EISPIRATEN

Calling the Verdugo Mountains part of the San Gabriels is stretching things, However, with the ANF closed for hte time being due to fire danger, several of us have been touting the Verdugos as an alternative.

Yesterday, I combined two of my favorite Verdugo routes. One was what Hikin_Jim calls the Fire Warden's Grove Loop. It uses two trailheads along La Tuna Canyon Road. I hit it from the top in a clockwise direction, starting at its high point at the Experimental Forest, Plantation, Fire Warden's Grove, or whatever else people call it.

To get to the start of that loop, I sandwiched it in another loop I like to do. I headed up the Mesa Lila Fire Road and the Viper Trail, an informal trail that has combined with a recent firebreak to provide a nice steep ascent to the main ridge fire road. At the end of the festivities, I came down the Whiting Woods Fire Road.

Here is a map. I also posted pictures.



It was a nice overcast day with occasional rain. Air quality was very good. Temperatures ranged up and down from the mid 60s to the high 70s, The only real singn of fire I was was areas that had burned locally in recent years.

The total distance shown was about 15 miles (I also threw in walks to the trail head and back to add another 1.5 miles,) The Fire Warden's Grove Loop was 6.9 miles (people have asked about that distance).

thanks for the trip report, this looks like a good hike for next weekend, especially if the NF is still closed.

Very nice ... and with some decent mileage too. Good photos.

What time were you through the Fire Wardens Grove Loop area? I was half wondering if I might run into you on the trail. I didn't see my car at the eastern La Tuna Canyon TH in the photos, so maybe you went through there later in the day? I finished my loop around noon.

Jim -- I ate lunch sitting on top of Mt. Verdugo around 1 PM. I did the loop after that. So, you beat me to it. I was thinking I might run into you. I was ready to accost anyone who looked like your picture.

That was the most miles I've ever walked in the Verdugos. I was getting tired heading up from La Tuna and the temperature was hitting 80. Then, mercifully, it cooled off again and I was just cruising. I guess my summer acclimitization is gone.

AlanK wrote:I was ready to accost anyone who looked like your picture.

Just look for my "signature" white canvas Tilley hat.

That pull from La Tuna Canyon back up to Fire Wardens Grove is a pretty good pull in spots and quite exposed. Not all that surprising that it could be a bit tiring in the sun -- especially after having done a traverse of a major portion of the Verdugos.

Alan, can you e-mail me your GPS Track, I think I am going to try this one this Sunday,

thanks,

Done.

AlanK wrote:Done.

thanks! got it!

I got back form a trip last week and had to stick near home. (Given some of the events of the weekend in the mountains, that may have been a good thing.) Yesterday, I did manage to do about half of the loop reported in this thread -- up the Viper Trail and down Whiting Woods Fire Road. Except for a significant rockfall that blocks vehicular traffic along the ridge, the fire roads were clear. The fire break that obliterated sections of the Viper Trail a couple of years ago is in poorer shape. There are 6' deep ruts in a couple of places that seem inevitable on an old style firebreak. In one steep section there was an ATV (presumably belonging to the City of Glendale) that was lying on its side in a big rut on a >30 degree slope. On the bright side, the footing was fine for lone hikers.

Sounds like a good hike.

Next time you need to stay local, try the fire road/Sister Elsie Trail to Mt. Lukens that I've mentioned before. (Have you already done this one?) Just go up Haines Canyon Ave in Tujunga to the very top. Find a place to park, but mind the no parking signs. The entire upper portion is no parking.

Head through the metal gate at the top of Haines Can. Ave, and follow Forest Road 2N76 up the canyon. Shortly, you'll see a fairly large duck pond in a flood control basin to your right. Then you'll come to a junction with FR 2N86, but continue straight up the canyon on 2N76. You'll stay on the left (west) side of the creek (which is flowing quite nicely right now) for ~15 to 25 minutes, then the road will turn east, and cross the creek.

Immediately after you cross the creek, start looking to the left for a less used road continuing up Haines Canyon. If you turn southish on 2N76 and start climbing out of the canyon, you've gone too far. Head up the road up Haines Canyon until it narrows to a trail. You'll come to a stream crossing here that is normally wet all summer even in dry years. You'll then cross the creek to the west bank and shortly recross the creek to the east bank. You'll come to a signed junction.

The more prominent trail that branches to the right links back up to the fire road (2N76). The left branch is the one you want; it will take you to the top of a ridge well up the flanks of Lukens (you can see down into Big T), then to a junction with the Stone Canyon Trail from Big Tujunga (quite a ways up), and then the remainder of the hike is completed on the Stone Canyon Trail and an old fire road. When you reach the ridge described in the preceeding sentence, turn right and follow the trail up the ridge, meet the Stone Canyon Trail, and ascend to the summit.

Overall, the trail isn't well used. It's a bit eroded in parts and a little brushy, but I went up a month or two ago and cleared the one really bad poison oak thicket. The trail is somewhat indistinct in places, but I had little trouble following it. However, I haven't hiked it all the way to Mt. Lukens since the recent rains. It's for sure open and passable albeit eroded to the first trail (not road) junction I described (I was there Saturday).

From the summit, you can:
1. Return the way you came.
2. Take 2N76 back to the top of Haines Canyon.
3. Take 2N76 to where a trail comes up from Deukmajian wilderness park.
4. Take 2N76 to the right branch trail (the one from the first trail junction I described), and then after you reach said junction, retrace your steps to your car (this is the one I like to do).
5. Take the Stone Canyon Trail to Big T and have someone pick you up.
6. Take the fire road, I think it's still 2N76, to the east all the way to Angeles Crest Hwy and have someone pick you up. There are also other fire roads and routes by which you can descend if you take the east option.

Jim -- my son came across that route when running in Haines Canyon. He talked it up, so he and I did Lukens that wat one day after a storm a few years ago. We hit snow at about 4500', then it started raining. We came down Haines Canyon pretty well soaked. Nice outing overall, though. 8)

Cool. I try to talk it up. It's my "adopted" trail. I think it's a very nice "shorty." I can be done before noon if I get up early. It's also a pretty nice little hike in a suprisingly seldom visited area within the city limits of LA. I love hiking up there, feeling miles away from anything and still having the trailhead be about a half hour from downtown.

Not that I want more crowds, but it would nice to see others benefit from this local jewel.