand, I was curious to see what the trail was like now. In addition, the Old Boney return has fantastic views of Boney Mountain’s impressive western escarpment. It’s fun to look up at where you’ve been!
Another consideration — not necessarily positive or negative — is the Boney Mountain – Old Boney keyhole loop has nearly a 1000′ more elevation gain than the similar length (16-mile) Blue Canyon, Sycamore Canyon, Upper Sycamore route.
Runners descending the Backbone Trail pass Chamberlain Rock.
It’s a section of the westbound Backbone Trail that starts two miles west of Sandstone Peak and continues down the Chamberlain, Old Boney, and Blue Canyon Trails to the Danielson Multi-Use Area and Big Sycamore Canyon Fire Road. At the point where the trail turns south on the fire road, it has dropped about 2400 feet in 4.8 miles. Continuing south on the fire road, the Backbone Trail gradually descends another 100 feet over a mile and a half until it starts up the Wood Canyon Vista Trail.
What about the long downhill between Saddle Peak and Malibu Canyon? That would be a contender if it weren’t for a gradual uphill that starts a little east of the Piuma Road crossing. It gains about 180 feet over 0.8 mile. If that break in the downhill is ignored, then the stats for the two descents are similar.
Boney Mountain from Satwiwa.
This morning, I did the Backbone Trail segment from Sandstone Peak to the Danielson Multi-Use Area as part of a loop from the Wendy Drive Trailhead on Potrero Road in Newbury Park. Including the optional side trip to Sandstone Peak, the loop totals about 18 miles with around 4000′ gain/loss.
Fires and heavy rain the past decade have taken their toll on the Backbone Trail and other trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. Today, except for a short stretch near Chamberlain Rock, most of the long downhill was in decent shape and enjoyable to run.
Here’s an interactive, 3D terrain view of a GPS trace of my route. The eastern ridge route is also shown. The map can be zoomed, tilted, rotated, and panned using the navigation control on the right. Track and placename locations are approximate and subject to errors. Poor weather and other conditions may make this route unsuitable for this activity.
Sycamore Canyon, Laguna Peak, and the Channel Islands from Boney Mountain.
Update on August 17, 2022. As of today, my West Hills weather station has recorded a high of 100 degrees or higher for 12 consecutive days.
It was another triple-digit Sunday. Once again the high in the west San Fernando Valley was forecast to hit one-hundred and something. I’d hope to beat most of the heat by getting an early start and running where it wouldn’t be quite so hot.
I hadn’t been able to get out to Stoney Point Saturday morning, so was looking to do a little easy climbing as part of my Sunday run. I was considering three options: Topanga Lookout Ridge, Strawberry Peak, and Boney Mountain.
Boney Mountain from connector trail above Danielson Road
While none of the three are difficult by rock climbing standards, all require the use of handholds and footholds, good route-finding skills, and good judgment. It is entirely possible to fall on any of them.
The Topanga Lookout Ridge loop is about 8.5 miles long with 2000′ of gain/loss. There are a few short climbing segments on the crest of the ridge that can be accessed from the use trail.
The basic loop up the Western Ridge of Boney Mountain and over Tri Peaks to the Backbone Trail and back to Wendy Drive is about 15.5 miles long with 3400′ of gain/loss. It is longer and more difficult than the Topanga Lookout Ridge loop.
The loop over the top of Strawberry Peak from the Colby Canyon Trailhead is about 12 miles long with 3100′ of gain/loss. There is some class 2/3 climbing on the west side of Strawberry, and it is essential to stay on route. There have been a number of rescues of those attempting to climb the peak.
View along the top of Boney Mountain’s western escarpment.
It was a few minutes past six when I pushed the start button on my Garmin and jogged down the hill from the trailhead at Wendy Drive. I’d run about a half-mile when I heard another runner behind me. We chatted for a couple minutes and I learned he was preparing to do the Wonderland Trail around Rainier and then the Bear 100.
We were both going to the same area, but by different routes. I was climbing Boney Mountain’s Western Ridge and then working over to the Backbone Trail. He was doing an out and back to Sandstone Peak via Upper Sycamore, Sycamore Canyon, and the Backbone Trail. We would run into each other again at the Danielson Multi-Use Area on the way back to Wendy Drive.
Morning shadows on Boney Mountain’s western escarpment
As always, the climb up the Western Ridge (Mountaineer’s Route) was enjoyable. The rock climber in me always wants to check out potential lines, but this morning there wasn’t much time for that. The longer it took to get up Boney, the hotter it was going to be later in the run!
The temperature was already in the eighties when I reached the Backbone Trail. Before the fires and floods of past decade, the run down the Chamberlain segment of the Backbone Trail was one of the better running descents in the Santa Monica Mountains. From the Tri Peaks Trail junction to the Old Boney Trail it drops about 1500′ over three miles. Today, except for the stretch of trail near Chamberlain Rock, it was nearly back to its original form.
Holly-leaved cherries along the Chamberlain segment of the Backbone Trail
As in other areas of the Santa Monica Mountains, the effect of the heavy December rains was evident. The red shanks, and chaparral in general, seemed to be greener. This year there is a bumper crop of holly-leaved cherries, which must make the coyotes happy. Unlike last year, it looks like there should be some Christmas berries this Winter, since a number of Toyon were covered in green berries.
On the way down the Chamberlain Trail I started to fret that the water at Danielson might not be turned on. The water faucets in Sycamore Canyon are usually dependable, but on a run a few years ago the water system was turned off for servicing. Or what if there had been a drought-related water supply issue?
It turned out the water was still on, and I drank a lot of it. The remainder of the run went well, although I was a little surprised that the sensor on my pack recorded temps in the nineties in Sycamore Canyon. I had expected the south-facing stretch on Danielson road to be torrid, but a nice breeze kept the temperature tolerable.
