Name: Monkeying around at Cave of the Munits & Castle Peak (and lunch option)
Start: 2015-05-23T13:30:00-07:00
End: 2015-05-23T16:30:00-07:00
Location: Bell Canyon Park

3-HOUR CLIMB UP A CHIMNEY CAVE IN THE WEST SAN FERNANDO VALLEY TO A KING'S CROWN OF ROCKS (this is hiking AND rock "scrambling"--use of hands is required)

(PART 1 OF HIKE DOUBLEHEADER IN THE WEST SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. #2 IS SEPARATELY POSTED)

Bring hand sanitizer as there is a little rat-poop in one spot, but it is avoidable

LUNCH OPTION: MEET AT NOON for buffet-style all you can eat Indian food at Royal Delhi Palace, $8 plus tax and tip ($10.50)

22323 Sherman Way #11, Canoga Park, CA 91303

WEATHER: expected to be 72 degrees

http://www.weather.com/weather/5-day/USCA0208

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MEET HERE:

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/9/4/8/event_257826472.jpeg

AND HIKE HERE:

(Below: the Cave of the Munits)

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/c/0/2/600_366236322.jpeg

VIDEO OF OUR LAST HIKE HERE, THANKS TO WILLIE PRICE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN6zgy2iOPc

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/2/3/e/600_421853822.jpeg

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/2/7/2/event_75604722.jpeg

(ABOVE: inside the cave (duh)

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/6/8/0/event_194334912.jpeg

ABOVE: top of the chimney cave

BELOW: Castle Peak

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/1/5/b/event_21488539.jpeg

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/8/2/c/event_194102092.jpeg

The hike is about 3 miles (the Cave is a 100 foot tall chimney cave--has a hole in the top where you can see the sky).

HIKE DIFFICULTY: CAVE: Medium--we will be ascending through a chimney cave which does not require ropes or climbing equipment. This requires using your hands, however. When we climb out the top of the cave, we will continue up a slippery hillside trail to a notch in the ridge. (total gain of 700 feet). THIS CLIMB TAKES ABOUT 1 HOUR, OR 1/2 HOUR IF YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED CLIMBER/HIKER. Just over this notch is the civilized trail that will take us east to Castle Peak. There is some easy rock climbing to the top of Castle Peak (up about 50 feet). From Castle Peak, we will return on the same ridge trail (but not go down through the cave, instead we will continue west and the ridge trail leads down the hill) and it will lead us back down to the trail crossroads and to the cars.

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DOGS: no dogs, please, even if on leash. You will have to carry your dog up through the cave, and Rover will not be pleased.

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DIRECTIONS: the trailhead is located at the west end of Vanowen Avenue (take the 101 freeway to Valley Circle offramp, go north to Vanowen, turn left (west) and park in neighborhood). Trailhead is where Vanowen curves to the right (north). There is a 20 foot wide metal gate at the trailhead.

MEET AT "EL SCORPION CANYON PARK" SIGN

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BRING ALL THE USUAL STUFF, I'M NOT YOUR MOM....

Bring clothing (sorry, nude hikes are a different Meetup group), lots of water--at least 3 liters, hat, comfy shoes, snacks, all your troubles..., guitar, camera, etc...

LEGAL STUFF: finally, 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:

http://www.meetup.com/terms/

CHECK OUT MY HIKE CALENDAR AND GUIDE TO THE MOST AWESOME HIKES IN L.A.:

http://lameetuphikes.com

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Monkeying around at Cave of the Munits & Castle Peak (and lunch option)

Bell Canyon Park

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Monkeying around at Cave of the Munits & Castle Peak (and lunch option)

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