Dark Canyon to Mt. Lukens Fire Road
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 2:52 pm
Maggie and I decide to get out for a little walk yesterday and take advantage of a beautiful day. I've been meaning to check out the Dark Canyon Trail since Angeles Crest re-opened so that's where we went. This was one of my favorite hikes before the fire because it was so close yet lightly used.
We pulled in to the turnout at about 9:30 and started up the trail. I remember the initial uphill part being shaded by a nice arbor most of the way. Well that's all gone and it's full exposure all of the way to the saddle. The experimental forest didn't fare very well with a few surviving pines around the perimeter.
Experimental Forest 2 by Robnokshus, on Flickr
Experimental Forest by Robnokshus, on Flickr
This is very close to the epicenter of the Station Fire. Certainly different now. (Cougarmagic has a video of this grove pre-fire if you'd like to compare). I had been up here only a month or so before the fire and crews were clearing brush and low hanging limbs from the pines. Didn't help much
Looking down the Big Tujunga side you can see the Grizzly Flat Road quite clearly and the nearly total incineration of the pine grove down there as well. The canyon bottoms were mostly green and, of course everything is growing back at it's own pace. Nature doing it's thing.
Big Tujunga by Robnokshus, on Flickr
Grizzly Flat by Robnokshus, on Flickr
Went up the Mt. Lukens fire road a ways for some nice views of Mt. Wilson and surrounding peaks.
View Towards Mt. Wilson by Robnokshus, on Flickr
Spotted some fresh bear scat so we kept our eyes open.
Whose Scat Is That? by Robnokshus, on Flickr
We went back down the way we came, went over to Switzers and just chilled by the creek for a bit and had lunch(very few people surprisingly). We went back down the hill and over to the Deukmejian Wilderness park to recon a car shuttle, then back home.
It was a very nice day with my best friend.
Worlds Greatest Hiking Buddy by Robnokshus, on Flickr
We pulled in to the turnout at about 9:30 and started up the trail. I remember the initial uphill part being shaded by a nice arbor most of the way. Well that's all gone and it's full exposure all of the way to the saddle. The experimental forest didn't fare very well with a few surviving pines around the perimeter.
Experimental Forest 2 by Robnokshus, on Flickr
Experimental Forest by Robnokshus, on Flickr
This is very close to the epicenter of the Station Fire. Certainly different now. (Cougarmagic has a video of this grove pre-fire if you'd like to compare). I had been up here only a month or so before the fire and crews were clearing brush and low hanging limbs from the pines. Didn't help much
Looking down the Big Tujunga side you can see the Grizzly Flat Road quite clearly and the nearly total incineration of the pine grove down there as well. The canyon bottoms were mostly green and, of course everything is growing back at it's own pace. Nature doing it's thing.
Big Tujunga by Robnokshus, on Flickr
Grizzly Flat by Robnokshus, on Flickr
Went up the Mt. Lukens fire road a ways for some nice views of Mt. Wilson and surrounding peaks.
View Towards Mt. Wilson by Robnokshus, on Flickr
Spotted some fresh bear scat so we kept our eyes open.
Whose Scat Is That? by Robnokshus, on Flickr
We went back down the way we came, went over to Switzers and just chilled by the creek for a bit and had lunch(very few people surprisingly). We went back down the hill and over to the Deukmejian Wilderness park to recon a car shuttle, then back home.
It was a very nice day with my best friend.
Worlds Greatest Hiking Buddy by Robnokshus, on Flickr