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September Storm

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Rocky Peak road 

Los Angeles sometimes gets rain in September, but usually it is the result of tropical moisture from a dissipating hurricane, or perhaps the passage of the tail end of a weakening front. It is rare to see a low as cold, deep and energetic as the upper level low that deluged many areas of Los Angeles county Friday afternoon into Saturday.

Thunderstorms raked the San Fernando Valley Friday night, and several locations in and around the Valley recorded more than an inch of rain over the course of the storm. Los Angeles set a new rainfall record on Saturday, recording 0.40 inch of rain, and rainfall records were broken across the area.

In Southern California the first rain of the season often doesn’t occur until October or November and is always savored. Especially this year, when Los Angeles has recorded only 3.21 inches of rain in the last 15 or 16 months, and a developing La Nina threatens to put the kibosh on Winter rain.

I celebrated the rain by doing an out and back run to “Fossil Point” on Rocky Peak fire road. Based on the size of the mud puddles on the dirt road, this unseasonable storm appeared to be wetter than any in last year’s record dry rain season. Here’s a panorama of the view northwest from the fire road to Oak Ridge, the Santa Susana Mountains and beyond.

Some related posts: San Fernando Valley from Rocky Peak, Rainy Morning on Rocky Peak Road.

photography, photography|landscape, running, trails, trails|smmc open space

Simi Peak Out & Back

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Sandstone Peak and Boney Mountain from Simi Peak.
Sandstone Peak and Boney Mountain from Simi Peak

I hadn’t done this course in midsummer, but a long run close to home, and an early morning ascent of Simi Peak sounded like a nice change of pace. A dawn start from El Scorpion Park put me on the peak and back to the car before temps got out of hand.

On the way out to Simi Peak I usually run up Las Virgenes Canyon and then follow a single track popular with mountain-bikers to Shepherds’ Flat. From here the Sheep Corral Trail leads west to the Palo Comado Canyon fire road, which can be followed up to China Flat. On the way back, from Shepherds’ Flat I run down the Cheeseboro Canyon trail to a connector that can be followed east back to Las Virgenes Canyon. Done this way, and tacking on a short scenic tour of China Flat, the route works out to be about 22.5 miles, with an elevation gain and loss of about 2200 ft. Here’s a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of the run.

There is an extensive network of trails in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (trail map) and Cheeseboro/Palo Comado Canyons (trail map) , and many routes to Simi Peak are possible. El Scorpion Park is the most distant trailhead from Simi Peak. Starting at the Victory trailhead will decrease the round-trip mileage by about 2.5 miles, and from the Las Virgenes trailhead by about 6 miles. Simi Peak can also be accessed from the Cheeseboro Canyon, Lindero Canyon, Lang Ranch, and Long Canyon trailheads.

photography, photography|landscape, trails, trails|smmc open space

Rocky Peak

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Rocky Peak in the Santa Susana Mountains

Each year, thousands hike, ride or run the 2.3 miles up Rocky Peak fire road to a high point with a nice view of Simi Valley. This is near the point marked “ROAD” in this overview photo. Many turn around here, but some continue along the main road to the Johnson Trail, Chumash Trail, Fossil Point, or beyond.

Another option is to follow a spur trail that branches off the main road at the high point about a quarter-mile to an airy overlook. From this viewpoint you can see the San Fernando Valley and surrounding mountains, and trace your route through Rocky Peak Park’s unique sandstone formations.

The overlook marks the end of the “easy” trail and the beginning of a rough, rudimentary trail that leads east-northeast through large boulders and outcrops to the summit of the Rocky Peak (2714′).

The summit of Rocky Peak is one of the points that defines the border between Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Last year, I was surprised to find evidence that a coyote had recently visited this summit!

Here’s a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of my route to the summit.

Some related posts: San Fernando Valley from Rocky Peak, Rainy Morning on Rocky Peak Road.

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Blue Skies, Green Hills & Sunshine

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Runner on a track that connects Rocky Peak fire road to Las Llajas Canyon in Rocky Peak Park.

Runner on a track that connects Rocky Peak fire road to Las Llajas Canyon in Rocky Peak Park. From the top of this hill there is approximately 4 miles of fast downhill through a scenic canyon garnished with out of service oil wells and a gurgling creek.

Related post: Chumash – Las Llajas Loop.

nature, nature|weather, photography, photography|trail running, trails, trails|smmc open space, weather, weather|southern california

Cheeseboro Bound

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Two runners climb up the last yards of a hill before descending into Las Virgenes Canyon in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.

Two runners climb up the last yards of a hill before descending into Las Virgenes Canyon in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.

The trail is a connector that joins East Las Virgenes Canyon with upper Las Virgenes Canyon. Our 15 mile loop started at the Victory trailhead, following the El Scorpion Trail to another long-used trail that climbs up to the ridge along the northern boundary of the preserve. From here we descended to Las Virgenes Canyon and worked over to Shepherd’s Flat and down Cheeseboro Canyon, eventually returning to the Victory trailhead by way of the main drag.

The area seen in the photograph is a small portion of the 24,000 acres that was burned in the Topanga Fire in late September 2005.

Although an undercoat of green is apparent, the drought in Southern California continues. According to NWS climate data, as of today, Downtown Los Angeles (USC) has recorded only 2.42 inches of rain since the water year began on July 1, 2006. This total is nearly 9 inches less than normal.

photography, photography|trail running, trails, trails|smmc open space

Tapia Bound

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A trail runner cruises down Calabasas Peak Motorway on the way to the Stunt High Trail, Backbone Trail, Saddle Peak, and Tapia Park

A friend cruises down Calabasas Peak Motorway on the way to the Stunt High Trail, Backbone Trail, Saddle Peak, and Tapia Park – a run of about 14 miles with an elevation gain of about 2600 ft., and loss of about 3600 ft.

Several excellent trail runs in the 11-15 mile range (or longer) can be done from the intersection of Malibu Canyon and Piuma Rd., near Tapia Park. These include an out and back to Saddle Peak (~13 mi), the Bulldog Loop (~14.5 mi), and point to point runs starting at the Secret Trail (~11 mi), or Tunnel #1 on Kanan Rd. (~12.5 mi).

Related posts: Saddle Peak, Rock Formations Along the Backbone Trail