Triunfo Lookout on the Backbone Trail: #3 of 4 Musical Monkey hikes this weekend

Monkey Business, definition (Rex's dictionary): hiking plus assorted tomfoolery involving cool boulders and caves, providing a workout for both legs and arms, while our hike leader plays guitar and attempts to sing your favorite songs

This is a new adventure which I have not led before. It leads both to the top of Triunfo Peak and to the awesome rock formations which tower over the Grotto waterfalls in Circle X ranch.

Most of the hike follows the single-track Backbone trail which loops around Triunfo Peak.

LENGTH: I don't know. So asking will only frustrate you.

Park Service rules limit us to 50 hikers and 12 cars maximum. So if you are #51 or car #13, I am legally required to give you the stink-eye for a good long time.

SO CARPOOL!!!---POST COMMENTS BELOW TO CARPOOL

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/0/1/f/600_434877375.jpeg

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TOPOGRAPHIC MAP OF THE HIKE: B is where we park; D is Triunfo Lookout; F is the rock formations we will explore

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=34.10851,-118.90945&z=15&t=T&marker0=34.10599%2C-118.91545%2C7.1%20km%20NxNE%20of%20Solromar%20CA&marker1=34.11407%2C-118.91830%2C7.8%20km%20NxNE%20of%20Solromar%20CA&marker2=34.10040%2C-118.91743%2C6.5%20km%20NxNE%20of%20Solromar%20CA

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HOW TO GET THERE:

TAKE PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY west to Yerba Buena Road. Turn right (uphill) and go around 6 miles. You will pass the Circle X Ranch ranger building. Continue on the road for another mile or so, past the parking lot with the Sandstone Peak Trailhead sign, to two dirt lots on either side of Yerba Buena Road. This is the Mishe Mokwa trailhead. Park here. Get out of your car.

OR: TAKE THE 101 FREEWAY WEST TO THE KANAN DUME ROAD OFFRAMP. Turn Left. Take Kanan Dume south for several miles until you get to Mulholland Highway. Turn right. Very soon the road forks. Take the left fork, which is Encinal Canyon Road. Go a few more miles and at the "T", turn right onto Lachuza road. In a short distance, turn right onto Decker road. Continue 1 mile and turn left onto Mulholland Highway. In a 1/4 mile, a sudden right turn appears. This is Little Sycamore Road. Follow this twisty road for several more miles and with beautiful rock formations in the background, two dirt parking lots appear, one on each side of the road. WE MEET HERE!!!!! Some maps call this spot Triunfo Pass.

If you get to a big "Sandstone Peak" parking lot sign, you have gone too far. If you get to the Circle X ranch ranger station, you have really gone too far. Turn around!

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PRINTABLE TRAILS AND PARKING LOCATION MAP:

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/4/c/8/highres_402853512.jpeg

Here are Google map directions from the 101 freeway at Kanan Dume Road (please try them, it took a lot of fiddling with the wacko Google maps direction system to make it):

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/34.1462937,-118.7611594/34.1145887,-118.9182564/@34.1346208,-118.8375307,11z/am=t/data=!4m4!4m3!1m0!1m0!3e0?hl=en (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/34.1462937,-118.7611594/34.1145887,-118.9182564/@34.1346208,-118.8375307,11z/am=t/data=%214m4%214m3%211m0%211m0%213e0?hl=en)

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/c/c/0/600_402735552.jpeg

BRING ALL THE USUAL STUFF.....I'M NOT YOUR MOM.................Bring snacks, LUNCH, clothing (sorry, nude hikes are a different Meetup group), lots of water--3 liters, hat, comfy shoes, snacks, all your troubles..., camera, etc

LEGAL STUFF: by going on this hike, you agree to assume all risks of this hike, and that no one at Meetup including the organizer is responsible for your safety. See the Meetup terms of service especially paragraph 6.2:

https://www.meetup.com/terms/

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You can see my blog at http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com (http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/) for stories on new parkland purchases and other environmental battles, like the recent additions to Malibu Creek State Park (Puerco Canyon) and to Leo Carrillo State Park (Decker Canyon)

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