Matilija 05/14/2011

I teamed up with Rick Bartell for a gray day run up Matilija. Yup, a re-run hike for me. Rick hadn't ever been up the creek, and I never mind hiking Matilija.

Matilija is a place in flux. Over the years I've noticed the sometimes subtle, sometimes jarring changes that occur with the passing of the seasons. This years rains have rendered some dramatic changes to my beloved canyon. Several of the finer pools have filled with washed down gravel, most tragically, the pool under the big falls at the top. No more jumping from the high stuff. The upper level of the west falls has completely filled with shards of rock. What used to be "the Emerald Pool" has been completely reshaped over the past two seasons. I keep being reminded of an old quote, "Geologic time is now.".

Back to Rick and his first jaunt up Matilija. Rick ain't young, but he is in great shape, and I put him through the paces. I've noticed that people frequently underestimate the amount of effort it takes to move through a rocky creekbed or canyon bottom. It's all that up/down, side-to-side, twisting and bending stuff. It's tiring, and requires a lot of muscles that don't usually get used. Ole Rick hikes all over the Ventura hillside, but he was not immune to the rigors of a creek hike. We wouldn't have gotten any further than the top falls. He was pretty done about 50 feet from being done, if you know what I mean.

Rick wound up having a good time. We took it easy on the way out, with several stops along the way. It's too bad that the day wasn't a bit nicer, but hey, that's weather for ya.

Matilija 05/10/2011

I realized the other day that I hadn't visited Matilija in a while. In fact, I don't feel like I've been going anywhere lately. This is me feeling sorry for myself because a few minutes ago I was holding a paint brush, and I hate painting. For the last couple months my wife and I have been improving our house and last week we installed new cabinets and tiled the hell out of a brand new laundry/pantry. We break ground on a floor to ceiling kitchen remodel very soon. So, lately my mind (and free time) have been about evenly split between mountains and: drywall, baseboards, pulling wires, hanging doors, plumbing, etc...and I'm sick of painting.

This was a quick run up Matilija to the upper falls. Didn't see any wildlife, or any people for that matter. I enjoyed the afternoon, lounged, swam. Was good to get out.

Beaten near death by work...

Thursday I had a very hard day of work. Yesterday (Friday) I woke to my cell phone screaming at me. It was 3:00AM. I was getting called in to try to save a life, which we were able to do. I handed him off to the cardiac surgery team (my past work-mates) at around 6:00AM and they opened him up, bypassed several arteries and threw a new mitral valve in for good measure, though the damage to the pump function of the heart had already been done and he can't support a viable blood pressure without a mechanical assist device. Very poor prognosis, in other words.

I went straight from that case into another busy day of scheduled angiograms and coronary interventions (balloon angioplasty/stent placement). My day ended up being 19 hours long, all of it high-stress stuff. When I got home at 8:30PM I was so tired I couldn't sleep.

Curses! I'm hardwired to get up early every day, or at least be wide awake. It didn't used to be this way. I used to sleep in like a teenage slacker, but not for the last several years. Whatever. I was awake early this AM, and the weather was stunningly good. I dragged my tired carcass out of bed and about halfway up Matilija. I parked in the sun on the creek and enjoyed several hours of doin' nuthin. My batteries did not recharge. I need sleep.

One cool thing happened today that I have to share. I met a real nice guy named Jeremy Scarlett. He was out on the trail with his two handsom sons, one knocked out in a kid carrier on his back. He had recognized me at a glance, said he often reads this blog. I thought that was just great. I also thought it was great that he was out there with his young boys, opening their eyes to something greater than video games and cartoons. He seemed like a great dad in just the few moments we spent. Well Jeremy, if you want to do a local hike, kite me an email.

It's August, Back to Matilija.

Yeaterday was the type of day we SoCal hikers dream of, hot and dry with cool water near-by. It being that type of day, I could really only go one place, Matilija. I took and old friend, Randy, who has returned from the enchanted isles of Hawaii to re-enter the rat race. We ran a hi-tempo pace all the way up the canyon, stopping only for photos. From the top we worked our way back down, hitting several pools along the way.

Yeaterday was a more photogenic day than usual, as you can see. Also, though I was not quick enough with the camera, I did see a beautiful ivory & ebony banded king snake and I caught two glimpses of an enormous great blue heron, rare in this canyon. I have never seen a tarantula in Matilija and on this day I saw two. This was just a beautiful day, enjoy the photos.

Exercise, sun, Matillija.

Day off. Ruth is in Aruba. What to do? I need exercise. I need sun. I need turquois pools of crystal water. I live in Ventura. I guess I'll go to Matilija. It works out. I have a nice day.

Matilija: The Lost Falls 05/09/10

Yeah, I know. It has been a while since I got out. Life, the enjoyment of it, and most especially work, have occupied my time the last few weeks. I been busy. So there.
Having yesterday to myself, I took to my feet. I spent April chasing peaks and have had enough that for a bit, so I decided on a waterfall tour of Matilija Canyon. Big Deal, you say? Thousands of people visit the 3 big waterfalls in Matilija every year, you say? Okay, but do they visit the seven big waterfalls in Matilija? Yeah, 7! Siete!
Sure, most everybody who starts up the Matilja Trail knows of the three big falls. They know that about 6 miles upstream there will be a branch to the left, the West Fork, with a two-stage waterfall (first image below). And they will know of the broad calcite and algae snout of the lower North Fork falls (second image). After a brief, rope assisted scramble, most of these folks will reach the main waterfall on the North Fork of Matilija Creek (third & fourth images). This steep waterfall, with it's sheer surrounding amphitheater, is the natural terminus for a hike up Matilija. That is, for 99.9% of people. This seemingly natural place to turn around is just the beginning, for there remain at least four more major waterfalls further upstream, including the grandest of all, the Lost Falls.



Many obstacles must be overcome to find the Lost Falls. I do not recommend going solo, as I have done, because there are areas of real danger which require genuine rock-climbing experience. Also, an over-developed sense of persistence is an asset.
The first, and most sketchy, hurdle is just getting above the main falls on the lower creek. This involves ascending the long, steep chute of loose rock and fine shale which takes off to the right just below the main falls. This chute goes at up to 45 degrees of angle and is dangerous in itself, however the real challenge is traversing out of the chute to the left. This is a series of several 5th Class face moves with the potential for a long and disastrous fall. Having done that, you are now in the wilderness.
There is no trail in the wilderness, you make your own. I have not see anybody else's tracks up there, ever. After traversing the face, cut as straight a line as one can across the steep and brushy hill in front of you until reaching a steep and narrow run-off chute. Descend this to the creek and go upstream. Before long a nice falls is reached (above), and above it, another (below).
After this falls one must travel upstream through brush, deadfalls, poison oak, etc...This is difficult and tiring, however, the canyon pays back dividends in the form of numerous pools and a sense of being in a very remote place. Animal tracks and signs of their passing abound. Yesterday I saw a bear-clawed tree and much bear scat. I also saw a fair sized cat print and the tracks of deer and raccoon, among other critter signs. I stumbled across the remains of a small deer which had been thoroughly recycled. No people tracks except my own.
After at least a half hour of scrambling one reaches a point where the creekside brush is so impenetrable that the next half hour is best spent slogging/wading up the creek, which is chest deep in places. I have a pretty tough pair of river shoes which makes this significantly easier. After at least an hour, and close to two miles above the lower (Main) Matilija Falls, one will reach the sixth falls (below). Getting over this falls is a bit of a challenge and can only be accomplished be going up the right side of the falls. Continue to the right and the Lost Falls is in your face.
The Lost Falls. This is it, as far as you can go. This is a two-stage waterfall, but the upper stage is invisible from the base. A busy horsetail falls shoots straight down a broad, nearly vertical 100ft sandstone face terminating in a deep, blue pool. You will have the place to yourself. Watch your step on the way out. It's a long way back to the trail head.

The Lost Falls (above and below).

Matilija Wildflowers

I've never claimed to be a student of local botany, bird identification, or geology, but after a day like today I wish I knew a bit more about the local ecology. I wish I could identify the flowers and birds I saw, especially the wood-pecker. He had black/white wings with a red crest.

Matilija Canyon is most definitely in spring and the flowers are out. Color is everywhere. The birds are out and chirping. Butterfly's flit from one bloom to another. Turtles and water-snakes bask in the sun. I saw my first rattler of the season, a feisty little pacific diamondback.

The water in the creek is running high thanks to a wet winter. The recent storms have changed the course of the stream in places. The Green pool, once long and open, is now divided by a rock-fall, and the west falls upper pool now has a beach.

Warm 70's breezes and a baptism in brisk water, after which I spent a couple of hours lounging in the sun. Not a bad way to round out the day.
I know there are alot of pictures here, but hey, it was a photogenic day. Enjoy.