Top of Santa Susana Loop

1.5 mile loop partially along two historic trails. Old Stagecoach Trail and Chatsworth Grade Road.

Parking on Rocky Peak Road, Simi Valley.

Starting out at the trailhead, at N 34d 16' 4.7", W 118d 38' 1.7" the trail winds to the SouthWest over to Lilac Lane, which was the ending of the original Old Stagecoach Trail before the Chatsworth Grade Road was built. Head directly East for about a 1/4 mile and the trail turns sharply NorthEast at N 34d 15' 49.9", W 118d 37' 47.5".


the trail continues NE...


looking back to Lilac


follow the trail through the valley to N 34d 16' 1.1", W 118d 37' 32.3" where you come to a 5 point trail split.



<< Follow the trail directly left. Within a 1/4 mile you will be on the Chatsworth Grade Road. This trail was in use after 1895, until the Santa Susana Pass Road was built.




Following this West, you will hook up with Santa Susana Pass Road and back to the Trailhead.

20090130 Mount Pinos, Los Padres National Forest

Chula Vista Campground - 1/4 mile hike

After getting on the Cuddy Valley / Mount Pinos Road and winding to the top, we arrived at the parking lot just after dark. Adventure Pass adorning the rear view mirror of course, and the lot was sparcely littered with vehicles. I had not been to this particular campsite before, but seeing as it was a short walk I figured that it would be ok at night. I had wanted to go to Upper Arroyo Seco in the San Gabriels, but I have never been there, and it is a 5 mile hike in. I'm ok doing that on my own, but not leading a group. So we'll hit that as a day hike, then do it as a troop.



However many sites there are there, I don't know, but it was fairly easy to find, hiking down the trail to the right of the only building there. Keep to the right of the sloped valley, and you'll run right into the 'Chula Vista' Campground sign. Outhouses, picnic tables, and fire rings (check fire restrictions). The low was expected to be 38, there was snow around in patches, some ground showing, some areas with 6" to 12".



I had brought my DIY bedding (three couch cushions sewn together on the edges) which since it was a short enough hike I just made another trip to the car. It made the nights sleep a little more bearable, although as I've gotten older I dont sleep as well as I used to. SOOOooo, other than the obnoxious neighbors in another camp who kept chopping wood til 2 AM and howling (yes, howling) til 3 AM, the night was ok and I didn't freeze my toes off. Reminder: the 'hand warmers' I bought at Big 5 didn't give off much heat, but they did last 12 hours or so, and stuffed into my shoe in the morning, kept my toes a 'little' warmer...

First post

Out of all of the hikes I've been on, I miss the opportunity to write about them for future reference and also for my own memory being so bad, as a reminder to myself.

I'll just start with the latest hike/camp and go from there, as I don't think I'm organized enough to go back and fill in all of the blanks for the 50 milers, 20 milers, etc.
but as a reminder;

Mammoth - Horseshoe Lake to Rose Lake
Santa Paula - Cross Camp
PCH - La Jolla
Simi - Hummingbird
Simi - Rocky Peak
Westlake - Bone Mountain
Ojai - Wheeler?
Simi -