Chief Peak, Ojai's summit. 01/20/13

Chief Peak, viewed from the east while walking Nordoff Ridge Rd.

You know what? The flu sucks, that's what. I feel like Mike Tyson had a go at my kidneys and then threw me in the dryer for an hour. Ughhh. 

Before being struck down by that nefarious pathogen I was having a pretty good life. On Sunday Ruth and I hiked the unrelentingly steep and rocky Horn Canyon Trail, followed the road over to the Chief and climbed that too. I've pretty well documented Chief and it's attendant trails and I'm just extra sick right now so I'm taking the lazy way out (pictures and captions). I do have to congratulate Ruth, topping out on the Chief is a tough day.

Climbing out of Horn Cnyn.

I was a bit surprised by the degree of brush above the Pines Camp. Parts are wide open but other parts were pretty brushy.

The most direct way up Chief's climbs the south facing shoulder.

Ruthie starting up Chiefs...

and a little further along.

Reyes and Hoddock Peak on the left, Piedra Blanca in the middle and Thorn Point on the right.

During our time on the summit a pair of crows entertained us with aerial hijinks.

Ruthie pulling over the top.

One of the two benchmarks on the Chief summit.

Chief Peak's rocky summit.

Lake Casitas, Santa Cruz Island, from the summit.

Santa Barbara from the summit.

The serpentine coils of the Nordoff Ridge Rd.

The route up Chief follows the left-hand skyline. The alternative is to walk all the way around to the eastern side of the peak and ascend from the road on a well established trail.

Afterthought. Thorn Point Fire Lookout from Chief Peak.