* ACA Rating: 3AIII
* Our hiking time: 5¼ hours
* Our Hiking distance: 6.6 (est)
* Elevation loss: 3144 (est)
* Elevation gain: 2704 (est)
* Required equipment: Standard canyoneering gear 150ft rope, 150ft pull cord, 100ft webbing 6 quicklinks
* Rappels: 4-6, 110ft largest
* Hazards: Possible high water in river, vehicle burglaries*, pot farmers in season
* USGS TOPO map(s) Condor Peak, CA
Acme Mapper
See attached file for Google Earth KMZ
Elevation profile
Video
General description:
This is the West fork of Delta Canyon... So named because Epsilon comes after Delta in the Greek alphabet. You start in Tujunga in the city up the end of Haines Cyn Ave where the City of Tujunga Water works once stood, there where Homesteads further up here starting around 1915,the first Patented claim by Frank Begue. I assume they where washed away/burned down in the 11/1933 fire and 1/1/1934 flood. Old Auto Club Southern California maps I've seen call this area Azteca. Further on in Haines Canyon are more remains of the water works, and CCC era flood control structures
Trailhead*:
This trip requires a shuttle leaving a vehicle at the Delta Flats Day Use Area, then driving to the end of Haines Canyon Ave in Tujunga (Approx address 10510)
The Trip:
After setting up the shuttle etc...We got going about 7:20am. Hiking the road was as expected. At the first hairpin turn we took the spur road left (2812ft 1.4 miles 38 mins) followed this to the end at a cistern (2913 ft 1.6 miles 44 min) here starts the Sister Elsie Trail (SET) we bore left at the signed junction with the Mt Lukens Trail (3270ft 2.0miles 1hr), the trail becomes increasingly brushy past here, but just past here is the second and final wet creek crossing.
You'll cross several CCC era weirs similar to the remains you'll find in other Mt Lukens south facing canyons but these are intact. About 0.1 miles past an intact weir (3751ft 2.5 miles 1hr22min) is a junction of sorts (3793ft 2.6 miles 1hr 24min) There may or may not be a sign here, but bear left up the old dozer grade.
This is the final up hill segment, at 4019ft, 2.8 miles (1hr 37min) we reached the open Delta Cyn Saddle.
We followed the distinct bear trails down canyon trusting our furry pals knew the best way..And they do for a Bear, they lead people right into the bushes...Darn bears.
We came to our first rappel at 3626ft 3.25 miles, 2:05 (hrs:min) after starting out. We did this out of an excess of caution, some may wish to down climb this but the rock here is poor (friable). The rappel is about 20ft we anchored canyon right on a bush.
At 3471 feet (34.28381, 118.25093 2hr 28min) There is a well worn bear trail canyon left, we took this trail and quickly reached the ridge (3517 feet 2hrs 32min) and into our target canyon
We headed down through the brush to the gully and then down canyon to the main channel, we reached the main channel @ 3100ft 2hrs 50min.
Shortly down canyon we came to a downclimbable drop but it was wet and icy. We rappelled here
At 3010 feet (N34.28710 W118.253280 3hrs 15min) we came to the first of a series of 4 drops This rappel was about 30ft which we anchored on a large tree laying across the canyon.
Just below here was the next rappel of about 80-100ft, we anchored high in a bomber alder tree canyon right.
Just below is a downclimb canyon right we elected to rappel midcanyon because of the continuing rock falls canyon right, this was about 60 feet.
A short way down canyon was the last and most dramatic rappel a 110-120ft rappel, we anchored canyon left, waist high in a small but stout tree in an effort to stay out of the water on this cold Southern California day.
WOW what a great canyon! Smiles all around as we ended our adventure....
The hike down canyon to Delta Flats was uneventful this time, we debated hiking up canyon (Bruin Highway) to look for my Clip-on Sunglasses but na!
We got to our shuttle vehicle about 12:30pm (5hrs 17min)
Big Tujunga still has surprises!
Thanks to my fellow canyoneers for a great day
Matt
*Due to repeated auto burglaries at all Big-T trailheads it is highly recommended you not leave anything in your vehicle, not in the trunk or anywhere else, leave the windows down too...Oh the joys of urban canyoneering!
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