Sunday, January 20, 2013

Tuna Canyon left turn

The trail climbs
 Today I returned to Tuna Canyon, and instead of turning right at the fork I turned left and followed the Hearst Tank Mountainway trail.

Click to "embiggen" and see the flowers
This was a steep uphill climb, curving through shady oaks, but relentlessly climbing. At a saddle between two ridges, you could see to Malibu. Here, the first flowers of the early spring showed, the white Buckthorn, or Ceanothus megacarpus, is blooming.


Then the trail climbed once again, and it ended at a broad flat open space that overlooks the ocean and the Los Angeles Basin. From here, you can see the Santa Monica beach and pier, and the skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles.


Here, too, is another kind of Topanga magic - a stone labyrinth or spiral maze, creators unknown. Though a little goofy and hippy-ish, in this setting it is charming and magical.



In addition to the stones that make the spiral, people have left beads, shells, and spelled out words in pebbles.



Here at the center of the spiral, a peace sign and beads.

Such a discovery to be made, right here near home. What will you find, in your explorations this weekend?

7 comments:

  1. Beautiful! Walking a labyrinth is a meditative and sometimes transformative experience. That one looks exceptional.

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  2. Oh, what beautiful views! And really, it is JANUARY... how can you have spring flowers when I have snow and ice on the street?

    I love a nice labyrinth. How long is this hike? I will have to get in good shape before coming to visit you!

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  3. The contrast between the first and third pictures is wonderful. The first looks like a scene out of "Gunsmoke", the second like a scene out of "Adam 12".

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  4. Hi Karen,

    It's not that long a hike - probably just around a mile - and although it's almost completely uphill, the trail is wide and the footing is easy, and there is shade. You could definitely do it, and the pay-off at the end is fantastic!

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  5. that maze looks so mysteriois and mystical...love the images of ur trail!!!

    http://www.myunfinishedlife.com/

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  6. I was there in the mid-90's...we lived in San Juan Capistrano for six months one year. A colleague of my husband lived up there, and later, when we had all arrived from the east coast, my husband took the family up there. I remember being awed by the views. It is so unlike the east coast, where you would have to drive a few hours from the coast to get to a mountain. Thanks for bringing back some great memories.

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