DAY 26: RANCHO CONEJO OPEN SPACE

DAY 26: RANCHO CONEJO OPEN SPACE

Miles:  2.0

Elevation Gain:  500 Feet

Difficulty (1-10):  3

Reward (1-10):  5

26 DAY SUMMARY: 94.25 Miles  +18,100 Feet

Well, still no ability to share pictures here, but I did see a $1.00 authorization pending charge on my credit card.  I hiked this area on Friday after work; 26 straight days.  From the 101 Freeway in Ventura, exit at Rancho Conejo and take it all the way to the end (3 minutes).  I parked my bike and began hiking.  Maybe I saw a sign and a locked gate at the cul-de-sac that said no trespassing, so I hiked to the right down a dirt road with no locked gate and no sign.  I was bored hiking on the road thru a field paralleling Rancho Conejo so I wandered into the brush and noticed awe inspiring 500 foot drop into an unknown valley.  I tried to weed my way through the thick brush but decided that I was no longer 15 years old, thus not a great idea.

I hiked back to the road, wandered all the way to the bottom and ran into a stream.  I was on the other side of the water treatment plant, which is at the far edge of Wildwood Park.  I noticed a sign that read Hill Canyon Mitigation Bank Wetlands.  I believe I intersected with the same river that flows through La Barranca, a trail I did with Ian several weeks ago.  On my way back up, I noticed a couple mountain bikers pedaling across the rocky slop in the far off distance.  I believe that lead to Lizard Rock, a trail I did a few days ago.  

The entire open area back here was starting to make sense, yet there is no official map that I have seen.  Looking across the way, I believe a trail exists versus taking the road.  If I had more time, I would have confirmed this but with the sun going down and my work holiday party tonight, I had to go.  I did discover what would be the trailhead to this adventure.  It would need some work but I believe it will do.  Eventually, I will print a topo map of this area and name a stream after my wife and a gorge after my son.

I uploaded some pictures on Facebook and decided to name this area: The Jacobus Ribereño Arroyo .  This basically means the source of the stream, which I know flows into La Barranca aka Arroyo Conejo.

Click below to check out the photos:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100001863181396