Malibu Creek State Park, Fall in California, and the Backbone Trail

There were some nice fall colors this past year just before the winter solstice along Malibu Creek where Piuma road meets the canyon. This is the spot where you can find some of the best fall colors in all of the Santa Monica Mountains. The colors have mostly faded by now but the hiking weather has been ideal. The kind of weather that makes climbing hundreds of feet vertically on the backbone trail seem almost like a walk in the park, or kind of like effortlessly floating the thermals just as the Turkey Vultures do, well sort of. The views on the first day of 2018 were quite spectacular too and Malibu Canyon is still charming after all these years.

One day this year I hope to make the grand tour of Malibu Creek State Park, a roughly 17 mile loop that takes in a good chunk of the upper park, and travels along one of the most scenic sections of the backbone trail.

First Ascent

First climb to the top of the mountain that would become my future backyard. Not too long after this hike I was fortunate to live at the top of that large riparian canyon that sprang from that majestic mountain for almost 3 years. Searching through all of the images from all of the various treks and explorations is very rewarding. To not only relive walks like this one, but to also be reminded of what the place looked like before the massive fire and a 3-year drought.

The images above display a vibrant Spring, and I truly don't think I've seen things this green since these were taken in the Spring of 2009. And 2009 was not even a really wet year, but certainly a wet year compared to the ones we've been having lately! However, things are starting off pretty good this early Winter. We'll see if we can get everything to green up like this once again. I would really like to see that.

To see massive florets from the Hummingbird Sage glowing all fuschia, and giant aqua leafed Dudleyas pouring out of the moist cracks in the rock, and with little orange newts crawling below, out from their high Chaparral winter homes eventually winding their way down to the little pools hundreds of feet below. And you must watch your step on the way back down, where you'll see them walking across the trail headed downhill, just before the full moon begins to rise!

Rest Day

Speaking of Chaparral and fires in the below post, I spotted two fires burning in the Los Padres National Forrest and the Angeles National Forrest today. Both are most likely burning in the chaparral covered hillsides of the two areas. Lets hope that the shrubland stays intact and is not part of an area that has burned too recently.

No fires here in the Santa Monicas, just rainbows and happy campers.

Chaparral is Cool

Chaparral is the most dominant plant community in California, yet myths abound on its 'dependance on fire' to its aesthetic and ecological value. To get your facts straight the Chaparral Institute has done the homework for you. They advocate that we change some of our Southern California National Forests names to National Chaparral Recreation Areas because over 75% of these 'forests' can be made up of chaparral. The USFS is also known to plant pine trees where chaparral has occupied the hillsides for centuries. I particularly like the idea of establishing a Grizzly Bear National Monument in the Cleveland National Forest in San Diego county. Giving the California Grizzly Bear and the Chaparral the respect and designation they so deserve.

We have some great stands of chaparral in the Santa Monica Mountains and fortunately for us, for the most part, the manzanita, the red shank, ceonothus, and the chamise get the respect the deserve here in the SMMNRA.