ITINERARY
Santa Monica Mountains Backbone Trail Trek 2007
RENDEZVOUS MAY 5, 2007 SATURDAY
- Meet at La Jolla Canyon Group Camp, Point Mugu State Park, between 2 & 4 p.m.
- Camp here and shuttle personal vehicles to secure parking
- Dinner provided
- Hot showers
- Single van shuttle to park vehicles
DAY 1 MAY 6, 2007 SUNDAY
La Jolla Group Camp to Danielson Ranch Group Camp - Moderate: 8.1 mi., 1,330 ft. climb
- Break camp 8:30 am - this time is subject to being earlier if the predicted high temperature is over 85 degrees
- From this point, the western terminus of the BBT, hike up the Ray Miller Trail to the Overlook Trail (2.7 mi.), hike Overlook Trail to the Wood Canyon Vista Trail (1.9 mi.), descend the Wood Canyon Vista Trail to Big Sycamore Canyon (1.8 mi.), and hike to Danielson Ranch Group Camp, Point Mugu State Park (1.7 mi.)
- Look to the right for tomorrow’s challenge: the ridge line of Boney Mountain 2,000 feet higher
- Camp at Danielson Ranch
- Hot showers
- No shuttle
Leader: Burt Elliott
DAY 2 MAY 7, 2007 MONDAY
Danielson Ranch Group Camp to Triunfo Peak Trailhead - Difficult: 9 mi., 3,060 ft. climb with the option of including an additional new 4.5 mi. section of the Backbone Trail for a total of 13.5 mi.
- Break camp 7:00 am
- Hike up Blue Canyon to Chamberlain Rock (3 mi.) and continue (4.5 mi.) up to the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains (and consequently the highest point of the Backbone Trail)
- Visit Inspiration Point and Sandstone Peak
- Descend the trail to the Mishe Mokwa Trailhead parking (1.6 mi.) for shuttle to the National Park Service’s Circle X Ranch Group Camp, or continue the following optional addition
- Optional: continue hiking the new section of the BBT around Triunfo Peak, with a gentle additional climb and descent of 400 ft.
- No showers (bring sun shower)
- (Single van shuttle afternoon)
Leader: TBA
DAY 3 MAY 8, 2007 TUESDAY
Mulholland Hwy Trailhead to Latigo Canyon Trailhead - Difficult: 9.3 mi., 1,620 ft. climb
- Break camp 8:00 am
- Shuttle to trailhead for the newest, unnamed section of Backbone Trail which takes us from Mulholland Hwy to Encinal Canyon Road (1.2 mi.)
- From Encinal Canyon Road hike Trancas Canyon Trail back to Encinal Canyon Rd. via the power line Rd. (2 mi.)
- Hike Encinal Canyon Road to Zuma Ridge Motorway (0.7 mi.)
- Hike Zuma Ridge Motorway to Zuma Canyon section of the Backbone Trail (0.4 mi.)
- From the Zuma Ridge Motorway, hike the Upper Zuma Canyon Trail to Kanan Road (2.5 mi.)
- Continue hiking the Newton Canyon section to the Latigo Canyon Trailhead (2.5 mi.)
- Shuttle to Calamigos Ranch (camp)
- Hot showers
- (two van shuttle early morning and afternoon)
- (one van meets at Kanan Road with water and snack replenishment)
Leader: TBA
DAY 4 MAY 9, 2007 WEDNESDAY
Latigo Canyon Trailhead to Malibu Canyon Road Trailhead - Difficult: 9.6 mi., 1,120 ft. climb
- Break camp 8:00 am
- Shuttle to Latigo Trailhead on Latigo Canyon Road
- From the Latigo Canyon Road hike to Castro Fire Road (1.4 mi.)
- From the Castro Fire Road hike the Upper Solstice Trail to Corral Canyon Road (2.7 mi.)
- From Corral Canyon Road hike the Mesa Peak Fire Road to junction with Puerco Canyon Road (3.0 mi.)
- From Puerco Canyon Road hike the Mesa Peak Fire Road to Las Virgenes Road (2.5 mi.)
- Shuttle to Malibu Creek State Park Group Camp
- Hot showers at Malibu Creek Group Camp
- (two van shuttle in the morning and afternoon)
- (one van meets at Corral Canyon Road with water and snack replenishment)
Leader: TBA
DAY 5 MAY 10, 2007 THURSDAY
Malibu Creek State Park Group Campground to Saddle Peak Trailhead - Difficult: 8.0 mi., 2,500 ft. climb
- Leave camp 8:00 am
- From the camp, hike the Tapia Spur Trail to Las Virgenes Road (1.2)
- From Las Virgenes Road hike the Piuma Ridge Trail to Piuma Road (2.1 mi.)
- From Piuma Road hike Dark Canyon, and up the Saddle Peak Trail to Stunt Road (4.7 mi.)
- Shuttle to camp Malibu Creek Group Camp
- Hot showers
- (two van shuttle afternoon)
Leader: TBA
DAY 6 MAY 11, 2007 FRIDAY
Saddle Peak Trailhead to Musch Camp - Moderate: 7.5 mi., 970 ft. climb
- Break camp 8:00 am
- Shuttle to the top of Stunt Road
- From Stunt Road hike the Fossil Ridge Trail to the Hondo Canyon trailhead (0.7 mi.)
- From the Fossil Ridge Trail hike down Hondo Canyon to Old Topanga Canyon Road (3.8 mi.)
- From Old Topanga Cyn. Rd. hike over Henry Ridge to Topanga Canyon Blvd. (0.7 mi.), through Trippet Ranch to the Musch Camp in Topanga Canyon State Park (2.3 mi.)
- Camp at Musch Camp
- No showers (bring sun shower)
- (Two van shuttle early morning)
Leader: TBA
DAY 7 MAY 12, 2007 SATURDAY
Musch Camp to Will Rogers Historic Park - Difficult: 10.5 mi., 1,360 ft. climb
- Break camp 8:00 am
- Hike to Eagle Junction (1.2 mi.), past Eagle Rock to The Hub (2.0 mi.), to Rogers Trail (0.5 mi.) past the Lone Oak, cross the Chicken Ridge Bridge and descend into Will Rogers State Historic Park (6.1 mi.); the eastern terminus of the BBT
- Plan to arrive at Will Rogers Historic Park by 2 P.M.
- Two van shuttle to the vehicle parking
- This ends BBTTrek 2007
- (No morning shuttle)
- (Shuttle and gear transport to secure parking)
Leader: TBA