2025

APRIL

April 19th – Work Party: Mt. McCoy

Six volunteers met at the western end of Washburn Street at the Mt. McCoy trailhead.   It was a sunny pleasant morning as we began working our way up the trail.  One volunteer chose a power string trimmer (weed whacker) and one volunteer used a gas-powered hedge trimmer, while a third volunteer used a pair of loppers and a pick mattock.  We cleared the edges of the trail from heavily sprouting mustard and brush overgrowth.  The volunteers cleared the trail to a good 4 ft. width, more than halfway to the top (.6 miles).  We decided to call it quits early because the rest of the trail was in fair condition and there were a lot of hikers visiting the cross, on this holiday weekend.  After the hedging, weed whacking and looping, three volunteers came up from behind and cleared the trail of all the tailings using leaf rakes.  Thank you to the volunteers who made the trail so inviting; Keri Nelson, Tammy Sindel, Jossy Matute, Paul Friedeborn, Mike Kuhn and Martin DeGoey.

April 5th – Las Llajas Trail to the Shovel

Six hikers met at the trailhead on Evening Sky Drive on cool spring morning. We’ve hiked Las Llajas Canyon to the shovel many times, but this hike was very different. All around the trailhead we noticed a good many signs about a lost dog. The dog was a white Jindo named Leia. One of our hikers noticed something white, looking very out-of-place, on a ridge about 100’ to the north. At this point, we were only about a half-mile up the canyon, not far past the turnoff leading into the old Marr Ranch development. Moments later, the put-of-place white object started moving and we knew it had to be the lost dog. After reporting the location on social media, we continued up the canyon, hoping the owner would be able to find their dog.

MARCH

March 29th – Corriganville Loop and the Stagecoach Trail

Eleven hikers met at 8:00 AM at historic Corriganville Park at the east end of Simi Valley on an extremely pleasant spring morning.  We began our hike at the Interpretive trail trailhead on the far east end of the parking lot.  Passing Camp Rotary, we started up the Loop Trail in the eastern section of the park by crossing the (dry) creek that flows through the park.  After seeing some rock cairns and a maze, the trail gradually rose to the west where we Soon reached a 3-way trail junction.  Taking the middle trail and following it in a counterclockwise direction, we descended into a large open space until reaching the primary trail on the south side of the park.  Many of the old western movies were filmed here, having several signs showing pictures and brief descriptions of movie sets filmed decades ago.  There were still parts of some of the movie sets but over the years mother nature has destroyed nearly everything that was left.  We finished the Loop Trail by crossing a bridge at the west end of Robin Hood Lake where below, in the concrete dam structure, underwater portholes for filming underwater scenes are still visible.

March 22nd – Sapwi Park to Chumash Indian Museum and Back

Eleven hikers met at 8:00 AM at Sapwi Trails Community Park off of Erbes road in Thousand Oaks, where the hike began.  Going north east on an open space service road, surrounded with trees and lush green grass, we soon arrived at the Sapwi Bike Park, a BMX bike track.  As we continued hiking east, we passed a flood control dam adjacent to the Sapwi Trails Disc Golf Course.  The trail then followed the flood control basin, shaded by trees on the south side.  Eventually the trail ended, emerging onto Westlake Blvd.  There we crossed the street and followed Lang Ranch Pkwy to Lang Ranch Neighborhood Park, where we took a short break.  Then we crossed the street again at the entrance of the Chumash Indian Museum.  The museum didn’t open until 10:00 but we hiked to the Chumash Indian village where we took another short break, then headed back.

March 8th – Work Party: Lower Stagecoach Trail

Eight  volunteers gathered near the picnic area at Corriganville Park on a nice, sunny morning.  After reviewing the safety guidelines and the outline for our objective, we started up the switchbacks on the Lower Stagecoach trail, Corriganville Trails (rsrpd.org).  Using Pick Mattocks and shovels, we filled in low spots and ruts in the trail using dirt and rocks, some very large rocks.  We also cleared and created  water bars (drain dips).  The soil conditions were perfect, easy to pack down.  One volunteer brought a weed wacker and cleared the edges on most of the trail.  Thanks, and appreciation goes to Boy Scout Troop 605, Arron Wieting and Robert Wieting, also Dana DuPuis, Noah Jansen, Adam Bloemstein, Paul Friedeborn, Mike Kuhn, and Martin DeGoey.

March 1 st – O’Melveny Park, Neon Way, Mission Point Loop

Three hikers met at the entrance to O’Melveny Park, in Granada hills, on a pleasingly cloudy March morning.  Our hike began by walking southwest along the nearby sidewalk on Sesnon Blvd to its junction with Neon Way.  While we walked on the sidewalk, we enjoyed the domestic trees and plants along the way. Turning north on Neon Way, after a short distance, we reached Sulphur Spring Fire Road (aka the Dr. Mario A. De Campos Trail).  We began the steady climb along the fire road to Mission Point in the Santa Susana Mountains.  We passed a small irrigation pool, though difficult to see, there were goldfish in it.  We eventually came to a bench beneath a large oak tree.  A short distance further up the trail was Mission Point, with its small, stone monument memorializing Mario De Campos and a bench called Widowers’ Bench.

FEBRUARY

February 22nd – Simi Peak from King James Court via China Flat

Seven hikers began their hike at the China Flat trailhead on a nice winter morning.  The trail was a steady rocky climb up Dead Cow Road on the south side of the mountain; we passed interesting rock formations and enjoyed expanding views to the south.  At the top of the old road we turned left (north) and followed the China Flat Trail as it descended into patches of oak trees, shrubbery of various types, and sprawling meadows.  Soon we turned left (west) and followed the trail that leads up to Simi Peak (2,403’), the highest point in the Simi Hills, giving us a good panoramic view of the surrounding area.

February 8th – The Hummingbird Trail to Rocky Peak Fire Road

5 hikers assembled at the on-street-parking area at the north end of Kuehner Drive at the trailhead (1,175’) for the Hummingbird Trail (just outside the gate into Hummingbird Ranch) on a chilly but pleasant winter morning under a blue sky.  We began our 2.3-mile eastward climb to the Rocky Peak Fire Road, taking in the increasingly wide views to the west as we gained elevation.  The trail passed through (and on) a variety of imposing rock formations along the way including very large boulders and giant slabs of sandstone rock, many with small “caves.”

February 1st – Big Sky Trail Loop

Eleven hikers met near the waterfall on Big Sky Place on a chilly winter morning.  We walked northward along the sidewalk on Erringer Road until we reached the signed trailhead where we turned right (east) onto the Big Sky Trail. Soon we crossed a dry stream bed [a result of almost no rain since last spring] and a short distance later we turned left (north) onto the loop portion of the trail.  As we hiked northward we enjoyed the fresh air and conversation with our fellow hikers.  The trail followed the now-dry stream bed with several stretches of shade trees and three street crossings before it began undulating toward its northernmost point.

JANUARY

January 25th – Tapo Canyon Open Space

7 hikers met at 8:00 AM in the dirt trailhead parking area (1,136’) for the Tapo Canyon Open Space Trail (T23) in Simi Valley. The hike was a welcome event!  After what seemed like weeks of extreme Santa Ana winds, the most destructive fires in the State’s history right in our backyard, and some of the worst air quality ever, we were finally able to hit the trail.  It was a very chilly morning and the small patches of warming sun along the tail were most inviting. Our timing was perfect, just ahead of the rain forecast the next day.

January 18th – Work Party: Hummingbird Creek Trail

Eleven volunteers met, on a pleasant, sunny morning, for the January trail maintenance work party at the Hummingbird Creek Trail.  Soon after our introductions, safety tips and objectives, we were on the trail using Shovels and pick mattocks.  We concentrated on removing protruding stones that were tripping hazards while leveling and widening the trail.  One volunteer brought a pole chainsaw and was able to cut down some Arundo and overhanging brush and tree limbs.  Another volunteer concentrated on clearing  water bars (drain dips).  It was a very successful and productive morning, with special appreciation for Boy Scout Troop 605 and every volunteer; Arron Wieting, Bob Wieting,Andrew Chauvin, Lara Chauvin, Luke Chauvin, Helen Chauvin, James Fabry, Seth Fabry, Paul Friedeborn Mike Kuhn and Martin DeGoey.

January 5th – Mt. McCoy up and back

5 hikers met at the carpool point near the intersection of Royal Avenue and Madera Road on a pleasant winter morning and then (since trailhead parking is quite limited) walked from there to the Mt. McCoy trailhead on Washburn Street a few blocks to the west. The hike began along the trail heading south but it quickly began climbing gradually westward along the well-maintained (but frequently “cut” by bicycle riders) trail leading to the summit via a series of switchbacks. We took our time as the trail rose up the mountainside; we were rewarded with views of the western end of Simi Valley, including Sinaloa Lake, Wood Ranch, and the Bard Reservoir. There is a white concrete cross (erected in 1941) as well as two concrete benches at the summit, from which the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library can be seen. After a short break to enjoy the panoramic view of the desiccated landscape, we returned the way we came completing a 3.25-mile hike with 650’ of elevation gain/loss

January 4th – Wildwood Park: Mesa Trail to Tepee Trail to Wildwood Canyon (Paradise Falls) to Lizard Rock Trail Loop

It was a chilly foggy winter morning (which warmed up nicely during the hike) when we met at 8:00 AM at the main Wildwood Park parking lot at the west end of Avenida De Los Arboles in Thousand Oaks.  Heading westward, we began our clockwise loop hike along the Mesa Trail. There were no other hikers and no bicyclists (presumably because it was New Years Day).  Shortly after we began our hike we turned left (south) onto the Tepee Trail and followed it down into Wildwood Canyon, stopping to visit the “Little Cave” along the way.