On the Trail: Temescal Canyon / Temescal Ridge
Temescal Canyon and Ridge; Photo by Dan Edwards, September 2006
I left early Saturday morning with work buddies Dan and Darin and headed down to the Santa Monica mountains near… well, Santa Monica. Stupid me forgot my camera, and Darin’s apparently had no batteries, but fortunately Dan managed to both remember his and have it charged. Way to go Dan.
At that early hour there was a thick ocean fog covering most of the Valley, which we hit on the way down as for north as Acton. The fog persisted as we started our hike down through the canyon bottom, climbing slowly over about 2.5 miles to the ridgeline within the bounds of Topango State Park. While the lack of sun made it a bit cool, it did give the riparian, forested canyon floor a peaceful aura as we trekked along a stream still flowing in late summer. Even for this late month, I would still have to use the adjective “lush” to describe the canyon bottom, as captured ocean mists, a small amount of rainfall, and the perennial boost of snowmelt have all combined to make this area a year-round wild forest.
Cacti near Temescal Ridge; Photo by Dan Edwards, September 2006
The climb to the top of the ridge from the canyon is an experience in at least three different ecosystems. From the wetter, lush climate below we transitioned into some more hardy species
, mostly chapparral, some wildflowers, holly, and the like. The climate near the top of the ridge is decidedly drier, sporting mainly sage, tough shrubs, and even the occasional, rare cactus. By the time we reached the top, the sun had at least half emerged, revealing a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean in the distance. Continuing inward on the ridge, we reached “Skull Rock” an interesting landform which of course we had to climb.
Skull Rock; Photo by Dan Edwards, September 2006.
If you squint, you might see a speck named Darin in the “eye,” and myself scaling the left side of the rock (scale is a bit deceiving in that shot). From the top of the rock, spectacular panoramic views of the valley, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and the ocean. We followed the ridgeline back instead of taking the canyon route, and decended back to the trailhead through a grove of hollies. Fantastic!
TRAIL STATS:
Mileage: 5
Elevation delta: ~1,000 ft (trailhead to top of Skull Rock)
Time on trail: 3 hrs.
Nearest highway: CA-1 (Pacific Coast Highway)
