Monkeying around at Sandstone and Tri-Peak's caves: from Mishe Mokwa parking lot

NOTE TO SMART PHONE USERS: the MeetUp app deletes all of my pictures and maps. Click here for them:

http://rexhikes.blogspot.com/2015/08/sandstone-peak-and-tri-peaks-cave-and.html

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Monkeying around, 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

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DISTANCE: 7 miles total

THE PLAN: THIS HIKE DOES NOT START FROM THE SANDSTONE PEAK TRAILHEAD PARKING LOT WHICH IT FILLS UP REALLY FAST. We will start from the Mishe Mokwa trailhead WHICH HAS TWO PARKING LOTS AND ROADSIDE PARKING, TOO and go 2 miles uphill to Sandstone Peak (elevation gain 900 feet), write naughty poems in the register book and EAT LUNCH while admiring the view. We will then continue west to Tri-Peaks, play a bit in the caves, then loop back to our skateboards via the Mishe Mokwa trail

PARK HERE:

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/2/4/f/600_443861551.jpeg

HIKE HERE: Below is the view at Sandstone Peak....Tri-Peaks is the middle and tallest of the peaks in the background.

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/8/c/3/3/600_441095891.jpeg

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/e/9/6/600_426856022.jpeg

-----VIDEO of the hike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=607Iv3UaQo0

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: moderate

THE PARK HAS A (totally arbitrary and silly) LIMIT OF 50 PEOPLE, AND 12 CARS MAXIMUM (National Park Service rules). So please carpool if possible. If you are the 51st person and/or in the 13th car, I am legally required to glare at you for a good long while.

THERE IS NOT MUCH SHADE ON THIS HIKE.....BUT EXPECTED WEATHER IS 73 DEGREES AND PARTLY CLOUDY:

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USCA0660

POST-HIKE EARLY DINNER AT NEPTUNE'S NET (PCH and Yerba Buena Road).

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HOW TO GET THERE: it usually takes 1 and 1/2 hours to get here from central L.A..

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: FROM L.A. 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--4 or 5 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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