The hike on June 2 began at Los Angeles County Fire Camp 9. From here it followed the Santa Clara Divide Road eastward toward Magic Mountain (the mountain, not the amusement park).
Morning views of the San Fernando Valley from the vicinity of Fire Camp 9 were clearer than they had been the afternoon before. This photo is looking southeastward across the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains are visible in the background. The lake in the center of the picture is the Van Norman Reservoir, which is just west of Balboa Blvd.
About a mile from the start of the day's hike we were treated to a real thrill as a California Condor landed along the road in front of us. We were able to walk to within about 15 yards of it before it took off.
After it took off, it was joined by a second one, and the two of them circled the area for a long time. Note that the white color on the under side of the wings is toward the front part of the wing, whereas in the Turkey Vulture, the white part of the underside of the wing is on the trailing edge.
The highest mountain in the background is Magic Mountain, our destination at the end of the day. It looks pretty far away, doesn't it? Note that the vegetation is almost all chaparral; shade trees were few and far between.
The sun was bright, the air temperature was hot, the pavement was hot, and the rocks were hot. It was not the most perfect day and place for hiking. The rocks in the roadcut are Quaternary alluvial fan deposits that have since been uplifted along with the San Gabriel Mountains and almost eroded away.
Sue takes a well deserved rest in the shade at Bear Divide.
Morning views of the San Fernando Valley from the vicinity of Fire Camp 9 were clearer than they had been the afternoon before. This photo is looking southeastward across the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains are visible in the background. The lake in the center of the picture is the Van Norman Reservoir, which is just west of Balboa Blvd.
About a mile from the start of the day's hike we were treated to a real thrill as a California Condor landed along the road in front of us. We were able to walk to within about 15 yards of it before it took off.
After it took off, it was joined by a second one, and the two of them circled the area for a long time. Note that the white color on the under side of the wings is toward the front part of the wing, whereas in the Turkey Vulture, the white part of the underside of the wing is on the trailing edge.
The highest mountain in the background is Magic Mountain, our destination at the end of the day. It looks pretty far away, doesn't it? Note that the vegetation is almost all chaparral; shade trees were few and far between.
The sun was bright, the air temperature was hot, the pavement was hot, and the rocks were hot. It was not the most perfect day and place for hiking. The rocks in the roadcut are Quaternary alluvial fan deposits that have since been uplifted along with the San Gabriel Mountains and almost eroded away.
Sue takes a well deserved rest in the shade at Bear Divide.
About a mile from the start of the day's hike we were treated to a real thrill as a California Condor landed along the road in front of us. We were able to walk to within about 15 yards of it before it took off.
After it took off, it was joined by a second one, and the two of them circled the area for a long time. Note that the white color on the under side of the wings is toward the front part of the wing, whereas in the Turkey Vulture, the white part of the underside of the wing is on the trailing edge.
The highest mountain in the background is Magic Mountain, our destination at the end of the day. It looks pretty far away, doesn't it? Note that the vegetation is almost all chaparral; shade trees were few and far between.
The sun was bright, the air temperature was hot, the pavement was hot, and the rocks were hot. It was not the most perfect day and place for hiking. The rocks in the roadcut are Quaternary alluvial fan deposits that have since been uplifted along with the San Gabriel Mountains and almost eroded away.
Sue takes a well deserved rest in the shade at Bear Divide.
After it took off, it was joined by a second one, and the two of them circled the area for a long time. Note that the white color on the under side of the wings is toward the front part of the wing, whereas in the Turkey Vulture, the white part of the underside of the wing is on the trailing edge.
The highest mountain in the background is Magic Mountain, our destination at the end of the day. It looks pretty far away, doesn't it? Note that the vegetation is almost all chaparral; shade trees were few and far between.
The sun was bright, the air temperature was hot, the pavement was hot, and the rocks were hot. It was not the most perfect day and place for hiking. The rocks in the roadcut are Quaternary alluvial fan deposits that have since been uplifted along with the San Gabriel Mountains and almost eroded away.
Sue takes a well deserved rest in the shade at Bear Divide.
The highest mountain in the background is Magic Mountain, our destination at the end of the day. It looks pretty far away, doesn't it? Note that the vegetation is almost all chaparral; shade trees were few and far between.
The sun was bright, the air temperature was hot, the pavement was hot, and the rocks were hot. It was not the most perfect day and place for hiking. The rocks in the roadcut are Quaternary alluvial fan deposits that have since been uplifted along with the San Gabriel Mountains and almost eroded away.
Sue takes a well deserved rest in the shade at Bear Divide.
The sun was bright, the air temperature was hot, the pavement was hot, and the rocks were hot. It was not the most perfect day and place for hiking. The rocks in the roadcut are Quaternary alluvial fan deposits that have since been uplifted along with the San Gabriel Mountains and almost eroded away.
Sue takes a well deserved rest in the shade at Bear Divide.