Midweek Mountaineers 2025

MARCH

March 19th – Big Sky Trail (lollipop loop)

Eight hikers met near the waterfall on Big Sky Pl. on a clear, breezy and cool morning. We walked northwards along Erringer, for about a ¼ mile until we came to the trailhead and turned east at the entrance to Big Sky Trail. After crossing the small stream and going a short distance to a trail junction, we went left for a clockwise loop. Going east, we enjoyed the fresh air, the new grass growth and sage brush coming alive after the recent rains. Soon we came to the Big Sky HOA service trail, with its shade trees and some shelter from a strong breeze. When the service trail ended, we began a hilly hike that gradually increased our views of the valley below and sections of different neighborhoods among the surrounding hills, including Whiteface Mountain. The trail was in good condition for a pleasant hike. At the highest point of our hike (1,463’) we could see the remnants of Lost Canyons Golf Course. From there going back to our vehicles was an enjoyable downhill trek. completing a 4.6-mile, with 800’ of elevation gain/loss hike.

FEBRUARY

February 19th – Long Canyon

6 hikers met at 8:00 AM in the Long Canyon Trail parking lot in Wood Ranch on a perfectly beautiful morning. The outing began by hiking up the Long Canyon Trail to the Lang Ranch Open Space where we followed the Sunrise Trail eastward to the Long Ranch Ridge Trail south to the Rocky Incline Trail. Then we followed a connector trail to the Long Ridge Trail which led us to an entrance into the eastern end of the pleasant heavily-wooded area that contains the Chumash Interpretive Center portion of the Oakbrook Regional Park.

We then walked a short distance eastward on the Lang Ranch Parkway and turned northward onto Autumn Ridge Drive and followed it a few blocks to the Autumn Ridge Trail trailhead and followed that trail making our way to the Woodbridge Connector Trail which led us back to the Long Canyon Trail parking lot thus completing a nice 5.6-mile hike with just under 1,122’ of elevation gain/loss. We encountered a couple hikers and some bicycle riders. There weren’t too many flowers, just a scattering of sunflowers and mustard. Photographed were, purple nightshade, toyon, a tree poppy and California everlasting.

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JANUARY

January 29th – Mt McCoy

Eleven hikers and a cute dog gathered at 8:00 AM at the Donut Delight parking lot on a chilly [but wind-free] winter morning. We crossed Madera Road, walked the short distance to the west end of Royal Avenue and then headed up Washburn Street to the trailhead. We began our climb up the trail’s many switchbacks, enjoying our first opportunity to hike after the recent very strong winds and the resulting destructive wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties abated and the red-flag warnings stopped. Upon reaching the cross at the top of Mt. McCoy, we stopped for a short break. The sun was out and the morning had warmed up some. We enjoyed the views in all directions. Before long we headed toward the presidential library, passing the nearby water tank and then following the service road to Presidential Drive which we followed up to the library. After we took a lengthy break at the tables outside the library enjoying what had become a very nice morning, we began returning the way we came.

However, we decided to take a little-known alternative route back, so we kept walking downhill on Presidential Drive (past our usual left turn) until we reached a point where a “use trail” headed down to the right/west to a tunnel heading east under Presidential Drive. After passing through the tunnel, we followed a trail eastward; the trail is north of the nearby homes. Eventually the trail ended at the sidewalk parallel to Madera Road and we followed it for a while. Soon we switched to the opposite side of the road and followed the sidewalk until we reached the junction with Royal Avenue which we crossed and then followed it the very short distance back to our vehicles having completed a pleasant 5.1-mile hike with 717’ of elevation gain/loss.

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January 1st – Wildwood Park Loop

The early winter morning sky was a bright blue behind scattered high clouds when 14 hikers with 2 dogs met at 8:00 AM at the main Wildwood Park parking lot at the west end of Avenida De Los Arboles in Thousand Oaks The parking lot was nearly empty when we arrived (but completely full when we finished). We began our counterclockwise loop hike by heading west on the Mesa Trail. Soon we turned left (south) and hiked a short distance on the Tepee Trail until turning right (west) when we came to the Stagecoach Bluffs Trail which rose steadily uphill affording us with views of hillsides dotted with prickly pear cactus and soon we could look down into Wildwood Canyon below.

Eventually the Stagecoach Trail came to a junction (further west) with the Mesa Trail. We turned left (west) and followed the Mesa Trail fairly steeply up to its junction with the Lizard Rock Trail. After taking a short break we followed the Lizard Rock Trail southward down into Hill canyon (after descending a little over halfway down we were afforded with excellent views of the relatively new Conejo Canyons Bridge near the Hill Canyon Treatment Plant).

We then headed upstream into heavily shaded Wildwood Canyon (which was noticeably chillier than the previous trails we had hiked). As we headed upstream we crossed flowing water several times on short wooden bridges. When we reached Hoegeman’s Hollow, there were several picnic tables (and bathrooms). We took a short break and continued on upstream to Paradise Falls where we enjoyed looking at and listening to the waterfall. Continuing on up Wildwood Canyon we eventually reached the always pleasant Indian Creek Trail and followed it up to a short unnamed trail that led us back to our vehicles, thus completing a very pleasant 4.8-mile hike with about 850’ of elevation gain/loss.

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