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=
Hey Happy
Wanders,
Thanks t=
o all
of you who came out to hike with us once again and to the new members welco=
me.
This week’s hike was to Escondido Natural Area with two sets of
waterfalls to hike to.
Well for a change I was the first one to arrive at the parking=
lot
along with Mary, but she came without the girls due to their “Grad
Night” at
So what
happened to “Sunny Southern California”? Once again it was cool=
and
overcast for the start of our hike. So after everyone that needed to put on
sweats and long pants we started out. It’s a good climb up the road about .5 miles
past several multi-million dollar homes before you come to the trail itself=
and
everyone had plenty to look at even before we started up the canyon. We even
saw the resident Red-Tail Hawk that lives in the area perched on a tree. So=
me
mornings you can also see Turkey Vultures flying around some as close as tw=
enty
feet to you. As with all the hikes we go on snakes are something that need =
to
be watched for at all times as you never can tell when you will run into on=
e on
the trail. Most of the time you will see horses on the trail or evidence of
them being there Ha-ha so watch your step while walking. Once we started do=
wn
the trail you quickly drop into the canyon and move towards the first stream
crossing. We had lots of fun crossing the stream with everyone making it ac=
ross
the five times necessary while hiking to the first waterfall with out getti=
ng
too wet. It’s mostly the slippery rocks you have to walk on more than=
the
ten inches of water you cross that make it fun trying to keep from slipping=
off
them and getting wet.
So once =
pass
the water hazards it’s just climbing and enjoying the scenery before
coming to the reward at the end of the hike. Everybody was chatting and the sun was trying to peek out from
behind the clouds while we hiked the 2 miles to the first waterfall. If you
have never been to this canyon you are missing out on one of the most beaut=
iful
sets of waterfalls you will see in the
Finally =
we
make it to the upper waterfall and are amazed at the height of the fall at =
one
hundred and fifty feet it quite spectacular to look at. Katie quickly spots=
the
rope hanging from the branch and wants to try her hand at rope swinging over
the water. Cautioning her to be careful Katie made her way out onto the tree
branch and to the rope. After a couple of tries at pushing off and swinging back and forth Katie pushed =
off
as hard as she could and away she went swinging far out over the water and =
back
to the tree again. So while Katie was hanging out in the tree Lois was taking pictures of both Maureen and
Melissa sitting by the waterfall. Mary was nice and packed sandwiches, frui=
t,
and brownie bites for us to snack on so everyone ate and then we decided to
rock climb to the top of the waterfall.
Meanwhile
Katie was hanging out in the tree trying to figure out why it was so easy to
climb out on the tree limb, but was now proving very difficult to climb back
down, hum I hope she doesn’t makes it down before I eat all the brown=
ies
bites! So after Katie climbed down it was time to tackle the rock climbing =
part
of the hike. It doesn’t require any special gear but if you are
afraid of heights I wouldn’t advise you to try this part either as you
will be free climbing around one hundred feet and need to walk on a cliff e=
dge
trail one foot wide and strait down one hundred and fifty feet so no safety=
net
below. Once you do make it to the top you are rewarded with a view of the <=
st1:place
w:st=3D"on">Pacific Ocean and your own private swimming pool to=
sit
in while taking in the view. So after a few minutes sitting on top of the
waterfall we climbed back down to join the group and head back down the tra=
il
and to the parking area. Once we finished the hike we decided to head over =
to
The Reel-Inn for lunch as it seems to be our “hangout” now after
hiking. So with another hike finished and summer only half way over we still
have several more hikes planned including one to Catalina Island,
So the n=
ext
hike will be at
The park is located off
A Haven =
from
City Life
The soli=
tude,
serenity, and abundant natural resources have attracted people to
Another =
home
was built on the property in 1952. Renowned African- American architect Paul
Williams designed the house for property owners Fred and Florence Roberts. =
The
house was later featured in an issue of Architectural Digest for its stunni=
ng
blend of natural features within the design, including waterfalls, creeks a=
nd
trees. Today, you can see a small part of the past in the horseshoes and
colorful pieces of glass glittering in the walkways at Tropical Terrace, ne=
ar
the building’s foundations.
Other ev=
idence
of human interaction with the land includes two tall, tan buildings on the
hillside, which stand as landmarks to another era. Space Technology
Laboratories, Inc., a subsidiary of Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge (TRW), rented =
10
acres from the Roberts family from 1961-1973. TRW tested satellite equipment
for space missions, including the Pioneer series, and conducted medical
research in magnetic resonance imaging.
Today, <=
st1:place
w:st=3D"on">
Trails
Dry Cany=
on
Trail 1.2 miles round trip, easy— Don’t let the name fool
you—this canyon isn’t always dry. Walk through woodlands next t=
o an
intermittent stream. Look for signs of wildlife, including deer, quail and
bobcat. At the end of the trail, winter rains bring a 150-foot waterfall to
life.
TRW Loop=
Trail
1.5 miles round trip, easy— Begin at the trailhead across from the
bulletin board. Continue past the TRW Buildings, through chaparral and oak =
woodland.
Cross Solstice Canyon Trail by the bridge to connect with the southern port=
ion
of the loop. From the picnic area, the trail follows the road back to the
parking lot.
Solstice
Canyon Trail 2.1 miles round trip, easy—Stroll down Solstice Canyon T=
rail
and look for the Keller House, believed to be the oldest existing stone
building in Malibu. On your way to Tropical Terrace, see if you can spy the=
low
concrete retaining walls of a former fish pond in a grassy area overlooking=
the
creek. Many other clues to the past remain even though the Roberts’
Family home, once located at Tropical Terrace, burned in 1982. Look for hou=
se
foundations and a concrete bomb shelter. Walk across the creek into a hidden
sanctuary and garden. It’s hard to imagine now, but at one time giraf=
fes,
camels, buffalo, African deer and exotic birds roamed the canyon on the
Roberts’ Ranch.
Rising S=
un
Trail 1.5 miles, moderate—This trail is believed to be named after the
Rising Sun Vineyard, a winery established in the
Solstice
Canyon Trail, southwest of Tropical Terrace. Hike through chaparral and coa=
stal
sage scrub to the west ridge of Solstice Canyon, to see some of the best oc=
ean
views in the
Note:
Bicyclists are limited to the paved areas only. Carpooling is encouraged si=
nce
parking is limited.
Informat=
ion
& Safety
Be prepa=
red:
take water, food, flashlights and first-aid supplies when hiking, biking or
horse- back riding. Watch for and avoid rattlesnakes and poison oak.
Water fr=
om
streams is not safe to drink due to possible contamination or the presence =
of the
giardia protozoan.
Dogs mus=
t be
on leash at all times. They are allowed only on trails and access roads.
Trail cl=
osures
will be in effect during and following significant rainfall to protect park
resources. Trails will be re-opened when dry enough to sustain public use. =
Fire is a
constant danger. Fires and barbeques are prohibited. Smoking is not permitt=
ed
while traveling on trails.
Natural =
and
historic features are protected by law and may not be collected.
Bicyclis=
ts
must ride courteously and yield to hikers and horseback riders. Bicycles are
allowed only on fire roads and designated trails. Speed limit is 15 mph.
Bicycles are required to have lights when riding at night.
Hikers m=
ust
yield to horseback riders.
Firearms=
are
not allowed in parklands.
Daniel
=
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PacificCoastHikers.Com 2005
<=
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style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#333399'>310-394=
-6500
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