California dreamin'

Fred shares more freehiking experiences in a colorful photo essay

Back in April, I went on a freehike with some folks from the Southern California Naturists Association. We managed to brave the swarms of honeybees that were content to pollinate and make honey and reached Yerba Buena Peak.

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Then later in the month, I went with a group to Deep Creek Warm Springs. Not to be confused with the hot springs, the warm springs are a mile or so upstream and you access them from a different route. When we reached the destination, the water was a raging torrent of snowmelt, and the springs were nowhere to be found. Maybe I’ll come back again later.

On Thursday, I went on a hike on my own. To get there, get to the end of Templin Highway using the same directions that take you to Red Rock Canyon. As you begin, you can see the northern section of Castaic Lake.

The weather was perfect, with a high of around 80F and a gentle breeze blowing up the canyon. Not a cloud in the sky and the air was clear.

During the morning and afternoon, the ground heats the air. Hot air rises and flows uphill through canyons. Later in the afternoon, the ground starts to cool off, the air right above it cools off, and the direction of flow reverses as cooler air sinks into lower elevations.

As I head down the hill, Castaic Creek is full of water. On this hike I’ll be doing multiple crossings of Fish Creek, one of Castaic Creek’s tributaries. It promises to be a wet endeavor.

Ahead is Fish Creek Canyon. My route follows the paved road down. It curves left, crosses Castaic Creek and becomes dirt, curves right, and then left again as I head into the canyon.

The first half mile or so crosses State Water Agency property. I don’t think anyone pays attention to the “No Trespassing” signs. Here’s a patch of wild mustard. In the rear, we see some pine trees. These aren’t native. Many years ago, pines were planted in an experiment to see if they would survive. The trees survived, but 20 years of drought and increasing temperatures means that very few new seedlings have sprouted. When these trees die, the land will revert to its natural foliage.

Templin Highway was never completed beyond the bridge just ahead. The area was gated off and left to languish in the uncaring hands of the water agency, who did not want you wandering around on its property. So, of course…

This was as good a place as any to get my kit off. Midweek, early afternoon, nobody else in the parking area; I felt pretty safe. There was a bit of trailishness by the sign, so I followed it where it would go.

I wasn’t quite as alone as I thought. Glad I didn’t bring the dog.

There are other reasons to watch where you go off-trail. The area had gold in it and was part of a local rush. The mines have long been abandoned. Most are over a century old. A few have installed metal grills over the entrance — but not all. They have not been filled in, and they are crumbling. Carelessly tromping up to the edge of one is dangerous.

This is a Tamarisk. It was imported as a decorative tree thanks to its pretty pinkish flowers. It is now an invasive with a strong adverse impact on desert streams It literally sucks tiny streams dry and displaces native species.

This is “sugarbush.” Soon those reddish buds will be pinkish flowers. The nectar is known for being very sweet, hence the name. Aside from being edible, it was once used to make “bossiestroop” for coughing and chest problems. Hummingbirds, bees and all manner of other wildlife depend on this annual gift.

Yerba Santa is also in bloom. On a warm spring day, one can pass through a copse of these and be surrounded by a subtle mint-like fragrance. The plant got its name because the Spanish considered it sacred. Vapor from the leaves was the only known effective treatment for tuberculosis, which was otherwise a terror until the invention of antibiotics.

This is a tiny yellow and red flower called deerweed. It provides food for bees, butterflies and deer. It has adapted to fire through its seeds that best grow when they’ve been heated and scattered.

Here’s the first of several crossings of Fish Creek. A couple of weeks ago this was raging rapids and clearly unsafe to cross.

For the first river crossing, I took off my boots and fanny pack. I quickly concluded this wasn’t necessary, and it slowed me down. In fact, I had much better traction with my boots on. OTOH, my boots filled with water and I tromped along with squishiness the rest of the way.

This is the second crossing. All these crossings had been concreted at some time in the distant past. The dirt road was in use to reach a popular campground. Since the road was gated, the campground has fallen into disuse and few come this way.

Here we have Sage, another member of the mint family. Native Americans used this as an improvised deodorant. You’d take a sweat bath in a steam room where the water was infused with sage. Coming out, you’d smell minty fresh.

This results from a season with twice the rain we normally receive. There were the remains of Hurricane Hillary, which dumped 6 inches of rain in two days. We had an “atmospheric river” late in the winter that dumped another six inches in a week. Plus, another 8 inches of rain over 3 months on top of that. What used to be a dirt road is now an eroded mess.

The good aspect of this is that it means few people come this way, and they are all on foot.

Now it is just a pleasant footpath. A year ago, this was wide enough to drive a fire truck down. Give it some water and nature recovers quickly.

The trail intermittently climbs high above the creek and then drops down.

This is a Butterfly Mariposa Lilly. They were popping up all over. The bulbs are edible.

Walking through bushes like this is slightly dangerous. You have to keep your eyes down and move slowly. A stick to poke ahead of you is useful. It is rattlesnake breeding season. Where the trail is thick, experienced hikers watch the ground ahead of them. If they want to take in the view, they stop to look around or wait until the brush opens up.

This is as far as I’m going. I’m now in a narrows and the only place for the creek to flow is down the middle of the road. The little waterfall in front drops six feet straight down into a pool. I stop for a picnic lunch, and then it's time to head back.

I had hoped to make it through to the abandoned campground and then hang a left to go through Fish Canyon Narrows. But if there is this much water here, the narrows I was heading for would be unsafe to traverse.

And here I am, late in the afternoon, and back at the bridge. Proving that if I suck in my gut and have perfect lighting, I can pretend I’m 20 years younger.

In just a week and a half, there is the Bare to Breakers run/walk. Unfortunately, it conflicts with Nude Comedy LA’s re-emergence. Already paid for the B2B and made my plans, so that’s that. Hopefully, there will be future shows I can catch.

A month after that is the World Naked Bike Ride LA. I might squeeze in another freehike locally.

A group is going to hike to Mt. Pacifico, which is practically in my backyard. I am amazed at all the nakedness I can get in despite living in a very hostile community. If you look hard enough — and create your own luck — you can find your own niche. Or create it if it doesn’t exist.