lower Fox Creek 8/14/16
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2016 12:13 pm
Hadnt been here in awhile and still had a certain location in mind, so I set out for lower Fox Creek(http://www.dankat.com/advents/lowfox.htm) in the Big Tujunga. If I could get there. I was driving up Big Tujunga canyon and this car behind me is right on my tail. I reach the AFH and turn right to see what this car is up to. The car does a u-turn and heads back down the Big T road in the darkness. I was thinking this was not the car I passed by earlier where the 'not all there' guy was blasting oldies..headlights on and open drivers door.
The hike along the fire road was barley tolerable. Air temps was about 80 degrees. The road was in horrible condition, most of it now just a narrow path. The big tujunga river at the bottom was totally underground. Going upstream in a oak scrubland with no trail was not fun. I decided to just go where there was little brush and then attacked a 50ft steep slope up to the continuation of the road. I made it up to the decomissioned Fall Creek camp which still had a use path going out there, even with the burnt facility removed. The canyon itself was overgrown...Fall Creek bone dry. From there I continued on and the road returned to normal as soon as I was heading north.
Temps were rising fast. I got to the viewpoint where Fox Creek is sighted to the west far away. The idea was to travel to the base of the big wall of the gorge and slip into Fox Creek at optional rappel#6, where there used to be a deep pool. Ive been on this side of Fox Creek a few times so I knew what I had to accomplish. Alas there was no slipping into any pool or any such notion. I had to bail on the original idea. I reached Fox Creek with no problems, downstream and very close to the great falls.
Here I refilled on water from some seeps and headed downstream. The word of the street was this was overgrown. So part of the plan was to clear up some of the crazy bushwack. Except there was no bushwack.
Just people who refuse to learn navigation and head straight on into anything. The marshy creek was substantially less scenic before the Station Fire, but it wasnt ugly. I came across the 70ft lower falls and eventually rappelled down. The old path route to get back to Big Tujunga was in excelllent shape, but not being used. This was also true for going upstream in the Big Tujunga.
I waited in the shade for a bit hoping I didnt have to leave the canyon bottom into the direct sun. It was about 100 degrees as I gained elevation slowly. The plastic of the bottled water was a bit hot to the touch...the water was very hot and I just spewed it out. I ran out anyway shy of the Big Tujunga canyon road, which was blazing hot as well. Going up to the road to my car, a car killer stone fell from a roadcut cliff. I moved it out of the way. A few minutes later, a modified small Honda came roaring down the road on this kinda blind curve. Should I have left the stone in the road to teach these clowns a lesson?
Some canyoneers on the fireroad heading to do the entire route.
Great Falls of the Fox...with me staying in the shade
Original idea...but the scree slope on the bottom right doesnt fall into the pool area(where the green vegetation is).
Close up of rappel#6.
Just above the canyon looking upstream
Seep water refill
canyon travel..a couple of wades.
Very few places where Big T river is above ground
View of the reservoir
The hike along the fire road was barley tolerable. Air temps was about 80 degrees. The road was in horrible condition, most of it now just a narrow path. The big tujunga river at the bottom was totally underground. Going upstream in a oak scrubland with no trail was not fun. I decided to just go where there was little brush and then attacked a 50ft steep slope up to the continuation of the road. I made it up to the decomissioned Fall Creek camp which still had a use path going out there, even with the burnt facility removed. The canyon itself was overgrown...Fall Creek bone dry. From there I continued on and the road returned to normal as soon as I was heading north.
Temps were rising fast. I got to the viewpoint where Fox Creek is sighted to the west far away. The idea was to travel to the base of the big wall of the gorge and slip into Fox Creek at optional rappel#6, where there used to be a deep pool. Ive been on this side of Fox Creek a few times so I knew what I had to accomplish. Alas there was no slipping into any pool or any such notion. I had to bail on the original idea. I reached Fox Creek with no problems, downstream and very close to the great falls.
Here I refilled on water from some seeps and headed downstream. The word of the street was this was overgrown. So part of the plan was to clear up some of the crazy bushwack. Except there was no bushwack.
Just people who refuse to learn navigation and head straight on into anything. The marshy creek was substantially less scenic before the Station Fire, but it wasnt ugly. I came across the 70ft lower falls and eventually rappelled down. The old path route to get back to Big Tujunga was in excelllent shape, but not being used. This was also true for going upstream in the Big Tujunga.
I waited in the shade for a bit hoping I didnt have to leave the canyon bottom into the direct sun. It was about 100 degrees as I gained elevation slowly. The plastic of the bottled water was a bit hot to the touch...the water was very hot and I just spewed it out. I ran out anyway shy of the Big Tujunga canyon road, which was blazing hot as well. Going up to the road to my car, a car killer stone fell from a roadcut cliff. I moved it out of the way. A few minutes later, a modified small Honda came roaring down the road on this kinda blind curve. Should I have left the stone in the road to teach these clowns a lesson?
Some canyoneers on the fireroad heading to do the entire route.
Great Falls of the Fox...with me staying in the shade
Original idea...but the scree slope on the bottom right doesnt fall into the pool area(where the green vegetation is).
Close up of rappel#6.
Just above the canyon looking upstream
Seep water refill
canyon travel..a couple of wades.
Very few places where Big T river is above ground
View of the reservoir