Day 570: M.A.S.H. Site - MASH -Cistern Trail - Deer Leg Trail - Lookout Trail - Malibu Creek State Park

The M.A.S.H. Site

Day #570 * Hike #651 * New Track #557

Thursday June 7, 2012
M.A.S.H. Site - Calabasas, CA

Cistern Trail - Deer Leg Trail - Lookout Trail - Malibu Creek State Park

My Tripometer: 1.5 Hours * 5 Miles * +875 Feet

 Cistern Trailhead

Directions:
From the 101 Freeway in Calabasas, exit on Las Virgenes Road and head south toward Malibu Canyon.  Turn Right on Mulholland Highway and drive 1.7 miles.  Look to the left where I parked my bike for the trailhead, no signs.  There is ample street parking.

 The area I'm, about to conquere (get lost in)

Taking the Cistern Trail appears to be the quickest way to reach the MASH Site, if you do it right.  The trail is only 0.3 miles in length and then you will turn right on the Lookout trail which will lead you to the picture above.  From the parking area, the Cistern Trail has a mild elevation gain and then begins to switchback down to the lookout.  It's mostly in good shape but it is hot here!  You will be in and out of the shade.  The MASH Site is behind the first ridge in the picture above but I ended up jogging across the field...

 We are near the Rock Pools, hiked there some months ago

 Turn right on the Lookout Trail

 Into the field

 Cage Creek Trail to the left

I didn't take the Cage Creek Trail but I suspect this may be an easier alternative to what I did.  Just a bit further up there is another trail to the left with no sign.  I skipped this trail to but I end up looping back from it after the long hike.  So, another 3/4's of a mile or so I jogged/walked across the relatively flat overgrown field trail.  Mulholland road was just above me to the right and I was getting closer to some sort of building, maybe a house.  However, I spotted a trail to the left which basically switched back the direction that I was coming from:

 Deer Leg Trail

 Frustrated, basically hiking all the way back at +10 feet of elevation!

 It finally turns into the woods and begins to climb!

 After passing pic nic tables, found a junction with no name and turned right

not sure where the trail to the left goes?

 Another junction - stay right and follow the step trail lower

I end up coming back up from here and follow the other side of this trail to the field (Lookout Trail).  This was a huge shortcut but you are still forced to climb up from MASH to get to it.  Thus, I think the Cage Trail maybe easier?

 Head Down into it, don't slip

 The road at the bottom

This view is to the left.  It will lead to Crescent Lake and the Rock Pools.  It also leads all the way back to the main park entrance but there is no point to pay $12 for parking when you can easily hike in off Mulholland in several places.

 From the once named Deer Leg Trail, I turned right - Craigs Road? No Signs

 A bridge and several people, this felt reassuring

 Continue to follow the creek.  You will join another road and reach MASH

 The MASH Site

 Climbed a hill, nothing up here but got a good pic

Was it worth it?  Sure :)...

At the MASH Site, Craigs Road continues on.  Not sure where that goes?  Also, there is another Dead End Trail called Lost Cabin Trail.  Maybe next time I will reserve more time to explore the Cage Trail and Lost Cabin.  There are plenty more adventures back here so have fun and don't forget to bring your water; It's Hot!

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Rewind:

Saturday- Day 565 was Alyssa's birthday party for all her friends.  Her School friends came to the pool in the morning and by afternoon most of them left as a couple of Eagle Soccer friends stopped by.  Around dinner time came the Ventura Mighty Viper Soccer Team.  I drank a 32 ounce of Bud Ice at the end of all this and then Jess tortured me with another run at Kimball Park.  I started slow and then paced between 2:20 - 2:28 for eight consecutive splits.  Due to the slow start, I was never able to catch back up with Jess.  It sucks that shes outrunning me now!  As I type this, she is jogging 6+ miles.

Sunday- Day 566 was New Track#556 at the Janns Market Place in Thousand Oaks.  We watched the Mighty Vipers place 4th place in their tournament.  It's not quite the same without Alyssa in the lineup but she is scheduled to return soon.  This leads to another story, but I'll save that for another post.

Jann's Market Place is an outdoor mall and if I didn't play hide-n-go-seek-tag with Ayden, Alyssa and Aaliya from the Vipers, I would have ended up hiking at Arroyo Verde today.  That said, for over two hours after we stopped for ice cream, I must have run 3+ miles.  Jess was talking to the other mom as I chased these kids back and forth.  I cut through Marshalls hoping to surprise them and when I did, they sprinted.  I was a sweaty mess and somehow these kids just kept on escaping me!

Monday - Wednesday represented days 567 - 569.  Each day was at Arroyo Verde.  On Tuesday we had a BBQ there for Alyssa's B-Day.  She just turned 11!