mugu

Point Mugu State Park

February 13-15, 2010

Todd and I headed to the beach this weekend to celebrate Valentine's Day and his birthday. We camped for two nights at Point Mugu State Park which is at the westernmost end of the Santa Monica Mountains. The campground there is very nice and situated just a short distance from the ocean up a shady canyon. Our campsite was underneath a huge California sycamore tree, which made us quite happy. We have a special affinity for these trees since we got married underneath one :)

Part 2 - the top of Mugu Peak and beyond

The weather was incredible... 70's during the day, 50's at night, sunshine and cool breezes. We took left our house about 12:30 and arrived a couple of hours later. First we set up camp and then we walked down to the beach to experience a peaceful sunset.

I love listening to the ocean. The sound of the strong waves breaking on the rocky shore, and then the clacking sound as the smaller rocks were pulled back out to sea mesmerized us. The hues of the sky were pastel then neon orange then turned pastel again as the sun dipped below the water. We sat there for a good hour or two just absorbing it all. I thought about Jeremy and how he loved the ocean and I closed my eyes and sent a prayer to him, his family, and his friends.

New spring sycamore leaf

On Sunday we drove a short ways north to the La Jolla Canyon trailhead. We hiked up to the pretty unnamed waterfall in the canyon, which despite recent rain is still just a trickle. Then Todd turned back while I continued up the canyon. I was thrilled to see giant coreopsis in bloom. These flowers only grow on the Channel Islands and a small portion of the coast. I also saw many other flowers in bloom including bush sunflowers, morning glories, ceanothus, paintbrush, shooting stars, California poppies, sweetpea, and wishbone bush.

At the top of the canyon I took the La Jolla Loop Trail west which connected shortly to the Mugu Peak Trail. Here the views of the ocean were spectacular as I climbed up the high ridges to Mugu Peak. It was a warm sunny day but quite pleasant because of the cool sea breezes. I ate lunch at the top of the peak and then made my way down the very very steep Peak Direct Trail. Then I kept on going down via the also exceedingly steep Chumash Trail. Both of these trails were so steep that I was cursing them by the time I got down. Thank goodness I brought my trekking poles - even with them my knees were shaking having descended 1,250 in less than a mile. Those aren't trails, I told Todd later on! They're cliffs! No switchbacks, no following an easier ridgeline on the way down. Nope, they went straight off the side of the mountain.

Well, I found out later on that the Chumash Trail indeed isn't a trail. It is rather an ancient footpath used by the Chumash Indians as the shortest route between their camps in La Jolla Valley and the ocean. It was never built and has never been maintained or improved in the 7,000 years of its existence. Okay, so I forgive it for being steep, and commend the Chumash for having good knees. But I will never hike it again, it just isn't my idea of fun :p But the La Jolla Canyon Trail, that one I would do again in a heartbeat. It was gradual and much more scenic!