Simi Valley and the Pacific Coast from Rocky Peak Road

What better way to recover from the Bulldog 50K than running Ahmanson and Rocky Peak on two of the hottest days of the year?

Yesterday, Pierce College in Woodland Hills hit a scorching 111°F, and then today 109°F. At the start of today's run it was still over 100°F on Rocky Peak, but extra (ice) water, and a bit of a breeze kept things mostly reasonable.

No matter the weather, you'll always see someone else on Rocky Peak!

Some related posts: Rocky Peak Rainstorm, Snow on Oat Mountain

The clouds are in the Conejo Valley and the crags are a prominent highpoint on the ridge that tops the west face of Boney Mountain. Here's a Google Earth aerial view SSE along the ridge that shows the topography. From the upper cliffs the west face drops over 2000' to the Backbone Trail in Blue Canyon.

Ascending the western ridge, or easier eastern ridge, is an adventurous way to access the Backbone Trail from Wendy Dr. Once over Tri-Peaks and on the Backbone Trail several loop variations are possible. These range from a relatively direct return on the Boney Trail, to lengthy excursions to Serrano Valley or La Jolla Valley.

Today's variation worked out to about 20 miles. Once on the upper section of the Backbone Trail, I followed it west down the Chamberlain, Boney and Blue Canyon trails to the Danielson Multi-use area in Sycamore Canyon. After doing a circuit in Sycamore Canyon I picked up the Upper Sycamore Trail and headed back to Danielson Road, Satwiwa, and the trailhead at Wendy Drive.

Some related posts: Boney Mountain Western Ridge & Loop, Sandstone Peak from Wendy Drive, Boney Mountain North Side Loop

It was about 9:45 a.m., and I was switchbacking up through a surprisingly dense forest of California bay on the Hondo Canyon segment of the Backbone Trail. The trail was carpeted in bay leaves, and a hint of the sharp, sweet smell of bay lingered in the still morning air. It had been four years since I had run this trail, and I had forgotten just how lush and green it was. The geology, oaks, bay trees, ferns, and poison oak were spectacular.

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

Running down the service road toward the polo field, the lawn of the historic 31-room ranch house was impossibly green. Several inches of rain and the low angle of the Winter sun combined to produce a green of remarkable vibrancy.

I was about 10 miles into a 21.5 mile trail run in the Santa Monica Mountains, winding my way through Will Rogers State Historic Park. The popular park consists of the ranch house, polo field, stables, riding arenas, picnic areas, and hiking trails. Built in about 1926, the ranch was deeded to the State of California as a historic park in 1944.

And about that green lawn; I guess it just makes sense that a western ranch with a polo field would have a four hole golf course that doubles as a front lawn.

Here's a brochure and a self-guided tour from the Park's web site.

Some related posts: Will Rogers - Temescal Loop, Los Angeles Basin Fog, Curvilinear

Six days of rain had finally come to an end. Soaked hillsides steamed in the morning sun; but still in shadow, tussocks of grass along the dirt road wore a thick coat of frost. Running west on the main drag in Ahmanson Ranch, we were working our way over to Cheeseboro Canyon.

Whether the conditions were imperfect or perfect was a matter of perspective. Yes, it had been a little muddy and wet, but that was part of the experience, and part of the morning.

In some places droplets of water refracted and reflected tiny spectra of color, while in others flat plates of frost glittered in the sun. Running along a rejuvenated creek, the smell of wet earth mixed with the rich organic odors of old willow leaves and other vegetation.

Away from the trailhead there was not a hiker, runner, rider or mountain biker to be seen. Remarkably, even in Cheeseboro Canyon no one was on the trail.

Sometimes I'm asked,"What are you training for?" Being able to enjoy a run like today's is my reply.

Today I did the kind of running I most enjoy -- the "not sure which trails I'm going to run; I'll figure it out when I get there" kind.

Starting at Malibu & Mulholland in Malibu Creek State Park, I headed north on the Grassland Trail, and then ad-libbed from there. The result was a meandering route involving the Grassland, Talepop, Liberty Canyon, Phantom, Cistern, Lookout, Yearling, Deer Leg, and Cage Creek Trails, as well as Crags Rd.

It had been at least a couple of years since I was on these trails, and I'd forgotten just how varied and scenic they are.

This is one of my favorite medium length trail runs in the Santa Monica Mountains. It starts at the Ray Miller trailhead and explores the scenic grasslands of the Serrano and La Jolla Valleys. Along the way there are spectacular ocean and mountain vistas from the Ray Miller Trail and the summit of Mugu Peak.

Most of the route is on single track trail, and except for a short out & back segment to "The Ranch" in Serrano Valley, it is a complete loop of about 20 miles. Many variations are possible.

One of the better online maps I've found of the area is an Interagency Trail Management Map produced by the NPS Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area GIS Lab. It shows the status of trails and public lands in the Santa Monica Mountains and is broken into three parts: West - Central - East. Additional NPS SMMNRA trail management plan maps include Proposed Backbone Trail Facilities and Trails and Proposed Regional Trails.

Here is a Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace of our route from the Ray Miller trailhead and through Serrano and La Jolla Valleys.

Related post: Serrano Valley - La Jolla Valley Loop, Serrano Valley from the Chamberlain Trail

Early morning sunlight filters through the oaks and sycamores in upper Las Virgenes Canyon.

From today's run of Cheeseboro Ridge from El Scorpion Park at the west end of Vanowen in the San Fernando Valley.