Hiking Murray Hill as a Loop

[guest]

Who's Perry? Don't know I'd trust this guy's directions! Ha.
It's funny, (now) Perry, I've been messed around down around that Eagle Cyn wash area when I used to do marathon training by doing a bigger version by heading up Hahn Buena Vista & down Dunn, but anyways, I got dehydrated & felt like crap just climbing out of what seems like a small wash area to another small plateau. But when it's hot, they seem like Mtns.!
Just recently, I had to wing-it a bit, since it seems a couple new, short single-tracks have appeared out there to make it more confusing. And know that cannabis is legal, hell, someone could just go round & round as long as they had brownies!
Anyways, watch for my post on the newest A-holes to graffiti Skyline.

ss

[Perry]

If you don't like my directions, just follow the guy going in circles with his weed brownies.

"Hey man, it's like deja vu. You feel it?"

"I think we've been hiking in a circle."

"Life is a circle, man. Everybody's going in a circle."

"Wow. That's deep."

[Ed]

Ferranti's directions and maps are horrible. Funny thing. A couple of weeks ago i found at the Araby trailhead a ripped out page from Ferranti's book showing the hike to Murray Hill that someone must have dropped. Heaven help them.

Perhaps they were better off!

I will weakly defend the Ferranti book by noting that the area is a confusing and perhaps unstable maze of private property, public land, older trails and dirt roads, and newer user paths and biker routes becoming indistinguishable from the older trails. But I think I will buy the Mooney Harris book, it looks like it has better maps and directions.

A classic example of an area being loved to death. And nobody seems to be in charge, except for signs to protect the sheep. I'm annoyed by signs that bar dogs when bikes and horses are allowed. But I've seen very little trash. The locals know their way around, and are good about answering questions, though not always so good at articulating what they know. I'm amazed by the Canadians, who seem to know the area better than other non-locals, or perhaps plan their trips better.

Look forward to trying the Cathedral Canyon hike on Florian's map. For years I have looked up at these areas from 111, wondering what hiking is up there, but only recently begun to do it.

[Ellen]

Howdy Scott and Grandmaster Perry



Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[guest]

Ha! Funny story now, (not then). I friend did the PCT, he's not a great navigator, and wasn't good with GPS.
Was only in the Santa Monica's, (I believe that's still less than 300 miles in). Woke up, began walking, noticing a very cool rock formation.
Apparently, (LA locals chime in), the PCT has some jcts in that area, and low & behold, there was the same cool rocks 6 hours later! Bummer, (I'd just set my tent back up & nap!).
Another area folks get confused on this loop is around the Skid Marks, (yes, another old Mt. bike term like Bump & Grind, gotta love em), where Clara Burgess dumps into Eagle Cyn wash, (you can either veer slightly left & have to do the short, scramble down into the wash, or continue a more more north on the little ridge before dumping into that wash.
Then, you have to pay attention to leave the wash after maybe 75 yds. on the left, to get up into the goat trails. I'd imagine Perry has covered this.
Of course, this is only if your heading back towards Von's Rimrock. If your heading to Araby trail, or Garstin / Berns, you have to drop into & right back out of the wash, onto what I remember is a faint dirt rd. for a bit.

Maybe someone can take a drone & do some aerial photos for a great map!
Not surprising, folks get lost & dehydrated out here semi-regularly, even though your rarely more than a few miles from civilization.
If it' confusing during the day, imagine the mt. bikers riding through there at night, in the summer!
ss

[Ed]

Guest,

I did not know it was called Eagle Canyon Wash. But I did a fair amount of head scratching there, on two trips. I think I have it down now.

Ed

[guest]

Hi Ed,
That's my guess, because that's where it dumps down, off the hills, into Eagle Canyon, (I believe), where the Desert Riders horse folks used to have a big, metal sign, (might still be there), called something like Harry's Haufbrau!
Many a map calls it differently. All I know, is it can be confusing, and, when it's hot & you have hilly miles under your belt, Even more confusing!

ss

[Ed]

I made a loop hike of Murray Hill from Araby Drive yesterday. There is now a nice set of trail markers to guide people from the parking area to the beginning of the Earl Henderson trail. Thanks to whoever put them up.