Verdugo Mountains South Hike - August 29, 2013

The need for a conditioning hike occasioned this foray up the southern slopes of the Verdugo Mountains. My first adventure into the Verdugos was last December, and I so thoroughly enjoyed my hike, I knew I needed to come back. This small range, which lies between Crescenta Valley and Burbank, is best hiked in the winter or early spring when the rains have cleaned the air and brought green growth, flowers are blooming, and temps are pleasant. The time NOT to hike the Verdugos is in the middle of the summer on a hot day. I knew that, but I had to hike someplace nearby with substantial elevation gain, so this punishment was as good as any. And I’d cover some new territory to boot.

Along with my Verdugo Mountains Trail Map by Tom Harrison, I leaned on the ever-dependable Jerry Schad and decided that his South End Loop (5.5 miles, 1,500’ gain) would be the ideal core for this hike, with the option to add some additional mileage and elevation at the top. And approaching from the east should provide some shade and help mitigate the heat.

I leave my office in Echo Park at 3:10 p.m. and take Freeway 2 north to Glendale. I exit on Mountain and navigate my way to the trailhead at the intersection of Beaudry Blvd and Beaudry Terrance. It’s a brisk 96 degrees!

3:35 p.m. - Begin hike on Beaudry Motorway (1,200’). The paved route starts to the right of a flood control wash and in a couple minutes passes by a locked vehicle gate and proceeds up the canyon on a wide dirt road. It’s been freshly graded...looks like today. It’s hot but oaks and sycamores provide a good amount of shade. At 0.4 mile I reach the junction of Beaudry North and Beaudry South motorways. Schad suggests going right on the North route since it will provide more shade for the ascent.

I turn right on Beaudry North and follow the wide, dirt road that ascends the steep mountain slopes through rich chaparral. Shade from both the trees and the steep road cut provides sections of welcome relief from the intense sun. An occasional breeze feels good. Soon I am treated with expanding views of Crescenta Valley and the rugged San Gabriels rising steeply behind. As I climb higher I round a bend and get a good view toward Tongue Peak, my destination, high on the backbone ridge.



There is hardly anything in bloom. The weedy non-native grasses are brown, and some of the native chaparral plants, like sticky monkey flower and black sage look parched. Poison oak is beginning to turn its fall colors. A row of cypress trees along the road makes me wonder why man thinks he can improve on nature.

4:50 - Junction (2500’, 2.3 miles). To the left (south) is my return route, which will visit Tongua Peak and Mt. Thom, two of the three named peaks (along with Verdugo Peak) in the Verdugos. But I will go right for at least another 0.6 mile to a saddle which should afford me views west. I sit on a nice rock, have a snack, study the map, and upload a pic to Facebook. After a 20-minute break I head north. The road runs below the ridge on the east. I’m still enjoying great views toward Crescent Valley and the San Gabriels. Soon Verdugo Peak comes into view a mile and a half north.

5:30 - Junction / Saddle (2660’). Wow, this is nice! There are great views south and southwest. I can see all the way to the Channel Islands. A pair of wooden benches provide a comfortable place to sit. Brand Motorway arrives here from the southwest. I linger for a few minutes, enjoy the breeze, and capture the scene with my camera. A noteworthy summit rises to the immediate northwest, which looks like it might be a good highpoint to hit before turning back. A steep use path heads straight up the ridge to the pointed summit. But I suspect that there will be a milder route up the road at the next saddle. So I continue along the road.

5:47 - Saddle. More great views. This is the location where the abandoned Skyline Motorway arrives from the west. Indeed a gentle path leads to the fore-mention summit to the southeast. But to the northwest an even greater summit juts into the sky. A steep path climbs to the top. I can’t resist. Up I climb. It’s crazy steep with slippery footing. I stop often to catch my breath. My primary worry is climbing back down this way. It will be treacherous! I’m hoping the top will yield a safer route down. Ten minutes delivers to the backbone ridge. Wow, the great view is worth the climb! The highpoint is still 100 yards north, so I continue up.

View southeast toward whence I came

View south toward Tongua Peak and Mt. Thom

6:05 - Summit 2960’+. Now this is the sweat spot...360 degree panorama! It’s the highest point along the backbone until the cluster of summits around Verdugo Peak (3,126’), 0.75 mile north. I cast my eyes toward familiar landmarks amidst the vast human sprawl below me. I can see my office in Echo Park to the south. I’d like to linger here but it’s late. Not wanting to return on the treacherous route, I decide to continue along the ridge north. It appears that there is a doable route to meet the road in about 0.3 mile. Leave north at 6:17.

The ridge route is quite decent aside from some pesky brush on my bare legs. I descend to a saddle and up a steep path to another knob. Now it’s downhill the rest of the way. Just before another rise, I veer right on an old firebreak and follow a ridge northeast toward the road. The brush is thicker and I’m getting debris in my boots and on my sweaty clothes and skin. There’s not much foot traffic here and I’m concerned that this route will dead end at a steep road cut with no easy way down. Thankfully, a couple hairpins at the bottom of the ridge deliver me to the road at 6:43.

Now a nice dirt road the rest of the way! Soon a mountain biker passes…my first human encounter for the whole hike! I reach the saddle/junction with the abandoned Skyline Motorway and chuckle at my adventure up that steep route to Summit 2960+. Now I take the use path east to the summit I skipped earlier. Three minutes gets me to the top (2800+). I continue down the use path to the saddle.

7:06 - Junction / Saddle (2660’) (with Brand Motorway). To the south, Tongua Peak, basks orange in the nearly setting sun. I was hoping to get a good view of the sunset (7:24) but my summits to the west block line of sight. I’ll see if I can reach Tongue Peak in time. But first I sit on the bench and clean the debris from my boots. Two mountain bikers arrive. The setting sun colorfully illuminates the sky and clouds. An orange glow rests on the San Gabriels. I leave the junction at 7:14 and climb the use path veering east and in a minute I arrive at a round reservoir covered with corrugated steel. I ponder continuing down the ridge but it’s getting late and I’ve had enough wandering through brush today. I return to the junction and continue down the road. There is a beauty to dusk. More mountain bikers pass.

7:29 - Junction (2500’). I briefly ponder heading down the way I came up, but I haven’t come all this way to not bag the two named peaks at the south end of this range. Just past the junction a view opens to the west to reveal a gorgeous orange sky and the San Fernando Valley beginning to twinkle with lights. The route bends left (east) and winds its way to the summit. A large group of hikers are coming down.

7:37 - Tongua Peak (2656’). A barbed-wire topped chain-link fence surrounds a large communication array on the peak’s flattened top. I continue down the road with my eyes on Mt. Thom, about 0.7 mile away. It’s nearly dark now.

7:54 - Junction (2420’). To the right is Las Flores Motorway heading 2.4 miles south to Sunshine Drive. To the left is Beaudry Motorway South, my return route. Straight ahead is Mt. Thom. Several hikers are here and several more are coming down from Mt. Thom. I continue straight.

7:57 - Mt. Thom (2440’+). The flattened summit hosts another communication array. I circumnavigate the fenced facilities enjoying nighttime views over the immense human sprawl. I leave the summit at about 8:03 and return to the junction. I move my flashlight from my pack to my pocket. I turn right and start my 2.3-mile descent. The ambient city light reflecting off the clouds is sufficient for my walk. I’m tired and ready to be home. I stop and fix my left boot which is beginning to hurt my foot. It’s still quite warm. I’m enjoying the views. Hiking at night is very different. My pace is slow. The road is really steep in sections. I finally reach the last junction at 9:13, turn right, and retrace my steps to the trailhead.

9:26 p.m. - End hike. It’s 84 degrees!

Epilog - What a fun adventure which exceeded my expectations! I hiked 8.4 miles with 2,230 in elevation gain. I conquered two of the three named peak of the Verdugos and the 2960-plus-foot summit that towers over the south end of the range. I survived the heat. I enjoyed lots of solitude, good exercise, expansive views on a relatively clear day, and the beauty of day turning to night. I look forward to my next expedition into the Verdugo Mountains.

Trail Notes:
Books: Jerry Schad presents three hikes in the Verdugos. His “South End Loop” describes hiking up Beaudry North and returning on Beaudry South, 5.5 miles with 1,500 feet in elevation gain (which is the core of the hike I describe above; I added another 2.9 miles on the top). John McKinney presents five hikes in the Verdugos; he briefly covers the same hike as Schad does as an option in his Beaudry Canyon hike.
Peaks: Both Tongua Peak and Mt. Thom are labeled on the Tom Harrison Map but with no elevations. Neither Tongua Peak nor Mt. Thom are labeled on the USGS topo map, (but Tongua is listed as 2656’), nor are they listed with the USGS Board on Geographical Names. Both peaks are listed on Peckbagger.com: Tongva Peak (2656’) (note spelling “Tongva” rather than ”Tongua”) | Mount Thom (2440+’).

See my blog for Verdugo Peak Hike – Dec. 20, 2012

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Verdugo Peak Hike - December 20, 2012

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See Verdugo Mountains South Hike

What a splendid hike conquering a peak in a local mountain range I’ve not visited before! I’ve had my eyes on the Verdugo Mountains for years. But with my focus on the San Gabriels and Griffith Park, I’ve just not had a chance to explore the Verdugos. A couple years ago I bought the Verdugo Mountains Trail Map by Tom Harrison. In preparing for this hike I quickly perused some of the hike descriptions from Jerry Schad and John McKinney, but I decided to craft my own hike. My objective was Verdugo Peak. In looking at the map I saw a red-dashed line from Wildwood Canyon climbing 1.7 miles to the range backbone. And then a fire road traversing the ridge about one mile to the summit. It looked like the ideal hike for my first foray into the Verdugos.

With time off from work I was eyeballing the weather to select the best day. Recent rain and wind have brought clear skies, brisk temperatures, and green hillsides. I leave the house at 10:50 and head to Burbank. I exit to Olive Avenue from the I-5 and navigate my way to Wildwood Canyon Park. The map shows four different trailheads accessing the main trail. I choose the second, 0.3 mile up the road from the park entrance. A stone gateway frames the beginning of the trail.

11:40 - Begin hike. The well-traveled trail starts gently but quickly wastes no time in steeply climbing above the oaks and sycamores. Actually, I’m a little surprised over how steep the trail is; it certainly defies normal trailbuilding conventions. Within three minutes, views open up toward the range backbone high above along with its array of communications antennas. One of those sites is my destination. I shall find which one soon.

Six minutes delivers me to the junction with the main trail, 0.2 miles from the start. I take a hard right. The trail bends around and starts climbing the ridge. Wooden steps and guard rails give the sense that the trail is for urbanites rather than hikers. As the trail climbs higher, Burbank and the San Fernando Valley sprawl behind me to the west, muted by a slight haze. The mountains of Griffith Park, about six miles from here, look small. Downtown L.A., about 12 miles away, looks a little like the Emerald City from Oz.

Surrounding me, rugged mountains covered with rich chaparral remind me of hiking the front range of the San Gabriels. There is nothing in bloom. Fresh green grass provides a nice contrast to the brown summertime. The route is in full sun, which would be punishing on a hot day. Passing a large knob on the ridge, the trail dips and intersects the trail climbing up from the third trailhead. In another 0.2 mile I reach the junction with the trail coming from the forth trailhead. A stone pedestal hosts a map. A sign for Vital Link Trail announces the trail rules. The map shows the elevation as 1,860 feet, which tops the highest point in Griffith Park…Cahuenga Peak (1820’). Before me is another 1,200 feet of climbing.

Before continuing up, I proceed straight on the access trail and walk about 75 yards to a large flat area with a picnic table. Back at the junction, I turn right and continue to climb the ridge. The trail snakes its way up. It’s quite steep, out steeping Garcia Trail and rivaling Register Ridge to Mt. Baldy. In spite of being a cool, nearly-winter day, I’m sweeting as I plod up the ridge. I’m sure the trail builders had noble intent in constructing the guardrails and wood steps, but I find them to be an eyesore and probably unnecessary, particularly the guardrails. I suspect that those who built them had expertise in park management but were clueless about hiking trails. The steepness and myriad of steps kind of reminds me of climbing Koko Crater in Oahu

A flat section gives a brief reprieve from the relentless climb. After another steep section, I arrive at a trail split and meet a family of three, who descended from the left fork. After chatting, I continue left. In ten minutes I reach the junction where the right split rejoins. After another 15 minutes of trudging up the steep ridge, I take a 15 minute nutrition break. I then keep climbing and another 15 minutes delivers me to the top.

1:27 - Road junction. Views open to San Gabriels to the north and northeast. A cool breeze feels good. A sign and map mark the spot. A wooden maker placed by Gordon Greer in 2012 as an Eagle Scout project shows mileage at 3.2 mi and 2943’ elevation (the Harrison Map shows the elevation as 2940’). I don’t know what the mileage is referring to. Perhaps it’s the trail from Stough Canyon (which the Harrison map shows 3.0 miles to here). To the left the road descends 0.1 mile to a junction then cuts back south to continue along the backbone. I decide to turn right and climb the road about 50 yards to a communication installation, which tops the ridge I’ve been ascending for the last hour and 45 minutes.

A little further along this ridgeline is a water collection slab and a small communications structure. A half mile south as the crow flies stands Verdugo Peak, my destination. Climbing up here I suspected that there would be a route continuing south to meet the road. And there is. A four-minute descent on a use path delivers me to the road. Before me is a canyon which the map identifies as Warden’s Grove. There are a lot of pine trees and I wonder what the backstory is. Later I read in John McKinney that it was planted by the Los Angeles County Department of Forestry in the 1930s. The department’s fire wardens patrolled the Verdugos until 1953 when the agency was combined with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. McKinney mentions fire damage, which may explain why most of the trees are young.

I follow the fire road southward passed Warden’s Grove and Plantation Lateral. It feels good to stretch my legs and walk at a decent pace. I’m enjoying the sweeping views, blue sky, pleasant breeze, and the wonderful fragrance of chaparral freshened by recent rains. A puddle still has ice in it. I pass to the right of large communication array with several towers. It’s perched on an unnamed summit that has a much more striking profile than Verdugo Peak. To the west I look right down into the upper reaches of Wildwood Canyon and see the ridge route I ascended bordering the north of the canyon. Shortly I pass a junction with a road coming from the east. My road bends west around another communications site and then back toward the highest summit in the Verdugos.

2:09 - Verdugo Peak (3,126’). A cinderblock building surrounded by a barbed-wire topped chain link fence tops the summit. There are no towering antennas here; just five telephone poles surround the site. I follow the path along the fence to the west side of the facility. A bench provides a splendid spot to sit and enjoy the amazing panorama of human sprawl. The late afternoon sun gleams on the Pacific Ocean. The mountains of Griffith Park appear as a line of mere bumps. A brown haze mutes the horizon. I see jet traffic at Burbank Airport. It’s peaceful here. I linger and soak in the scenery.

I leave the summit at 2:30. I take a shortcut past the communication faculty below the summit and then take a use path paralleling the road to the junction. I retrace my steps along the road. When I reach the use path junction of my first summit, I continue down the road as it skirts the summit to the east. The deep shade is cool. At 2:58 I reach the junction of the road coming up from the north. I bear left, pass another Eagle Scout mile maker (3.0 mi. / 2890’ El.), and make the short ascent back to Vital Link Trail junction. I sit on the handsome bench dedicated to the memory of Willie Mann (if I have interpreted the cursive writing correctly). It’s nice to relax in comfort before my steep descent.

3:18 - Begin my descent on Vital Link Trail. It’s easier than going up, although, I watch my footing carefully so that my feet don’t slip out from under me on the steep trail tread. When I get to the alternate route junction, I turn left to try it out. It’s a much gentler grade and the best choice for going up and down. The warm light of late afternoon makes it nice for pictures. I reach the upper trail access junction (with the map and sign) at 4:02. The map shows that between here and the top is 1.0 mile, but 44 minutes coming down, that’s a long mile. As I pass the next junction I consider heading down that route but decide to press ahead to stay in the sun and to explore the knob on the ridge below.

As I approach the knob I veer right unto the spur trail which takes me three minutes to the top, an elevation of 1800+ feet. This is a nice perch. A couple benches offer a spot to enjoy the view. Two young olive trees have been planted on the summit. I never can understand our need to plant non-native plants in our native ecosystems. And of course as these trees grow they will spoil the 360-degree panorama. I linger a few minutes. Back on the main trail I continue down and arrive at the junction, turn hard left and descend into the cool shadows of Wildwood Canyon.

4:38 - Done. The thermometer reads 50 degrees. Since I usually don’t hike on a weekday, I neglected to anticipate the horrible rush-hour traffic heading home.

Epilog - What a pleasant outing and great way to spend the last day of autumn. I was treated to fantastic weather, superb views, rugged scenery, and a fair amount of solitude. The climb was steeper than I had anticipated (the one mile from the upper junction to the backbone gained 1080 feet per mile!), but a trail is more enjoyable than a fire road. I covered about 5.6 miles with about 1,800 feet in elevation gain (including some rollercoaster action on top). It’s great to explore a new mountain range and bag a new peak. Even though hiking in the Verdugos is mostly on fire roads, I’m definitely enticed to return.

Trail Notes:
Books: Jerry Schad presents three hikes in the Verdugos but does not cover the route out of Wildwood Canyon. John McKinney presents five hikes in the Verdugos; he covers this present hike with only two sentences as the descending portion of a loop hike out of Stough Canyon.
Peak Name: Verdugo Peak is not named on the USGS topo map nor is it listed on the USGS Board on Geographical Names. It is listed as “Verdugo Peak” by Schad, McKinney, and the Harrison map. Peckbagger.com lists it as “Verdugo Mountain.”

See my blog post for Verdugo Mountains South Hike - August 29, 2013

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