Verdugo Mountains Traverse - trip report (8/12/18)
Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 3:00 pm
I've been staring at the Verdugo Mountains from my balcony for the past 5 years, so I decided to finally traverse them last Sunday.
Map: https://caltopo.com/m/5QL8 (you can download the GPX file here to follow my route if you want to attempt the same hike)
I got up early and parked my car at the far NW end in Sun Valley (near 8930 Village Ave.), then took a Lyft to the SE end above Glendale (near 1129 Kildonan Dr.).
The traverse ended up being just shy of 13 miles, and just over 2500' of climbing. It took me about 4 hours and I drank about 3L of water.
Starting early was a good call, because I was in shade for most of the initial climb up to the ridgeline. Unfortunately, there are a lot of ups and downs as you undulate along the spine of the range, and I chose to go on every fire break ridge instead of the crowded and gently graded "motorways" that most hikers and mountain bikers take. In fact I didn't see a single other hiker while I was up on the ridges, although I did pass plenty who were blissfully unaware of me several dozen vertical feet above them and just out of sight.
Staying up on the ridge is definitely tough, and I would recommend a trekking pole or two. Some of the grades approach 45deg, and it is often very sandy and loose. The rewards for tackling the more difficult sections though are getting to skirt along the edges of previous burn areas, more wildlife sightings, great views of the San Gabriels to the East and the city to the West, more solitude, and a sense of accomplishment knowing that you bagged all of the tallest peaks that the range has to offer.
You start on Los Flores Motorway (what they call the wide nicely graded fire roads) until you get up to the first major radio tower/peak, Tongva, named after the indigenous people of the great LA basin. Shortly after this, whenever you see an overgrown, steep, gnarly looking side path that breaks away from the main motorway, that's the path you take. The first such junction is where you come to the intersection of Verdugo and Brand Motorways. Your path lies directly between them, straight up a steep loose fire break that will get your blood pumping. You'll dip back down to the motorways many times, but you'll be jumping off again quickly, spending more time on the breaks than on the main motorways for the next 6 miles or so.
The descent down form Peak 2646 is especially harrowing. Incredibly steep, very loose, and long. Once you make it down, however, you're basically on a motorway until you reach Mount La Tuna and break off on a trail to the North, taking you down into Sun Valley.
Trash picked up (thanks for the inspiration headsizeburrito):
2 rubber balloons w/ string
1 mylar balloon
2 plastic water bottles
1 La Croix can
1 old steel can
Some pics:
Map: https://caltopo.com/m/5QL8 (you can download the GPX file here to follow my route if you want to attempt the same hike)
I got up early and parked my car at the far NW end in Sun Valley (near 8930 Village Ave.), then took a Lyft to the SE end above Glendale (near 1129 Kildonan Dr.).
The traverse ended up being just shy of 13 miles, and just over 2500' of climbing. It took me about 4 hours and I drank about 3L of water.
Starting early was a good call, because I was in shade for most of the initial climb up to the ridgeline. Unfortunately, there are a lot of ups and downs as you undulate along the spine of the range, and I chose to go on every fire break ridge instead of the crowded and gently graded "motorways" that most hikers and mountain bikers take. In fact I didn't see a single other hiker while I was up on the ridges, although I did pass plenty who were blissfully unaware of me several dozen vertical feet above them and just out of sight.
Staying up on the ridge is definitely tough, and I would recommend a trekking pole or two. Some of the grades approach 45deg, and it is often very sandy and loose. The rewards for tackling the more difficult sections though are getting to skirt along the edges of previous burn areas, more wildlife sightings, great views of the San Gabriels to the East and the city to the West, more solitude, and a sense of accomplishment knowing that you bagged all of the tallest peaks that the range has to offer.
You start on Los Flores Motorway (what they call the wide nicely graded fire roads) until you get up to the first major radio tower/peak, Tongva, named after the indigenous people of the great LA basin. Shortly after this, whenever you see an overgrown, steep, gnarly looking side path that breaks away from the main motorway, that's the path you take. The first such junction is where you come to the intersection of Verdugo and Brand Motorways. Your path lies directly between them, straight up a steep loose fire break that will get your blood pumping. You'll dip back down to the motorways many times, but you'll be jumping off again quickly, spending more time on the breaks than on the main motorways for the next 6 miles or so.
The descent down form Peak 2646 is especially harrowing. Incredibly steep, very loose, and long. Once you make it down, however, you're basically on a motorway until you reach Mount La Tuna and break off on a trail to the North, taking you down into Sun Valley.
Trash picked up (thanks for the inspiration headsizeburrito):
2 rubber balloons w/ string
1 mylar balloon
2 plastic water bottles
1 La Croix can
1 old steel can
Some pics: