Was up at Big Bear Lake this weekend for the Holcomb Valley 33 mile trail run. (More on that in a later post.) Got up to the lake around 2:00 in the afternoon, and on such a fantastic day couldn't just sit around.

First things first, I had to check out the trail on which the race would begin and end, the Cougar Crest Trail. The trail looked good. It wasn't too steep, and climbed up through an open forest of juniper, piñon pine, and Jeffrey pine. In hot weather the south facing trail would cook, but with morning temps in the 40's and afternoon temps around 70, that wouldn't be an issue. At about the mile mark the trail reached a level spot, and switchbacked left. It was a good point to turn around -- I'd see the rest tomorrow.

After a quick side trip to Holcomb Valley to check out another part of the course, I headed over to the Gray's Peak trailhead. It looked like this trail would have nice views of Big Bear Lake, and all the snow on north facing slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains.

With every switchback, this pretty trail tempted me higher and higher. I was torn between getting the scenic shot that seemed to be just around the next corner, and not overdoing it before the race. After a number of these switchbacks, I had to call it quits. I scrambled to a highpoint and took the photo above. Here's a larger image that shows the peaks a little more clearly.

The view framed by the trees extends from San Gorgonio Mountain (11,499') on the left, to San Bernardino Mountain (10,649') on the right. The peak just right of center, with the large snowfields, is San Bernardino East Peak (10,691'). One of my favorite trail runs climbs from Mill Creek on the other side of the range to San Bernardino East Peak, and then follows the crest to the summit of Mt. San Gorgonio. About 11 miles of the loop course is above 10,000'.

Related post: San Gorgonio High Line 2009

Given its vibrant chartreuse color, it isn't surprising that wolf lichen (Letharia vulpina) has been used by various indigenous groups to make a dye. Perhaps more of a curiosity is that it is toxic, and has reportedly been used as a poison, and medicinal remedy.

From Sunday's trail run in the Chumash Wilderness on the Vincent Tumamait Trail.

Some related trail runs: Fresh Air Traverse, Mt. Pinos - Mt. Abel Out & Back

Mt. Baldy fron the summit of Mt. Baden-Powell

Yesterday, Woodland Hills topped the 90° mark for the first time this year. But somebody forgot to tell the local mountains about the warmup. This morning, I was about a mile into an out and back trail run from Islip Saddle to Mt. Baden-Powell, and with the wind chill, it felt like the temp was in the 40's.

In November 2009 NASA used its Predator B remotely piloted aircraft "Ikhana" to collect post-burn assessments of the Piute Fire in Kern County and the Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest. This interactive Google Earth browser view shows the area of the San Gabriel Mountains burned in the Station Fire, with an overlay of the Ikhana Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) image. (Image courtesy of NASA Dryden and NASA Ames.)

According to NASA, the various purple hues are indicative of the differences in burn severity. The view can be panned, zoomed and tilted (help info) in order to get an idea of the burn severity along a particular trail, or in a particular area. This can be used with other assessment data and on the ground observations to evaluate burn severity. There is also a BAER Station Fire Soil Burn Severity Map (1.1MB PDF) on the Angeles National Forest web site, but it is low resolution, and doesn't include placenames. Additional BAER information can be found on the Angeles National Forest Station Fire BAER page.

Earlier this week Angeles National Forest reopened some areas of the forest closed by the Station Fire, and issued Forest Order 01-10-02, redefining the boundary of the Station Fire Closure Area. The magenta line in the previous view, and in this Google Earth browser view without the burn severity overlay, is the approximate boundary of the Station Fire Closure Area as derived from Angeles National Forest Order No. 01-10-02, Exhibit A and Exhibit B. The boundary, as depicted, is intended to provide a general overview of the closed area -- not an exact rendering. Please contact Angeles National Forest to determine whether a particular resource is open or closed. Note, for example, that a road may be open or closed depending upon which edge of the road is the boundary.

One of the reasons for putting this information together was to check the status of several peaks and trails. With so much of the forest closed it is essential that every trail and area that is in reasonable condition be opened to the public. For example, the north approach and summit of Twin Peaks is outside the burn area, but remains closed. The trail from Buckhorn to Twin Peaks Saddle and up to the peak should be open, and if the short section of trail burned near Three Points is OK, trail 10W04 from Three Points to Mt. Waterman and Twin Peaks should be opened.

GPS traces of some trail runs inside and outside the Station Fire area have been added to both Google Earth views, along with links to related photos and stories. Trail runs that fall partially or entirely inside the closure area have a red label. Click on the green hiker icon for additional info. Some placenames have also been added --the locations should be considered approximate.

The views also include a partial track of the Pacific Crest Trail (2009 ver. 1) from the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail web site. Note that the PCT is closed in the Station Fire Closure area and the northbound PCT has been rerouted at Islip Saddle. See the Pacific Crest Trail Association web site for more info.

From today's out and back run from Cloudburst Summit (7018') to Burkhart Saddle (6959') in the San Gabriel Mountains, near Los Angeles.

The running was excellent, and except for a few fallen trees the trails were in good shape. Thanks to the runoff from a good Winter's snowpack there was plenty of water in Little Rock Creek, and even the smaller side streams were flowing. Most of the snow below 7000' was history, but there was still a lot of white on the north facing slopes at the higher elevations.

The trailhead for this run is on Highway 2 at the boundary of the area closed by the Station Fire Recovery Order. The run follows the southbound Pacific Crest Trail, and northbound Burkhart Trail, which define the eastern boundary of the closure area north of Highway 2.

Update May 29, 2010. Angeles National Forest has issued Forest Order 01-10-02 redefining the Station Fire closure area. The southbound Pacific Crest Trail, and northbound Burkhart Trail no longer define the boundary. See the Angeles National Forest web site and this May 29, 2010 post for more info.

From Cloudburst Summit, the southbound PCT winds down into Cooper Canyon, and eventually joins the Burkhart Trail, just west of Cooper Canyon Falls. In about a quarter-mile, the trail crosses Little Rock Creek. Here, the northbound Burkhart Trail forks left from the (closed) PCT, and continues 3.75 miles to Burkhart Saddle.

Here is an HD video snapshot of Cooper Canyon Cascade and Falls.

Note: The PCT northbound has been rerouted at Islip Saddle. See the Pacific Crest Trail Association web site for more info. Also, the PCT trail segment between the Burkhart Trail and Eagle's Roost is within the area closed by the Williamson Rock Closure Order.

Some related posts: Cooper Canyon Falls, Cool Running in Southern California, Pleasant View Ridge Snow

The great view confirmed it -- we had run uphill. The new section of the Backbone Trail was so well-graded that the 850 feet of elevation gain from the trailhead at Encinal Canyon Rd. seemed almost effortless. For the next 14 miles, we would run through one of the most scenic areas of the Santa Monica Mountains; a rough and rugged highland with a character that might put it halfway around the world, rather than 35 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

On this May Day morning, the canyons were cool, the sun warm, and the skies clear. From the craggy heights views extended from Catalina to the Channel Islands; and from Topa Topa to the San Gabriel Mountains. Winter rains had produced a profusion of wildflowers, accenting the trails with the whites, blues, yellows and reds of Spring.

It was an extraordinary day in which mile after mile of trail would pass underfoot with surprising ease. It was the best kind of training -- a run in which the training was an afterthought, and the focus was on the experience, rather than the logbook.

Here's an interactive Google Earth view of the 23 mile route from Encinal Canyon Rd. to PCH at Sycamore Canyon. The elevation gain on the run was about 2500 ft., and elevation loss about 3800 ft. Continuing to the Ray Miller trailhead by way of the Wood Vista, Overlook and Ray Miller trails would add about 3 miles and another 1000 ft. of gain. Another option would be to run through Serrano Valley to Sycamore Canyon. The Fireline Trail is a short distance down canyon from the Serrano Valley Trail, and could also be used to link to the Overlook and Ray Miller trails.

And here's a photo of the Yerba Buena segment of the Backbone Trail when it was under construction in 2003.

Related post: Boney Mountain Crags

Even if the calendar is a little slow, Spring is here. The oaks are leafing out, goldfields blooming, chorus frogs  singing, and I just had my first rattlesnake encounter of the year.

The single track trail paralleled the dirt road in upper Las Virgenes Canyon. I weaved and wound my way through the grassland and oaks, eventually returning to the road near the connector to Cheeseboro Canyon.

Usually, the sound of my footfalls would be enough to abruptly silence the sing-song of the frogs at the creek crossing. As I approached the creek, the calls slowed but did not stop. I paused at a small pool and stood quietly.

Over a period of seconds, the chorus of the frogs grew to a surprising intensity, interleaving and reverberating in such a way as to envelop me in sound. In the small pond at my feet, I could not see the frogs, but I could see the waves and ripples of their calls on the water's surface. Immersed in sound, I stood still for a few moments, and then crossed the creek, and continued down the canyon.

I'd been thinking about it earlier in the run. Highs had been in the 80's since Monday. Was three days enough to get the rattlesnakes out and about?

I reacted to the rattle before I heard it, leaping away from the sound. The snake was in the grass at the margin of the trail, about halfway up "the Beast," west of Lasky Mesa. It was nearly invisible in the tall grass, and only an inch or two off the overgrown path. Fortunately, it's reaction had been similar to mine, a defensive recoil, rather than a strike.

The adrenalin of the encounter quickened my pace up the hill. At the top of a hill, a falcon flew from a sentinel oak. I followed its flight until it disappeared in the glare of the setting sun, and sighed...

Rain-washed skies resulted in some long views from Rocky Peak road this morning. Fifty miles to the west, the Channel Islands were easily seen, and to the east Santiago Peak could be seen above a layer of low clouds, some 75 miles distant.

From today's run from Corriganville to "Fossil Point" on the Bandit 30K course.

The 2.5 mile run down the Chumash Trail is my favorite section of the Bandit 30K course. Mike Kuhn and the Rancho Simi Trail Blazers work hard to keep this single track trail in top shape. Th trail is technical, but fast, and the views are superb.

The Bandit course has a character all its own, with a great mix of spectacular scenery, challenging terrain, technical single track trails, and wide open fire roads. This year, the 14K course has been extended to 15K, turning around at the junction of the Chumash Trail and Rocky Peak Road.

The Bandit trail runs are coming up in two weeks -- Saturday, March 13. For all the details see the Bandit 30K/15K web site.

Photos are from today's run on the Chumash Trail.

Related post: Bandit 30K 2009

Green hills, partly cloudy skies, and superb trail running in Lang Ranch Open Space, near Simi Valley California.

From today's run from Long Canyon to Simi Peak and China Flat.

Related post: Long Canyon to Simi Peak and China Flat

It had been a long time since I was on the summit of Santiago Peak (aka Saddleback). The last time was in 1975, when I flew from the peak on a Sunbird "Butterfly" hang glider. That day had been spectacular, and this was turning out to be a spectacular day as well.

In the throes of an El Niño Winter, Southern California had been pummeled by a series of Pacific storms. With all the rain and snow it seemed unlikely that the Twin Peaks 50/50 would be run as planned. But the key access roads didn't wash out, most of the snow melted, and blue skies and great weather greeted runners race day morning.

While running the Phantom Trail a couple weeks ago, it occurred to me that the Grassland, Talepop, Liberty Canyon and Phantom Trails could be combined with the Bulldog Loop to create a challenging -- and very scenic -- twenty-something mile trail run.

Just how much longer than twenty depends on which trails you use to connect the Phantom Trail to Crags Rd. I opted to use the Cistern, Lookout, Yearling, and Deer Leg Trails. This variation works out to a little more than 24 miles. Tack on an out and back to the Mesa Peak overlook and you have a marathon length scenic tour of Malibu Creek State Park!

Here's a Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace of my route.

The title photo is a view west from the Cistern Trail to the former site of the Reagan Ranch.

Note: Check for ticks when running here -- particularly in the Winter & Spring!

Related post: Malibu Creek State Park Shadow & Sun