Sunday morning Justin and I set out for Malibu Creek State Park.
When we arrived around 10am the fog was still heavy on the mountains. As we walked into the park we went through hills of yellow (burnt) weeds. In front of us we could see the tree covered mountains with random outcroppings of scraggly multi-colored rocks. We both wondered how to get over there. Eventually we’d have to agree to figure that out later. At the bottom of the hill we took a right turn and walked along the dry creek. After a few minutes we decided to descend into the creek. The creek still had a few shallow pools filled with frantic fish looking for a meal and tons of wasps waiting for them to die.
The creek was completely covered in dead dried algae. It looked a bit like the landscape of an alien planet.
I’ve never seen an elephant graveyard, but now I can say I’ve seen a crayfish one, as there were crayfish skeletons strewn everywhere. The few with any rotting meat left inside had swarms of yellow jackets in a feeding frenzy.
At the end of the creek we came upon a giant rock formation with a vertical face that is the most perfect natural rock climbing opportunity I’ve ever seen.
After we walked past the rock-climbing we came upon a rock pool – with even more adventurous climbers climbing the perilous cliffs above (with rope lines of course). We did our climbing to try to get around the pool – but eventually it became obvious it was too dangerous to be passable without proper climbing equipment and we had to turn back.
It was just as well though as Justin had to work in the afternoon anyway. We vowed to come back when we could have the whole day to explore. The maps in the visitor center showed that we’d only walked about a mile (one way), but the longest jaunt through the park was about 3.5 miles (one way).
I also hope to find a friend who knows how to tie climbing ropes so I can give that rock wall a try.
At first I didn’t like this climbing stuff, but I’m starting to really get into it. On Thursday night I brought a new friend to go climbing with me at Stoney Point. Suddenly I was the climbing instructor and I took on a new crevasse more dangerous and higher than anything I’d attempted before. Obviously I didn’t fall off the hill – but there were many points on the (I’m estimating) 35 foot vertical climb where I thought I might not make it. There turned out to be no foot or handholds left after I’d gotten too far up to turn back. As such my knees and elbows are now blackened with scraped skin I used to pin myself to the rock and slowly inch my way to the top. After I reached the top, much worse for the wear, I couldn’t believe what I’d actually done. Kent had gone up and around on the regular hiking trail to meet me at the top. Good thing he hadn’t been that close or he would have heard me saying “shit…shit…shit!” as I tried to figure out how to not fall to my death.
