Peter's Canyon

Driving Directions

• Exit 55 Freeway @ Chapman Ave and head East
• Turn Right @ Jamboree Road
• Turn Right @ Canyon View Ave park entrance is on the left almost right away

This is a regional park with easy access in East Orange not far from Santiago Canyon College. Since Daniel and I got started a little late before meeting up with his Momma in the evening we decided to check it out since it was a gorgeous hot sunny day.

When I looked up Peter’s Canyon I noticed it is a popular destination for waterfowl and thus bird watchers, so I was kind of excited to see some interesting birds. It does cost $3 dollars to park in the dirt allotted parking area, which situates you directly in front of the trailhead. We got going right away because of the aforementioned time constraints.

Right away my impression was that the trail was fashioned more for the trail runner than anything. I explained this to Daniel, which prompted him to experiment with trail running.

There was a beautiful field of yellow wildflowers that spanned across the beginning part of our hike. The field was overgrown, well into the trail brushing us as we passed. This would have been fine had it not been for the considerable number of bees inhabiting the flora; an expedient escape was called for.

After a close pass of the surrounding neighborhood a rather intimidating hill was revealed. Confident at this point in Daniel’s hiking ability I said “lets charge it” and so we did. He actually kept up pretty well until the final push where I purposely pulled away so that I could get his picture; I was proud but gassed haha. The view from the top displayed the reservoir nicely, unfortunately it also reminded me how close the houses right behind were (oh well).

We discovered we needed to head back down part of the hill to cut over to the reservoir, so that was a lot more fun. After cutting through some cacti (which was also bee infested) we came to a bench that overlooked the reservoir and we deemed this the spot for snack-time (despite Daniel’s request of the standard waterfall where we have our snack). I failed to see much in the way of birds, but it was still a cool little hike in which: ladybugs were found, rabbits were chased and most importantly… bees were avoided. 

Black Star Canyon

Holy Jim Falls

Bailey Canyon Falls

Park Info Page

Driving Directions

• Exit 210 Freeway @ Baldwin Avenue and head North toward the mountains
• Turn Left @ Grandview Ave
• Turn Right @ Grove Street and take that straight into Bailey Canyon Park

Today, I am lucky enough to be accompanied by my hiking buddy Daniel and my cousin Ricky.

Parking is free in the little lot allocated for Bailey Canyon Park (always a good thing) and the trailhead was easy to find, marked on the west side of the lot by a map and sign. The park section of the trail cut through randomly disbursed picnic tables overrun by high grass, and promptly ejected us through a turnstile to a road that made us wonder if we went the wrong way. However, after a few feet we got back to the trail, which wound into the canyon. After passing the most random handicap parking spot ever and a sign giving us a choice between: Canyon View Nature Trail (Waterfall) and Bailey Canyon Trail we were well on our way.

Now, I usually count the number of stream crossings on any particular hike, but this hike crossed it so many times that I lost count. At some points the trail actually seemed to be through the stream rather than crossing it. They were not difficult crossings by any means as Daniel cleared them in single jumps at times (not too bad for a 4 year old), however waterproof hiking boots would not be a terrible idea.

It was a short easy hike with not a great deal elevation change so its good even for younger kids. Daniel managed it pretty effortlessly and Ricky too was able to navigate the trail pretty easily in some Adidas, so I trust it was nothing too rugged. We got to the base of the waterfall reasonably quick and I soon assessed there was not a lot of dry flat ground to post up for lunch. Thus, sandwiches and Clif bars were consumed while standing and wandering around.

The Waterfall

While not a potent waterfall she is majestic in her own way. The stream flows off the top and takes an uninterrupted freefall all the way down to create an ever-present mist at the base pool. The menacing walls surround not just the fall herself, but also her accenting sounds. The plunging white cascade elegantly contrasts the black intricate rock walls creating a gorgeous scene that I simply had to stand and stare at for a while... 

After which I promptly begun to scale the aforementioned walls ;)  

Hermit Falls

Driving Directions:
210

Monrovia Canyon Falls

Park and Trail Map

Driving Directions

·      Exit the 210 Freeway @ Myrtle Avenue & head North through Old Town Monrovia

·      Turn Right @ Foothill Blvd

·      Turn Left @ Canyon Blvd, turn left through residential for about 1 mile

·      Turn Right into Canyon Park

Well that was pretty much an amazing hike to kick off this blog, first off: I was accompanied by my best hiking companion, Daniel. This vivacious four year old is tearing it up on the trails these days at times leaving me in the dust; and he definitely did better than Eaves a couple weeks ago haha.

Before even making it to the park I had the opportunity to drive through Old Town Monrovia and I must say I am a fan.  The town was quaint and teeming with foot traffic, which made me yearn to move there and ditch the vehicle.   

I could not have asked for a more gorgeous day, the temperatures in the high 70s with abundant invigorating sunshine.  To make things even better, since it was midweek we shared the trail with 3 trail-runners and that was about it. All factors considered it was perfect hiking conditions!

Upon arriving I was informed by the ranger on duty that my original plan to hike the Bill Cull Trail would not happen. Apparently fire damage has rendered that particular route to the waterfall impassible. No matter he informed me: there is an alternate route that takes you to the waterfall and it’s a little better suited for the little guy.

The beginning of the trail was marked with clever posts adorned with numbered tiles emblazoned with little nature themed pictures. Daniel got a kick out of these, as he would look for the next number (at one point declaring I went the wrong way because we skipped a number).

The trail is simple and well-maintained and did not venture away from the stream at any point. There was two points where you must cross the stream, but both are pretty effortless rock hops. I will say there is a fairly noticeable temperature drop on the trail. This can be credited to an impressive tree canopy overhead through the bulk of the hike. Just be warned that the immense amount of shade made it quite difficult to work on the tan!

Just before you arrive at the waterfall there is a cavernous rock wall on the left side that I recall captivated me to stare at it for a while.  The pictures do not really do it justice, but they seldom have the same force as the having been there.

Waterfall

Daniel and I had lunch at waterfall, as we often do on our hikes. It was nice, we had the waterfall to ourselves with the only visitor being a millipede that joined us after the sandwich course. The area around the waterfall offers lots of flat surrounding great for setting up the new tripod, or if you happen to come on a busy day. Sit and have lunch. I suggest turkey on wheat for this particular hike. The millipede disagrees.

If you happen to check it out have a great hike and let me know what you think.

Here we go....

Who knows why I selected today to begin this blog, I suspect it had something to do with staring at my Facebook clutter, and deciding it was time to chronicle my outdoor adventures on a palette less littered with insipid status updates like: "im so wasted" and my favorite: "gtl"... It is my sincere hope that eventually people can use this blog to help them select hikes or check out adventures on which they have gone with me. 

My History vs. Nature

I started my outdoor adventures a while back with my buddies Del, Sota, and Phil... These guys dragged my ass kicking and screaming to Joshua Tree National Park for what would be the first of my exposures to the wilderness. I had a lousy trip because I went in with a horrible mindset and there was nothing anyone was going to say to me to make me get over it. Ironically, I look back and think about how much fun I really had and would in reality, not allow myself to admit it haha. Needless to say, I was ill prepared for that trip, my Hurley sweatshirt and USC hat did little to protect me from the immense temperature drops out in the high desert (one thing that I did learn is that no matter how nice the day was, the night is cold). I have pictures from this trip, however they are in the old film format. I will be thus required to locate them and scan them... to be done at a later date for sure. This brings me to the second aspect of this blog, and why I am starting it.

My artistic nature and an outlet for it:

I have always (since I can remember) LOVED photography, dating all the way back to my first camera. It was given to me by my grandfather and at the time was the newest thing, Polaroid, which gave you the picture right away - no waiting. I was hooked and before I knew it I was tearing through those film cartridges in no time (too bad there was only 10 exposures per cartridge). Anyhow, like the Lakers (which my Grandfather instilled in me early on as well), photography has always be a passion of mine to this day. We will not discuss the dark days of my Vivitar and my mom's Minolta because that got expensive and taught me NOTHING, suffice to say the passion never ever left. 

Enter digital photography and thus the passion becomes addiction... 

I got my first digital camera in trade for an extra cell phone I had laying around, the rest as they say is history. I am on my third Canon digital Elph (I will only ever own Canons) and currently have something like 19,000 pictures on my computer (taking up most of the available space), and I have done most of that damage with my (latest) trusty little point-and-shoot (Digital Elph 790 IS). Picture taking took a steep spike towards excessive when my son Daniel Alexander Huapaya was born: May 17, 2006. Needless to say, it is a good thing I have had a decent camera for the bulk of his life, because he will NEVER lack pictures of his childhood (not that I do either - thanks Mari, good looking out). His energy has led to some of my best pictures, while reminding me that he is only going to get more active and so I took a turn for a more healthy lifestyle and started to lose weight, one such way I discovered was hiking.  

The Digital SLR transition is upon us and well... I am a little scared of how many pictures I am going to have within the year, we will have to wait and see.

The Marriage:

No not mine... I am speaking of the marriage between the outdoor (and active) lifestyle I have taken on and the love of photography. The union has taken many of victims along the way and I have yet decided if I will pull up old images and hikes I have done with people or just start fresh and run with it. Daniel will become a pretty common subject of the photography and if you get tired of seeing him, well just think of how tired he is of posing for daddy. Recent hikes have included other friends from as far back as middle school to as recent as Seasons 52. Hopefully at one point or another I will be able to incorporate all the loved ones in my life into my little ramble rant I call this blog. 


For now, Thank you: Del, Phil and Sots for showing me there is more to the world than televisions and video games. Mari for doing an amazing job of photographing my youth and giving me someone to mimic for Daniel. And Papa, who will never read this, but for that first camera that touched a part of me that I have grown with for thirty years. 

Daniel took this on my birthday hike this year.