Deukmejian Wilderness Trails

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 12:22 pm

Any idea what condition the Rim-of-the Valley and the Crescenta View trails are in? These trails from Deukmejian Wilderness Park make a nice loop hike up to Mt. Lukens. TIA.

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 12:29 pm

I've hiked both of these in recent months.

They both have been worked on and are continuing to be worked on but it will take much more to restore them.

I wouldn't do these now as it would be hot, very hot there now.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 4:12 pm

mattmaxon wrote: ↑They both have been worked on and are continuing to be worked on but it will take much more to restore them.

Thanks Matt. Despite the additional work needed, are there any sections with a high pucker factor for novices?

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 4:52 pm

the section in cooks canyon is a bit eroded, with some down trees you gotta scramble over / under and there are short steep segments with loose rock to Haines Cyn Mtrwy.

The motorway is impassable to vehicles and unrideable on a Mtn Bike (IMO) because of all the rocks

Mt Lukens and the Mtrway to Pickens Spur is maintained by the forest service.

The Cresenta View Trail has seen the most work and is fine... No major problems I know of

But as I said hiking this in the summer is brutal. This is the thing anyone considering hiking this now should seriously consider 6-8 liters would be a good idea, pre-dawn start would be wise.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:39 pm

Great info...thanks a million!

I understand and agree with this...

mattmaxon wrote: ↑But as I said hiking this in the summer is brutal. This is the thing anyone considering hiking this now should seriously consider 6-8 liters would be a good idea, pre-dawn start would be wise.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 1:49 pm

Yeah, it'd be hot all right.

Matt:

Any status on the upper portion of the Sister Elsie Trail, the section beyond the little wooden sign where the "Blue Bug" trail cuts back up to fire road 2N76? Last I was up there it was effectively gone, obliterated from the face of the earth. Shame too since (before the fire) it was a nice hike.

HJ

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 2:24 pm

Yeah I hiked from Verdugo Hills Archers to Haines Cyn Ave over the camelback looking for Ertug Ergun...

The upper sister elsie trail is mostly gone right now. I saw bits and pieces

I had to get up on the canyon wall at one point and traverse as the brush was impenetrable.

It'll probably be sometime before I have time to get over there, Stone Cyn Trail is my focus right now. There is several miles of work there right now.

The guy who used to work on it retired and moved.

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑Any status on the upper portion of the Sister Elsie Trail, the section beyond the little wooden sign where the "Blue Bug" trail cuts back up to fire road 2N76? Last I was up there it was effectively gone, obliterated from the face of the earth. Shame too since (before the fire) it was a nice hike.

HJ

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 3:13 pm

Thanks, Matt.

Alas, but that's about what I figured. Haines Canyon is one of the "secret spots" of the Angeles. Nice but relatively unknown. I used to really like going up to Lukens via that route. Even with just the Blue Bug (now more of a weird orange at last check) trail, it's still a worthwhile area.

Hey, good work to you and Zarka on going and looking for Ertug. Well done on that.

HJ

David R · Post by **David R** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 11:08 pm

You can still hike Haines just not the Sister Elsie route. I did a hybrid Sister Elsie route, two years ago when there was no brush but went up a wrong canyon and scrambled to the ridge. This year the vegetation was too tough to get through so I took the shortcut trail that was fixed up to the upper section of the fireroad. Somebody with a sense of humor has repainted the blue VW, it looks better then before.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:49 am

David R wrote: ↑ Somebody with a sense of humor has repainted the blue VW, it looks better then before.

OK, now that's pretty funny.

How's the poison oak on the shortcut trail? A year or so ago it was getting really bad.

HJ

VermillionPearlGirl · Post by **VermillionPearlGirl** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 3:21 pm

That's encouraging about the Deukmejian trails to Lukens. Even though all you get at the end is towers, it's always been one of my favorites. Like 5 years ago we used to hike this trail every weekend. But yeah, never when it was above 70 degrees because its the world's warmest trail. Still with the fall about to roll in, I'd love to check it out if its passable.

tracker · Post by **tracker** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 7:14 pm

Are they expecting bear problems? I couldn't help but notice the bear trap parked in the rear of the big upper dirt lot last week.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:05 pm

Maybe they're after Glen Bearian.

HJ