Spring Approaches

My goal (tentatively) is to hit the trails three times weekly. Started off this week, Monday, with about 6.5 miles in the local coastal hills, my long time stomping grounds, Wood Canyon. The weather is quite chilly nowadays (low 40s F in the morning, 50s in the afternoon) but there’s lots of green peeping through! Spring certainly approaches.

I took a few detours off Wood Canyon, beginning with Wood Creek, that little trail that nobody seems to know about. It’s magical and as usual was empty.

One of my favorite spots along Wood Creek Trail:
Leaf littered path along Wood Creek Trail:

I stopped by Dripping Cave as well, a bit giddy on the way in because the “Trail Partially Closed” sign was gone at the trailhead. Most of Dripping Cave Trail has been closed for several years due to fires. Of course, the closed section was one of my favorite trails in all of Wood Canyon. Turns out, the park has permanently ended the trail at the cave. And the place is so overgrown, I couldn’t even make out the old trail. So, I jaunted up a rocky path off to the side just to make sure. I didn’t find the trail but an awesome secret outcropping to sit at and look out at the canyon. From the spot, I could also see the actual “old” Dripping Cave Trail (the now closed part) and decided not to go for it. I wasn’t in the mood to dodge rangers. I’m not that quick nowadays.

Dripping Cave:
Path up to secret outcropping:

After Dripping Cave, I decided to head back. I took took another detour and jumped onto Coyote Run Trail after Mathis. In contrast to Wood Creek Trail, Coyote Run is not so secret. It’s the way to RockIt, a huge park favorite. On this Monday though, I had it practically to myself. I came upon only one runner and one hiker on this fairytale trail.

Coyote Run Trail:

Time For A New Season

I’ve been away from trails for a bit, a LONG bit. I don’t even want to look up the last date I ventured out. I’m sure it was spring. It depresses me. I really need that contemplation that trails  afford.

Among my excuses: I’ve been busy, (plus it’s hot). Gratefully, I had a good amount of work this summer. I taught a session at the community college (online), had some committee work there as well and taught speech and debate to youngsters out in the San Gabriel valley – quite a drive every Saturday (100+ miles). I also painted my boys’ room (tan with cream trim and ceiling – the toughest part, it’s cathedral!). I also wrote more fiction and added a few short stories to my latest project – a collection based during the turn of the century, the last century in and around the areas that I love (San Juan Capistrano, Black Star Canyon, Silverado, etc.)  This project of course took a lot of blood sweat and tears and added to my ache for the trails. I couldn’t help but think if I could just get out there and wander aimlessly in the mountains say for five to eight hours at a time, I could pretty much finish up the entire collection in my head. But I didn’t do that, instead I struggled and had a rough time of it. I have to hand it to the writer’s group I attended for a while – deadlines really helped me churn out the pages. Lastly, for eight of these summer weeks, I spent my Monday and Wednesday mornings in an online piano class at the college I teach. What a joy that was! It’s been many years since I’ve played. Looking back, the summer was a success but there was always something missing. Trails. Thank God it’s still in my blood. I have this tiny worry that my love of trails is going to slip away and I’m give up that joy. (sigh)

To celebrate my physical return to campus, I went out for a little hike the Friday before the first day of the semester (August 19). I set out in the morning and hiked only a few miles (a little under four). It was hot as expected. But the shade was plentiful in Wood Canyon. I took the scenic trails, the less travelled, and hunted for a perfect spot to sit up above the trail in secret. I eventually found that spot, up from Coyote Run Trail, a nice shady location on a gigantic boulder beneath a canopy of trees. I sat silently above the trail for a nice long while taking in the soft breeze as it blew through the trees. Occasionally a cyclist rode by or a bird hopped about in the leaf litter. The climb down was steep and I scuffed up my knee a tad. Oddly back at home, seeing those scratches comforted me. It was back to normal. Hopefully, it will be that way more often. I know it’s early still and we’ve got more than three weeks left of summer, plus a few more hot weeks after that, but I’ll be happy to say “So-long summer!” It’s time for a new season.

Wood Creek Trail (Photoshopped with a saturation layer):Poison Oak (Photoshopped with a poster edge filter):

Forcing It

It took a few more days than I thought before I finally grabbed my pack off the kitchen table and put it to my back. You see, among other things (remember, when it rains it pours?)  I ended up on antibiotics due to a tooth infection, and not feeling very invisible lately, I heeded my body’s advice and did a half-assed attempt at taking care of myself for a bit. By Thursday, October 23, I had no more excuses. It was time for some mental health therapy.I had to shove myself out the door.

I was really dreaming of Maple Spring Road in Silverado because its now fall and the Maples are starting to turn yellow. But since July was the last time I hit the trails, it is probably prudent to take it easy. And it was also prudent to not go driving all over the place when the budget is tight. Now is as good a time as any to start acting prudently. So, I decided to explore Wood Canyon (which is pretty easy) and stop by some of my favorite places: Wood Creek, Dripping Cave, Cave Rock, & Coyote Run.

I hiked 8.5 miles in total and took plenty of time sitting in caves and taking in the scenery. It was a beautiful eerie October day. Fall is in the air for sure – the weather is cool, the floor is littered with leaves and I can finally see the crawdads at the bottom of the creek beds – they start coming around in the fall!. I had to force myself out the door to get there -- I'm so glad I went. I know I'm better for it.

It’s been so long, I felt it in my legs on this one.

Earthy Colors

Behind (as usual) in life. Heat is rising in Southern California, so I’m staying in close to the ocean as my way of coping with it. July 6, I managed to get out pretty late in the afternoon and took a rather lazy hike in Wood Canyon (Aliso Viejo, CA) with some lovely, hot-weathered detours.

Did I say that it was hot?

Anyway, I decided to try out a pair of men’s New Balance trail shoes that I picked up at the San Clemente Outlets on this particular hike since I’d only be out for a few hours. New Balance is my brand, has been for about twenty years and the tread on my current pair is running thin. I decided to give this men’s style a try because I really liked the green earthy colors and they were only thirty dollars, which is quite a steal for trail shoes. Often, the female trail shoes have colors that are too flashy for me.

So into Wood Canyon I lazily made my way and first thing I really noticed was how high the shoe rides up on my ankle. It felt odd, and I’m not sure that I like it. I definitely don’t hate it – it’s not a deal breaker, but I’m thinking these aren’t going to be one of my favorite pairs of shoes. In all though, they weren’t terribly uncomfortable. And I do believe that this is the second time that I learned that I don’t like the cut of men’s trail shoes. I caught glimpses of memories of another pair of men’s trail shoes that I bought many, many years ago (again because of the earthy colors!) as I hiked along Wood Canyon that day.

I got in about 7 and 1/2 miles on July 6, with not much elevation gain (<1k), but it was lovely. I took in some shady detours, the first one being 5 Oaks (which I rarely take, but I wanted to take a look at the newly built bridges and trail reinforcements). On the return, I detoured onto the lonesome Coyote Run Trail and and the spooky Wood Creek Trail that is almost completely covered in forest. The hike of course ended with cool summer ocean breezes which made taking off in the afternoon so worth it!

The Canopy of Wood Canyon

  Along 5 Oaks TrailCoyote Run Trail

The Bridge Over Wood Creek to Wood Creek Trail

Three Bobcats in Wood Canyon

August 8, I went for an 8.10 mile hike during the afternoon in Wood Canyon. I didn't do anything strenuous because it was afternoon and it was August. And I kept to Wood Canyon and all of the little mostly shady trails that spawn from it (Wood Creek, Coyote Run, Dripping Cave, Cave Rock). All those side trails are wonderful -- they're so fairytale-like and they aren't travelled much (and not at all in the middle of the afternoon during the summer). These side trails are hidden gems in that canyon. But Wood Canyon alone can present itself delightfully too, as it did on this day. 

Wood Creek Trail

Coyote Run Trail

Cave Rock Trail

Dripping Cave

I hiked Meadow Creek and Coyote run on the way out and caught Cave Rock (where I meandered) and and Dripping Cave (where I meandered as well) on the back portion of this canyon hike. Shortly after Dripping Cave I came upon 3 bobcats on Wood Canyon Trail -- 1 adult and 2 cubs. They froze in the middle of the road when they saw me. And then the adult and one cub abruptly ran into the brush on the left. I fumbled for my camera to catch what I could. Just then, another hiker (the only other person that I saw all day in Wood Canyon) came from the other direction. Now sandwiched in on each side by humans, the remaining cub ran off into the brush, but on the right, where he was now separated from his mama and sibling. 

I chatted a bit with the other hiker. He said that he thought he had seen two adults and one cub. I'm pretty confident that I saw the two cubs and that there was only one adult. But hey, you never know how your eyes might deceive you. Anyway, after the other hiker took off in the opposite direction, I waited quietly at the side of the road with my camera ready. It knew it would be only a matter of time when the cub popped back into the road to find his mama.

Sure enough, the cub stepped out into the road. He saw me again and froze and so I was able to zoom in and catch a few pictures with my cheap little hiking/running camera (It's an Elph). 

This is Mama running off into the brush 

And here is the cub who runs off in the opposite direction

I was so lucky to see him again when he came back out onto the trail!

After that wonderful sighting, I meandered up Wood Canyon in scenes like the ones below. It was darn hot that's for sure. But I had lots of glorious shade and time in the Now.

Wet and Muddy Conditions

We are having one of  our wetter rainy seasons this year. Sometimes we skip right past the rainy season with just two or three rains. And sometimes, we get a deluge for weeks and weeks. Such is the case right now. Everything is green. Everything is clean. The weather is perfectly cool, sometimes even cold. There's snow even occassionally in the local mountains, and the mountains just west of those (The San Gabriels for example) are still covered in snow. The rain is delightful (oh, except for all the driving I do freeway flying between three campuses). Creeks are full. Waterfalls fall once again. It is perfect trail season right now. PERFECT. Too bad our dang county park system has got the door closed tight on all the local trails. They're all closed due to "Wet and Muddy Conditions!"

A window opened up on the last day of February, and I got off to Wood Canyon Thurday late morning. The creeks were flowing and the skies were blue. Like I mentioned, perfect trail weather. I took the easy canyon route with two detours: 1) up to a bench that overlooks the canyon, and 2) Wood Creek Trail, a magical shady trail that crosses over Wood Creek and winds through a thick forest of trees.

Since I am behind in everything, I'll cut this short and end with the stats and pics. 

9.07 miles, 650' elevation gain. 

No Time to Post–But I’m Gonna Anyway! (Wood Cyn)

Super-duper behind on everything, literally everything in my life. But I do manage to get in my hikes here and again. This one was from over a week ago (Nov. 4) – I took a nice little stroll through Wood Canyon in Aliso Viejo, with a detour onto Wood Creek and Cave Rock trails. It was lovely and quite therapeutic. I saw 2 coyotes and 5 deer – and all at once. Alas, I was not able to retrieve my camera fast enough. Also, it suddenly came to me to check out the creek for crawdads, because it’s fall! And that’s when the crawdads show their faces. I’ve been searching out crawdads since I was 17 years old when my husband and I started dating. We used to catch them in Walnut Creek in Covina California and put them in his aquariums. Sure enough on this hike, I found several walking about the creek floor on my way out. On the way back however, I checked again, and those orange fresh water crustaceans had completely disappeared. I did catch a picture of the crawdads who appeared to be angrily waving their claws at me, and I caught a lot of other cool pictures of this lovely, local canyon named Wood Canyon. I’ll just let them tell the story because I don’t have any time. None. Zero. Zilch!

7.75 miles

Wood Canyon Trail:Wood Creek Trail:My Crawdad friends (look closely through the water):Cave Rock Trail (a hidden gem in Wood Cyn):