Day 829: Waterfall Trail - Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa - Chumash Village

From the top of the Waterfall

Day #829 * Hike #1033 * New Track #812
Friday February 22, 2013
Waterfall Trail -  Newbury Park, CA
Rancho Sierra Vista  / Satwiwa - Chumash Village
My Tripometer: 1. Hour * 3 Miles * +775 Feet

 Trailhead

Directions
Follow the driving instructions from Day 192: Boney Mountain.  I've begun many hikes from this spot but my climb to Tri Peaks on Day 192 is my favorite.  To reach the waterfalls, I would have to duplicate over my same footsteps for the majority of this hike...

From the parking area, head a quarter mile down the trail and it will lead you out into the open.  Cross this bridge and then hike down the diagonal dirt single track as those people are doing in the picture above.  If you turn left first, you can visit the Chumash Village - been there, done that :).

You will slowly climb above the trail junctions and then begin to make your decent down into the gorge below.  If you click on the Map (taken from Day 192) the elevation points are a bit deceiving.  Just know, if you are not in good shape, these hills are not exactly easy.  Other than that, this hike was a breeze of cake for me; and yes that is one of my coined expressions!

 From here, just another 0.6 miles to the Waterfall Trail...

 Entering the shaded wilderness

 Down into the creek

 Waterfall Trail - New Track!!!

I can't believe that I have never actually been down this before.  Even before these 1000 Days began, I always opted to bypass the falls and climb big to the monument or the top of Boney!  Today was intended to be quick and easy and just a couple minutes further...

 almost there...

 A beautiful Waterfall for Sky Hiker!

There are many stages and pools on these falls.  Climbing to the top is not easy but I gave it my best effort.  One hiker walking back passed me and said, "don't slip".  He was walking barefoot and was soaking wet.

 Not Quite the top...

From the bottom, you will see a root on the edge of the dirt but I realized quickly that this would not be the easiest way.  Since the falls were calm, I pressed my way up through the center and scrambled my way up.  Mostly, yes, this is dangerous and I would not have done it with my kids or dogs...

 Reaching the camera toward the top...

I heard the final waterfall up there and wanted to reach this pool.  However, there was no good leverage point and I was not going to chance it.  I did pretty well and since I was limited on time, I turned back.

 One of the upper pools

One of the lower pools

From here I revved up and ran back to my bike.  Oh, the climb back up along the trail is a drag, you must account for it when factoring in your elevation gain.  It's especially hard to jog it, so that's why I did not jog the entire 1.5 miles back. Overall, real neat place and did all this in just under an hour...