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Organization: Community Hiking Club
Date: October 1, 2008
Community Hiking Club Schedule for October
October 4-SAVE THE CONDORS: Micro-trash removal on Magic Mountain, the mountain. This is your chance to do something for the condors of Santa Clarita. Condors are attracted to micro-trash (glass pieces, bottle caps, etc.). They eat this micro-trash, and also feed these bits to their young, which results in their death, and the death of their babies. Please help us keep the condors safe. We will meet at the intersection of Sand Canyon and Bear Divide Road at 8:30 AM (at the latest). The exact meeting point is Bear Divide Picnic area. From there we will go up Santa Clara Divide Road where we will remove bits and pieces of micro-trash. We will continue to move up the road all day, cleaning as many turn outs as possible. If you arrive later than 8:30, look for us along Santa Clara Divide Road. DIRECTIONS: Exit SR-14 at Sand Canyon Road. Go South. You will pass all the lovely homes on Sand Canyon Road and enter the Angeles National Forest. Continue up the hill until you come to Bear Divide Road. Turn right. The picnic area is right there on the corner. If you come later, Backtrack just a little bit, and you will see Santa Clara Divide Road. Follow that up the hill and we'll be right there, along the side of the road. BRING: Hat, Sunscreen, lots of water, lunch or a snack, baggies, a plastic spoon, a little stool or chair or towel to sit on (optional), and wear old clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. Hand sanitizer and wipes are great to have as well. TIME: 8:30-3:00
October 11-Lowe/Inspiration Point:This is a great hike. The first 4 miles is uphill, to a plateau where there used to be a gorgeous inn in the early 1900s. The inn burned down, but the railway and hotel ruins are still evident, along with the tennis court and observatory. There are signs with the history of the area, and we will take the time to view the entire area before continuing on to Inspiration Point. The climb to Inspiration Point/Echo mountain is much easier and shorter (about 2 more miles). Once we reach Inspiration Point, we will have lunch on the picnic tables. There is a great view of Mt. Wilson from this area as well as telescopes that point to various wonders from Catalina to Pasadena. The trek down is mostly downhill. Round trip is about 12 miles. Parking is on the street and free, but limited. Meet outside the gate of Towsley Canyon to carpool to the Lowe Trailhead near Pasadena/La Canada. We will meet at Towsley at 7:45 to carpool at 8:00 to the trail head. Bring lunch, snack, lots of water. Wear sunscreen, hat, good boots. A hiking stick is helpful.
October 18-Vasquez Rocks with Mary Loquvam: Mary is an animal corridor specialist and will talk to us about the animal corridor that passes under SR-14. We will hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Vasquez Rocks through the corridor heading south towards Mexico. This is a wonderful experience, and we might see some through hikers heading south along the trail with us. When we reach the animal corridor, Mary will point out evidence of large and small animals who have used this tunnel to migrate both north and south. RT will be about 8 miles. If you want to do more or less, you can easily stop or continue anywhere along the trail…..Mexico is in one direction, Canada in the other! The sky is the limit! Meet at the farthest parking area before 8:30 AM.
October 25-(Stewardship option) Make A Difference Day w/ Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel and Steve Ioerger: This year we will be doing a Non-native invasive plant removal. We will be removing Tamarisk from Pico Canyon. Please bring a rounded blade shovel, a pick, and a crowbar/rock bar if you have them. One tool is fine, all 3 are spectacular! We will be working in teams. Please meet at Mentryville at 8:30 or before. Teams will depart as they arrive. If you want a free t-shirt, please RSVP to Dianne with your name and size so she can get you a t-shirt. Bring lots of water, lunch, snacks, gloves, sunscreen, hat, wear comfortable clothes that you don't mind getting dirty, and comfortable boots or tennis shoes.
October 25 (hike option) at Weldon Canyon:Terry Morse will lead this hike from Weldon Canyon to Mission Point and back. This is a total of 9 miles RT with 1500' gain. The first 2.5 miles is a steep incline. Then it is alternate hills all the way to Mission Point. Meet at 8:15 for an 8:30 departure. Bring lots of water, and lunch. Wear sunscreen, wide brimmed hat and good boots. Hiking sticks are helpful if you have them.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY
For the eighth consecutive year, HandsOn Santa Clarita, formerly the Volunteer Resource Center, in partnership with the City of Santa Clarita will host Make A Difference Day. Make A Difference Day is a national day of service created by USA WEEKEND Magazine and Points of Light Foundation.
This year Make A Difference Day is on Saturday October 25th. The Make A Difference Day committee is anticipating that more than 1,000 SCV residents will participate in 40+ projects on Make A Difference Day 2008. Make A Difference Day projects are "hands-on" and produce visible positive results in one day. Business groups, religious organizations, school clubs, families and individuals are invited to participate as sponsors and volunteers. In this way, nonprofit organizations throughout the valley benefit from the coordinated efforts of local volunteers.
The Community Hiking Club and the MRCA will be participating by having a tamarisk removal project in Pico Canyon. If you interested in volunteering for Make A Difference Day please visit http://www.volunteerinscv.org/VolunteerforMakeADifferenceDay.htm. There you can complete a volunteer agreement and register online to participate for Make A Difference Day.
LET ME SAIL PROGRAM
Let Me Sail is a wonderful program for mentally and physically challenged kids and adults. The Community Hiking Club volunteers time to take these wonderful people and their families on hikes in our local mountains to help keep them fit and happy. If you would like to help lead some of the hikes, please contact Dianne at zuliebear@aol.com. Below are the dates. All times are 10-11AM.
October 21: Micro-trash clean up-Meet at Bear Divide Picnic area.
October 27:Walker Ranch to the Waterfall.
HomeSchool Adventure Club
The home school kids of Santa Clarita hike with Dianne 2 times a month and learn about the environment around them, eco-problems, geology, the local oil industry, fossils, plants, animals, animal corridors, and much more. Please join us any time for a hike! We always need help!! All hikes are scheduled from 8:30-10:30.
October 2: Elsmere Canyon
October 16: East Canyon
KIDS KAMP
Kid's Kamp in August was a great success! Kids from all over California are attending the weekend campout at Walker Ranch. Mary Hoffman, Jessica Nikolai, Anjanette Butler, Debbie Walt, Ian Swift, Frank Hoffman, and Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel are keeping them busy with scientific experiments, tracking, scat identification, plant rubbings, natural crafts, setting camp, cooking, bug collecting and identification, interpretive cave painting, botanical walkabouts, animal shows, recyling games, reptile identification, and hikes, hikes, hikes, and much more. We're looking forward to more camping adventures in October and November! If you'd like to stop by to say hi, help lead a hike, play some games or even watch some of our experiments come by Walker Ranch!
CAMPING TRIP
The Community Hiking Club camped out at McGrath State Beach in September. The group was organized by Kathy Schlesselman and Lori Culleton. A great time was had by all. Many thanks to the girls for all their efforts! We're looking forward to many more opportunities to camp out together in the coming year! If you have any ideas for future camping events, please contact of the hike leaders or Dianne.
