Liberty Cyn to Phantom Trail to Malibu Creek State Park.

Saturday, Jan19

Liberty Cyn to Phantom Trail to Malibu Creek State Park.

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/b/4/3/4/event_188086132.jpegThis hike will be a 9 mile loop with apx 900 ft gain in the Santa Monica Mountains through Liberty Canyon, connecting to the Phantom Trail, then down into Malibu Creek State Park to the south end of Century Lake. We will then take the Forest Trail along the north end of the lake, and visit the rock pool before completing the loop back to the trailhead. Bring water, lunch, snacks, and shoes with good tread. The hike will include single track trails and some fire roads. We will also be keeping a pace that may be too fast for beginning hikers.

To carpool, hikers can meet the leader atTowsley Canyon outside the gate before 6:45AM for a 6:45 AM SHARP departure to the trailhead or plan to meet at the trailhead at 8AM.

To meet at the trailhead: Take the 405 Fwy South to 101 Fwy North and exit at Las Virgenes. Turn left on Las Virgenes. Turn right at the light for Mulholland Hwy (if you pass the sign for the entrance to the State Park you have gone too far). On Mulholland Hwy, there is parking on the dirt shoulders on both sides of the road. There is an opening in the fence and a sign on the RIGHT (north) side of Mulholland Hwy for the North Grasslands trail, which is where the hike will begin about 0.1 mile from Las Virgenes.

Hike Leader-Nikkihttp://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/4/1/4/event_188094292.jpeg

Rated: Moderate ++ (gain and distance)