Jesusita trail

I went up to Santa Barbara for the day and ran the Jesusita trail up to Inspiration point.

It was a foggy day, which was perfect.

After running alongside a creek for the first mile there is a cool old sign.

It has been a good rainy winter and spring as was evident by all the green along the trail.

Here is the top. A good amount of fog blocked any view. But it was fine with me since it kept me cool.

Coming back down the foliage seems to overtake the trail.

Distance: 6 to 7 miles.
Total Time: 80 minutes

Topanga trail run

Here is a run I did last year on the Musch trail in Topanga State Park on July 24th as part of YouTube's 'Life In A Day'.



Distance: 5 1/2 miles [Only 2 1/2 to the rock]
Total Time: 55 minutes

Kearsarge Pass

I went for a long day trail run / hike in July 2005 up in the John Muir Wilderness on a trail that leads up to Kearsarge Pass. Along the 4-and-a-half mile trail are five lakes on the way up and two lakes on the other side of the pass. Below are a few photos.

 Running along I pass a large lake.

 After an hour and 40 minutes of hiking and running I get to the pass.

Two hours of hiking yields this spectacular lake called Kearsarge Lake.

I headed back to the car and along the way encountered sleet, mosquitos and a lot of people. I also notice this fine old tree.

Total Time: Around 4 hours

Stinson trails

One of the pleasures of going to the Bay Area is to visit the trails on and around Mount Tamalpais.

One such set of trails is to drive [the very] windy road to Stinson Beach and then from there run up the Matt Davis Trail to Pantoll Station and then cruise down the [famous] Dipsea trail.

On the Matt Davis trail there are a good number of stairs on the trail. [As there are on Dipsea].

Almost at the top section of the Matt Davis trail looking back toward Stinson Beach.

On the top section of the Dipsea trail. Beautiful.

More stairs on the downhill section.

 

The view on the finishing mile is really something else. Classic.


Distance: 7 to 8 miles.
Total Time: 85 minutes

Will Rogers

One of my favorite trail runs, close to where I live, is in Will Rogers State Park. The trail is the start of the 45 mile [or so] backbone trail, which extends all the way to Pt Mugu. I usually just run for 40 minutes up and then turn around at a particular spot.

The first section of the trail leads to a bridge, which you can see off to your right. This is the high spot of the first section. About 17 to 20 minutes of running.

The trail rolls along and has a lot of different green flora. Note the yucca [cactus] at the far end of the trail.

The toughest stretch is between the yucca and the oak tree. It's is about 7 minutes of punishing uphill that, fortunately has pretty good brush and tree coverage.

Once past the oak tree [not pictured] the trail gets flat for a while and has really nice shade. This is usually my cool down spot before the next section.

This is coming back from the top section. Other than the occasional mountain biker this section is usually very quiet. Hikers take too long to get here. There is no real high point on the trail but the views are still terrific all around.

Total Time: 73 minutes

Arroyo Sequit

The Smallest State Park in California. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Macchiarini Art

Pieces by Peter Macchiarini [my grandfather].

Mt San Jacinto

A terrific hike / trail run is the main trail up to Mt San Jacinto, which is located just outside of Palm Springs.
You take a tram a few miles up the side of the mountain.
It took me from the 90 degree April heat to a cool 55 degrees and snow!

I went about a quarter mile and snow covered the trail. A couple coming down the trail told me the trail disappeared and that I had little chance of getting to the top. I nodded and continued on. I figured even if I didn't make it I was where I wanted to be and ready to keep going. Although, I then realizes that I had forgotten my long sleeve shirt, jacket and cap. Whoops! Was in too much of a hurry to catch the tram, which only runs every 20 minutes. Oh well, glad I had bought a long sleeve San Jacinto t-shirt at the gift shop before I hit the trail.

Oh yes, there is snow. Where is the trail?

Love it!
The snow pack was hard enough that I didn't fall in.
I met a guy along the way who told me the peak was to the left. I take his word for it. But, alas, the peak really was to the right.

After a long traverse I got into a small cul-de-sac valley and the trail completely disappears. I decide to head straight up a snow slope.
I get to a saddle and go left.

Beautiful. I'm made it. What a view. Wait. What is that peak over there? It's higher than the one I am on. I'm on the wrong peak!

I headed back down to saddle and through large boulders and snow. I finally reached the true summit of Mt San Jacinto.

I looked back at the first peak I climbed. Okay, I was definitely on the higher peak now.
Beautiful.

Way, way down in the valley below [back and to the right] it was 95 degrees and Coachella was going on.

I'm sure it was cool but I was hearing the music of the mountains.

Total Time: Around 4 hours

Lime Creek Road October

Early October in Colorado

Ice Lake Basin July 08

The beginning of the Ice Lake trail a 3.5 mile trail [7 mile round trip] that is located just north of Silverton Colorado and off on an easily accesible dirt road toward South Mineral Campground. The starting altitude is about 9,200 feet.


Less than a mile from the start is a flowing waterfall and creek.


View from the lower valley. In the distance are the mountains that surround Ice Lake Basin.


Interesting foliage grows along the trail at high altitude - [above 10,000 feet].


Coming out of the valley the trail sort of disappears amid snow and rock.


At about 12,000 feet and almost there....


Here it is. After an hour-and-a-half of hike/running here is the main lake in Ice Lake Basin. Yes, there really is ice in the lake during July.


A few minutes more of snow hiking leads to this view above two lakes. The main one is the further lake.


Many creeks flow throughout this high altitude basin.


The third lake is called Fuller Lake and it has an old cabin [or hut] on its shore.


A closer look at the old hut. It had a note on the wall that read: "Those who are lost want to be found, those who wander are not lost."
[In the midground to the right is a marmot].


Heading back and looking into the valley right below Ice Lake Basin.

Distance: 7 to 8 miles.
Total Time: Around 4 hours. Hung around on top for an hour.

Canyon & Field

A canyon and field in the Santa Monica mountains that shall remain unnamed.


Toward the start of the hike [or run].


Their is water running along and across the trail from January to May.


The field stretches for a long way up toward that rock formation.


The trail continues in a zig zag of sorts.


A piece of...well something cool and old.


If you're running the trail [I was] this is the view you get back over your shoulder at about 30 minutes.

Distance: 6 to 7 miles
Total Time: 75 minutes