EISPIRATEN

I took a hike out into my backyard of the Los Padres National Forest to the Topa Topa Bluffs via the Red Reef Trail. The peaks that make up this mountain rise above Upper Ojai and can be seen from the Ventura County shores of the Pacific Ocean. The mountain is layered in bands of red & brown sedimentary sandstone and receives snow annually in winter.

The mountain and surrounding areas were devasted by the Day Fire in 2006 and the chaparral is coming back nicely. Can't say the same for the trees, but it gives hope that the San Gabriel Mountains ravaged by the Station Fire will someday be green too. I greatly prefer green to black. Stats: 15+ miles with 4,450 elevation gain.

Topa Topa Bluffs, elevation 6,250 feet from the southwest


my pix are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ryan.norma8 ... luffs11909#

(thanx Patrick, i hope i fixed it. )

Great shots Norma, since I've never gotten up there I'm going to live vicariously through you until I do.

I tried the link and it would not load the photo's for me, just sat there blank, so I clicked on your name went to your main page and from there clicked on the page for that hike. I tried twice so I'm imbedding the link here again.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ryan.norma8 ... uffs11909#

Thanks for sharing, and that Potato bug looks like it could carry one of us away

the bluffs/hines peak area is awesome

Nice report and pictures, Norma! I agree about the cloud formations. Lots of beautiful colors in that area.

Great TR and pics, thanks.

Cool pics. It's usually 109350927507230615323 degrees when I'm there, in the oil fields and whatnot.

Cool Jerusalem Cricket!

Nice TR!
Beautiful pix! 8)

Wow, great report and pics Norma. Nice bear scat! And that is definitely, 100% a cougar scrape - incredible timing!!

I love how you document all the little details, the fossil, the plants, etc. I never take enough photos. But most of all, the chapparal recovery is really nice to see. 3 years is not too long to wait, I think.

cougarmagic wrote:Nice bear scat! And that is definitely, 100% a cougar scrape

Cool! do you think that the cougar was scraping cuz it smelled us? i should have gone to look where i took a "break" and see if there was any scraping there too. that's twice in a row now where a cougar has been on the trail after our ascent. i'm not scared of them since i know attacks are rare, but i did need to take a "break" on the way out in the dark and it was the first time i have ever been skittish in the dark. felt very vulnerable at that moment. i have seen more cat & bear evidence in the Los Padres than i have in the Sierra.

i have had a lot of friends see them while mtn biking in Sycamore Canyon and Cheseboro Cyn real close to where i live. the closest i came was when i was trail running years ago and heard what i thought was a group of quails lifting off, only to find out later a cougar crossed the trail right after i passed and in front of the next runner coming. she never ran so fast to catch up with the group and in gasping breaths told us what she saw.

Hmm, I don't know if they react to human scents. Usually they just mark in a visible, well traveled spot, like trail junctions or high points. Next time you see a scrape like that, you can sniff it yourself - it will smell just like a litterbox. Kind of amazing, really - you know it's a cat. (and you won't catch any diseases doing this - but your friends will really think you're weird )

The only time I worry about them is when I'm solo, and even then, I don't worry too much. In the dark, having to squat down though - yeah, that's spooky.

Were the sightings at Cheeseboro recent? I walk my dogs out there all the time, but never see tracks, because of all the foot & bike traffic there.

I gotta get out to the Los Padres!!

i haven't heard of any recent Cheseboro sightings, but a large male was seen by a Sierra Club group in Sycamore 3-4 weeks ago. in Sycamore i know where they have a trap (to collar) and a camera like you put out to watch the cat traffic.

i'll ask my mtn biking friends what they have seen recently and get back to you...

Great trip report and photos Norma, I want to do this trip someday.....