tarantula corner: 2012

Monday, April 2, 2012

Hall Beckley Canyon Ridge 10/2011

This day mild to cool...great sunset. Plants coming back quick after Station Fire.

Mendenhall Peak view...flowers spring 2010

More Mendenhall Peak pics 7.2010

This area also burned pretty good. There's a large area of green foliage untouched by fire still up here. One can start from Dillon Divide and continue up the canyon and/or two fire roads. Eventually one may hike this up to Lightning Ridge and Mt Gleason. Enroute is Condor Peak. A couple of hike (shuttles) or loops also possible. This was a warm humid day in July. Thunderheads and a little bit of rain hit today.

Rocky Peak 2/2011

Some pics of this area: quite large rocks and even caves in some places. A lot of beauty here. Leads to a number of fire roads and trails. There's an area called La Quinta pretty close by. Possible to access Oat Mountain from this side...also to go south to the Chatsworth hills across 118 FWY.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Hall Beckley late 2010

Thankfully this has come back in the past 2.5 years. Plants on the rebound. Watch out for the notorious "poodle plant." This plant has fuzzy type string leaves and a distinctive...pungent smell about it. It causes itching like poison oak. Propagates after forest fires (like the knob cone pine). This delightful trail can also go to Mt Lukens loop or down Gould Mesa into La Canada or the Arroyo Seco.

Henninger Flats 2010

Here's a 2010 view of the flats...this around May 2010

Condor Peak trail from Vogel Flats area 1.2011

Trail eroded away as of early 2011. Got to close to halfway point.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Tongva Peak (2) 11/2011

Tongva Peak 11/2011

This is nice maintenance hike off from several different routes. A fire road once went up here but hasn't been used in many years. A lot of sumac, buckwheat, sage, yucca, sugar bush, scrub oak, manzanita, and chamise all exist up here (with other small plants). Great views of the L.A. from it's 2900 foot summit.