Hike to Redrock Mountain
Goodie Hill Hike
Hike to MT. Disappointment and San Gabriel Peak
Hike to Vincent Gulch
Hike on Catilina Island
Hike at Muir Woods

Pictorial of the Hike

Looking at Lake Castaic from end of Templin Hwy

Bridge crossing Castaic Creek

Daniel, Javier and Long (Javier and Long are training for a hiking trip from Mexico to Canada on the PCT wearing their 30LBs packs on their backs)

Beautifal rock formations on hill above lower Fish canyon

My Friend Daniel Rusin standing next to interesting rock formation

Lower Fish canyon narrows and starts to get greener

Finally we find a little bit of water in creek near Cienaga springs

Old Cienaga Campground Abandon

Old Cienaga Campground Abandon even the toilets are missing in the outhouse

Old Cienaga Campground

Fish Canyon Trail to pianobox prospect

Fire pit at Pianobox Prospect

Opening to Pianobox Prospect Mine looks like a landslide filled the entrance with dirt and rock and is now buried.

looking down fish canyon toward cienaga campground

high above Fish Canyon

Redrock Mountain peak

Redrock Mountain

Views from Redrock Mountain

Hike to Redrock Mountain

View Larger Map

Hike to Redrock Mountain Peak Stats:

Hike length: 14 mile round trip
Elevation Gain: 2,800 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous
Topo Map: Liebre Mountain
Adventure Pass needed to park your car

Directions:

From I-5, 6.3 miles north of Lake Castaic exit Templin Hwy, turn right then follow about 4 miles to end at locked Gate park your car here.

I-5 N

1.	Head northwest on I-5 N	6.3 mi
2.	Take exit 183 for Templin Hwy	0.2 mi
3.	Turn right at Templin Hwy	2.1 mi
4.	Slight right at Forest Rte-6N32/Templin Hwy	2.0 mi

Forest Rte-6N32/Templin Hwy

Slide Show

Hike to Redrock Mountain Sept. 6, 2009

Overview

This hike is a very secluded, not very many people seem to know about this area of the Angeles national Forest, and certainly few make it past Pianobox prospect as the trail shows very little if any humans disturbance. For at least 3 years this part of the trail has not had any recorded visits, the last recorded visit that I can find was a British mountaineer Kevin Dixonman , hiked this trail in Dec. 9, 2006.

The trail passes near an old Chumash burial site. There have been reports of so-called “wicked Indian spirits” guarding the mines. In the picture above, if you look close you can see a shadow of a person’s head and face yet I see nothing on the hill side or in the sky that would create this shadow. I am not a believer in this type of stuff but find it rather interesting that this shadow is in my picture.

Lower Fish Canyon

Most of the creek was dry except small ponds here and their along the way. Do to the shortage of rain and droughts in recent years most of the canyon and hillside are dry.

Cienaga Campground (also known as Cienaga Camp)

I s a abandon camp that is very secluded and beautifully covered by a grove of oak trees. After the Templin hwy was close off to this campground in 1988 people have forgotten about it, and is now a secluded and unused campground, located next to Cienaga springs which is dry now

Fish Canyon

Is a Tree lined canyon which winds back and forth, the trail is decent and is shaded most of the time with oak and sycamore trees beautiful views. But again the creek is dry no water here Sept 6,2009

Pianobox mining Prospect

It was named for a piano that was brought there during its mining days. You will find what looks like an old mine opening that was buried by a landslide just past the fire pit on the right side of the canyon. This is where you will need to look for the trial out of the canyon

The Trail up the side of the canyon is across the creek from the fire pit right behind a big live oak and sycamore trees, again this part of the trail is hairy and unmaintained.

Redrock Mountain Peak

Awesome views of the canyons below and the far off view of Lake Castaic. This peak has reddish rock on it. Thus the name Redrock mountain.

The Hiking

S tarting at the Gate hike down to bridge look for a road branching off to the left about 200 yards follow this road north through lower fish canyon, the scenery gets more lush and green as you walk up the canyon. It is a gentle hike up fish creek to Cienaga campground then head north on Forrest Trail 6N32C in Fish Canyon to piano box prospect you will find a trail camp here, it is a nice tral to this point. if you look to right just past fire pit you will see a buried old mine on your right. then you will need to cross the stream bed at this point and look for the trail heading up the hill under the big oak tree. At this point you are claiming out of the canyon toward Redrock mountain the trail become rough no one has been on this trail for years we have to go through a lot of chaparral bushes and brush and washed out trail sections, trail blazing as needed hanging on to the side of mountain sides where trails have been washed out. Follow the trail up to satle and then hike up the ridgeline to peak of Redrock Mountain. I have not done this kind of hiking in years so all of us have blisters and small injuries from this hike. My dog duke even had a rough time on the last two mile we had to make a stretcher and carry him out he would not walk anymore Because he was so sore and limping but he doing fine today.

Duke on stretcher

Animals

As we hiked up to Redrock Mountain we encountered Lizards, birds

(quail), squires and a rattler. There was no deer to be seen, but there

were a lot of signs of their presence in the area.

This Lizard was sunning himself on the pavement of Templin Hwy

My dog Duke was almost attacked by this rattler he coiled stayed in defensive mode for 5 minutes. near Pianobox Prospect

Different species of rattlesnake vary significantly in size, territory,

markings, and temperament.

Then after about 5 minutes the Rattler just withered away like everything is fine and dandy

If the rattlesnake is not cornered or imminently threatened, it will usually attempt to flee from encounters with humans, but will not always do so. so please watch out for these rattlers and stay far away from them. I have had several encounters with rattlers over my life. if you respect them and leave them be and don't get too close to them they usually back down and go on their marry way.

Plants

Horse Tail Ferns not usually in this area

This type of Cactus is not usually found in this region

To view a the full Pictorial of this hike click link below:

http://s568.photobucket.com/albums/ss127/pmchristie/Hike%20to%20the%20top%20of%20Red%20Rock%20Mountain/?albumview=slideshow

Paul Christie's Hiking Adventures