Hike 2016.048 -- Rubio Canyon

Hiked Saturday, December 17. 4 miles.

Possibly my first outdoor hike since going on chemo. I'm supposed to avoid staying on my feet too long, and avoid too much sun exposure, so I have mostly been just walking in malls and in Los Angeles County Arboretum and Huntington Library and Gardens, which have lots of trees for shade.

This hike is in a canyon. Plus, I went in the afternoon, so the sun wasn't very strong.

I was pretty sure the waterfall would be essentially dry, despite the rain of just two days before. And I was right. But, as noted above, I was here mainly for the shade!

Shortly after staring out (after starting from the trailhead near Pleasant Ridge and Rubio Vista Roads), in Altadena), I noticed a new set of swtichbacks, carved into the slope on the other side of the canyon (first shot, above). So after discovering the falls to be mostly dry, I headed back down the canyon. At the Pavilion, I stayed on the canyon floor, and made my way, in search of a trail to access the new switchbacks. Obviously, it's only about 1/2 mile down before I found the trail, on my left.

Shortly after heading up that trail, I came across what looked like a large water retention area (third picture of this post).

I continued switchbacking and gaining altitude, as far as the trail had been developed. I thought I would eventually reach those other trails, that come up from behind the newer water storage tanks, closer to the mouth of the Canyon. Unfortunately, my developed trail petered out before reaching that. There were some orange strips, fluttering on the ends of tree branches and wooden stakes, indicating this was where the trail work had ended.

I could have continued on my own, since I knew the other trail was near. But I didn't want to cause undue erosion where the trial bed had not been hardened. So I returned the way I came, and upon reaching the canyon bottom, continued downhill, until I reached the access point that drops down from the main trail, and took that short but steep route back up to the trail, then to my car.

Figured about four miles for the day. Broke 100 stories on my fitbit for the day. Lots of climbing, but a relatively short day. Still, nice to be outdoors.