RETURN TO STONEY POINT

I returned yesterday to Stoney Point with the goal of making it to the top. I made it just short of the crest - it was a challenging climb both up and down! I hiked with my friend Jon and he found the stick I'm holding for my descent back to terra firma - it really helped me down some steep and slippery parts. But even with the stick, I STILL slipped on some loose dirt and fell into some plants and branches and cut up both my hands pretty royally. One spot on my right palm looks like somebody put a cigarette out on it! I also got some scrapes on my arms and legs. But it could have been worse and nothing really hurts. Luckily, the plants kind of broke my fall - if it wasn't for the scraggly branches - I would have been fine. And p.s., it shocks me how much I look like my Mom in this picture - it's like someone cut her 1970's and early 80's era head on my body.

This is Jon and Me - we've known each other since we were 14 - we're like brother and sister (and born only 5 days apart)!


Self-Portrait


I got these little aliens at Area 66 in Yucca, AZ on my recent Route 66 trip. They have parachutes attached so I thought it would be fun to fling them off the the rocks at Stoney Point. Jon's chute didn't open and his just dropped like a rock. Mine sailed a little before getting stuck on a branch. We were able to retrieve them both so the aliens can fly another day!


A panoramic stitch of the Valley view I saw from near the top of Stoney Point. The photo doesn't do the view justice - it was really amazing to see all the homes and streets below. Despite the hubbub of the city, it was extremely quite at the top of Stoney Point - the only thing we would hear was the sound of the cars whizzing by on the nearby 118 freeway. I could even see Universal City in the distance and make out the tall white bank building attached to the Sherman Oaks galleria. If it had been a clear day, I think we would have been able to even see the ocean!


A yellow lab named Lucy I saw checking out the view at the very top of Stoney Point.


Lucy coming down from her hike. I have to bring my Lucy with me next time.


Jon jumped back quite a bit when he saw this bug on the rocks. I didn't understand why he made such a fuss until I saw it close up on my way down - it was HUGE!


My goal was to climb to the top of the rock where the graffiti "Bob" was but I stopped just short of it when I couldn't figure out a way that I could climb higher. Will have to try another route next time.


Wildflowers (or just wild mustard plants) at Stoney Point.


I left the nice stick that had helped me down - hopefully someone else will get great use out of it too.

STONEY POINT

Even though I grew up in the Valley, parts of it - like Chatsworth - are really unexplored territory for me. I only learned about Stoney Point two years ago and have only driven by it, never explored or hiked around it. My Dad and I drove past Stoney Point last week because it's only a mile or so from our tax preparer. When my Dad saw it in the distance he commented that it looked like something out of the Ice Age. I don't know how far back Stoney Point's rocks date back, but it's definitely not your usual Valley scenery. Today I had to go back to the our tax preparer to pick up our finished paperwork, so I thought I'd finally go check out Stoney Point. I was there from around 4:30pm to 6pm and there were plenty of people hiking, bouldering, climbing, and just enjoying the park. I noticed a couple that were standing on the top of Stoney Point and thought I'd try and figure out how to hike up there. There are no actual trails - you just have to figure your way through brush, plants, and over rocks. I went about half way up and decided that I'd feel safer climbing through to the top with a friend. So that gives me a great excuse to go revisit Stoney Point another day.







Okay I'm not Spiderwoman like the lady above, but I did manage to climb up on a fairly sizable and steep boulder. That's my shadow on top of the boulder.





The second I saw this rock I just thought it looked like McDonald's Grimace so I'm nicknaming it Grimace Rock.




While their Moms and Dad's were bouldering, these kids had a blast running on the trails and climbing rocks.



This sweet greyhound belonged to one of the climbers.