Hiked up a portion of the Crescenta View Trail in Deukmejian Wilderness Park this morning. The marine layer topped out at about 3600' which was just below my goal of the rock circle at 3840'. Love to get above the clouds!
For the most part, the trail is like a freeway up to rock circle. There is one stretch of trail that is closed and is re-routed with what appears to be a brand new trail. The new trail is in really good shape except it traverses very steep terrain and is very narrow so might be a bit intimidating to the inexperienced. Once above 3700' or so the trail appears to not have been improved/worked on recently. I could be mistaken but it looks like the old pre-fire trail and is slightly overgrown by the knee high brush. Still very passable but not in 4-lane freeway condition like the lower portion of the trail.
Thanks for the TR, I've been wanting to go back to Deukmejian since I heard that trail was open. Lukens used to be one of my favorite hikes (although I used to do the other trail to the top I think, whatever it was called). Good to hear about the condition.
VPG: I didn't see any poodle dog on the portion of the trail I walked. The Stone Cyn. Trail is the main route up to Lukens from the north side. Another trail out of Deukmejian is the Rim of the Valley Trail which hooks up with Haines Cyn. Truck Trail/Road up to Mt. Lukens.
Oh wait, Crescenta view is my trail! I heard Rim of the Valley was open, so I was thinking you hiked that (because in like the 3 years they've been closed I forgot what was called what!), but this is way more awesome. I'm going tomorrow
CV Trail Crew restored both Rim of the Valley and Crescenta View Trail in Deukmejian Wilderness Park within the City of Glendale. The Crescenta View Trail up to the Circle of Rocks is in great shape. The crew wanted to continue to restore in the Forest, but the Forest Service will not give permission. It appears that a few rouge trail crew have started back up working the section just above the Circle of Rocks.
I can see Mt. Lukens from my front doorstep. I used to hike it a lot but got out of the habit with the Station Fire and its aftermath. For years I favored the Stone Canyon Trail, but hiking it from Deukmejian Park got more and more attractive as the trails improved.
Yesterday, I did an old favorite loop: up Mt. Lukens via the Crescenta View Trail (and a stretch of the ridge fire road) and down via the Haines Canyon fire road and the Rim of the Valley Trail. It was great -- the trails are in fine shape. The Haines Canyon fire road is really more like a trail these days -- I do not think it is passable by a vehicle larger than a mountain bike.
