Topatopa Bluff Loop Hike on August 22, 2009

We hiked from the east end of Nordhoff Ridge Road up to the top of Topatopa Bluff, south to the Topatopa Bluff - Last Chance Connector Trail (AKA Poodle-Dog Bush Trail), north up the Last Chance Trail and west on the Red Reef Trail back to the start.
Photos of VenturaCountyTrails.Org. Click on an image to see it full size. Thanks to Camille and Claudia for sharing their photos!

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The view north into Rose Valley and across the Sespe Creek from the Red Reef Trail

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Topo map of our hike (cyan line). We started at the east end of Nordhoff Ridge Road (blue line at left) and headed counterclockwise. Last Chance Trail is yellow and Red Reef is red.
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Google Earth view of our hike, looking east from above Nordhoff Ridge Rd.
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The east end of Nordhoff Ridge Road, where we parked.
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Time for a little break on the way up the steep switchbacks of the Topatopa Bluff Trail
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At the top of the Topatopa Bluff Trail
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Looking west, we can see the firebreak on Nordhoff Ridge
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On top of Topatop Bluff, with some of the bluffs in the background
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Looking down at Sisar Canyon Rd. The light rain obscured the view but kept us cool on the steep climb up.
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We're surprised to see a trail marker up here!
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Looking east, we see Hines Peak (just left of center) through the burned out chaparral
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Playing with the plastic animals about to go into a new geocache
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On top of Topatopa Bluff
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That looks like it might be the trail that we're looking for that connects with Last Chance Trail
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As we get closer, our confidence that this is the trail goes up!
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Can you see the hidden geocache?
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Here the trail is headed straight towards Hines Peak
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Setting out another new geocache, the last one on this trail
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As we got lower, the trail was more overgrown and sometimes hard to follow. The flagging ribbon (yellow at the end of the branch) often helped us out
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Trying to find the way across the first streambed
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We're lost again, so we head for high ground to spot the trail

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