Gizmo Peak

[Uncle Rico]

Y'all ever heard of Gizmo Peak? Me neither. Until last weekend. The last time I was atop Mugu Peak I looked east at a high point that seemed higher than the 1266' that I was standing on. I'd seen this "peak" before, but never paid it much mind. Now I was curious. So Saturday, I climbed the Ray Miller Trail to the intersection with the Overlook Fire Road (part of the Backbone Trail), road-walked northwest to the high point, and then followed an obvious, but not well-trod use trail west to the summit. Atop, I found a summit cairn, a summit register, and a gizmo, presumably the one after which the summit was named. Good views into the La Jolla Valley north and the ocean south. And a nice bit of solitude which ain't always easy to find in the Santa Monicas. So keep your trap shut. This is a top secret, public trip report.

Gizmo Peak from Mugu's South Ridge

Start of the Use Trail

Summit Cairn

Summit Register

The Gizmo

La Jolla Valley

Tri-Peaks

[Sean]

I wonder what the gizmo does. Perhaps it receives alien RF signals from planet X.

[Uncle Rico]

I wonder what the gizmo does. Perhaps it receives alien RF signals from planet X.

The register had an entry that suggested it was a memorial of sorts and asked that it not be disturbed.

[dima]

Yeah, tell us more about this gizmo. This is important. How popular that area? I've been there-ish once, and it seemed just far enough out to not see a ton of visitation.

[Uncle Rico]

The area by the peak itself is fairly popular, particularly with MTBers. The Overlook Fire Road (aka the Backbone Trail) goes right past this peak. Most hikers, however, don't go farther than the intersection of the Ray Miller Trail and the Overlook Fire Road (2.7 miles).

https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=34.0960 ... 2&z=16&b=t

The gizmo was a rusted metal "thing" with a rock on top to hold it in place and a towell tied around its handle. Strange.

[David R]

I've been there right after one of the fires, no sign in can. The area is very popular especially among mountain bikers. I used to go up Ray Miller then loop through La Jolla Valley, up Mugu and down main trail. Is that thing open yet, kinda ridiculous how other trails get love but one of the most popular trails in the Santa Monica's can't get the funds to get fixed.

[Uncle Rico]

No, the La Jolla Canyon Trail is still closed. It's been like 5 years. If I was a conspiracy theorist, I might conclude that the California State Park system is just using a supposed lack of resources as an excuse to never open the trail again. But I'm not a conspiracy theorist.

That having been said, you can still make your loop David. After you hit Mugu Peak, just drop off the Mugu Peak Trail and follow Mugu's southeast ridge back to the entrance to La Jolla Canyon. There is a well established use trail along that ridge. A use trail, I might add, that the California State Park system doesn't want you using, but may not exist and/or may not be so heavily used, if the La Jolla Canyon Trail was just re-opened.

[Girl Hiker]

Wow this is so funny. I have been there but it was about 4 years ago. No register or cairn's at the time. Do you remember the date of the register. A group of us went up there but didnt know it was called Gizmo. That is really a cool little peak. I am going to look through my photos and see if I can find the same picture. Let's keep it a secret lol

[dima]

No register or cairns, but was the gizmo there?

[Uncle Rico]

Do you remember the date of the register.

I didn't pay that close attention, but it seems to me that the signatures went back a couple of years.

[JeffH]

Perhaps the gizmo is an apparatus to dry off the sweaty clothes while relaxing on the summit.

[David R]

Do you remember the date of the register.

I didn't pay that close attention, but it seems to me that the signatures went back a couple of years.

I went up this weekend the jar is from 2018 and thanks for the SE Mugu ridge route beta. I had seen that use trail on earlier trips prior to the La Jolla closure and was curious if it went all the way. I took that up and went over Mugu through the Valley where there is nobody now. The pond was completely dry and then up to the Giz.

[AW~]

And a nice bit of solitude which ain't always easy to find in the Santa Monicas. So keep your trap shut. This is a top secret, public trip report.

I never read it then. Never been near the place. I dont even know what Im commenting on.
Nice post though?

[Sean]

And a nice bit of solitude which ain't always easy to find in the Santa Monicas. So keep your trap shut. This is a top secret, public trip report.

I never read it then. Never been near the place. I dont even know what Im commenting on.
Nice post though?

What are you talking about? Did someone post something?

[Taco]

I can’t read

[tekewin]

This is kinda late, but Gizmo looks like a nice find. I'd like to visit the Malibu area again, but the drive is holy hell from the OC. Well, it would not be bad if I left early, but going back is always an ordeal. The gizmo looks like a modern art piece I don't get.

[David R]

Went up yesterday, the gizmo is gone, assholes. Nobody in the whole La Jolla Valley when I hiked across it, felt kind of spooky.

[Sean]

Yeah, weird, since there's like two places left to hike in all of Los Angeles.

[Uncle Rico]

Just follow the spray paint and trash to Mugu Peak. You'll find everyone.