Henderson Cyn -Verdugos-
Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 7:05 am
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=920585
The track only shows where we dropped into the canyon...
We started at the end of Whiting Woods Rd and took the use trail to Mesa Lila Edison rd and the trail to the powerline pylon. From here we took the firebreak/edison rd to Verdugo Mtrwy passing Brand and Skyline Mtrwys to the short spur on the ridge splitting this finger of Henderson Cyn.
After surveying the situation Alisse & I decided we'd head down the north side of the spur.
While it appears at first look the brush is impenetrable bobbing and weaving cuts a brush free route to the gully. We noted many animal trails just below the road.
The gully is very steep and I insisted on a rope in 2 places. Alisse is a better rock climber than I but the rocks here are very chossy (sh!t) I've had seeming solid rocks pop out from under me with painful results.
There was one more "mandatory" rappel but this is only because the slopes on either side are choked with poison oak. Here we saw a dead rattlesnake, as I was writing this it occurred to me a bird dropped it from above and couldn't find it.
Surprisingly the canyon is mostly brush free and the hiking was easy. There was no water in this part of the canyon, first water was @ waypoint 001 It was coming out of the finger we'd opted not to come down.
There was a few neat narrow sections and idyllic oak knolls. As we approached the junction with the north fork of Henderson Cyn we encountered some signs of grow sites, and 2 waterfalls. These are easily bypassed.
We hopped & skipped to the junction and made it to the trailhead faster than I'd expected by at least 1 hour. This was due to the total lack of bushwhacking. I was armed to the teeth for brush, with new compound action loppers and 2 hand saws. Didn't have to get it out once
The track only shows where we dropped into the canyon...
We started at the end of Whiting Woods Rd and took the use trail to Mesa Lila Edison rd and the trail to the powerline pylon. From here we took the firebreak/edison rd to Verdugo Mtrwy passing Brand and Skyline Mtrwys to the short spur on the ridge splitting this finger of Henderson Cyn.
After surveying the situation Alisse & I decided we'd head down the north side of the spur.
While it appears at first look the brush is impenetrable bobbing and weaving cuts a brush free route to the gully. We noted many animal trails just below the road.
The gully is very steep and I insisted on a rope in 2 places. Alisse is a better rock climber than I but the rocks here are very chossy (sh!t) I've had seeming solid rocks pop out from under me with painful results.
There was one more "mandatory" rappel but this is only because the slopes on either side are choked with poison oak. Here we saw a dead rattlesnake, as I was writing this it occurred to me a bird dropped it from above and couldn't find it.
Surprisingly the canyon is mostly brush free and the hiking was easy. There was no water in this part of the canyon, first water was @ waypoint 001 It was coming out of the finger we'd opted not to come down.
There was a few neat narrow sections and idyllic oak knolls. As we approached the junction with the north fork of Henderson Cyn we encountered some signs of grow sites, and 2 waterfalls. These are easily bypassed.
We hopped & skipped to the junction and made it to the trailhead faster than I'd expected by at least 1 hour. This was due to the total lack of bushwhacking. I was armed to the teeth for brush, with new compound action loppers and 2 hand saws. Didn't have to get it out once