Fusier/Breakneck/Hansen canyons

[desertresident]

Via the Fox-Condor trail, lets start with Hansen canyon, which looks to be more of a jungle than a canyon...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/nighteyes1234/hansen.jpg

not sure its even legal to go down that canyon as it ends in a restricted area it ends in a short grotto waterfall...as seen from bottom(I didnt descend the canyon)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/nighteyes1234/lowerhansen.jpg

OK, next is Fusier(as seen from the trail)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/nighteyes1234/fusier.jpg

There are like 3 forks that actually have water, but they all are riparian...there was a waterfall of unknown depth near the trail but the main attraction I suppose is above the trail, on all 3 forks, I climbed the west one since it was 95% dry and its nice, but needs more water to see exactly whats going on. The main canyon waterfall...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/nighteyes1234/upperfusier.jpg

I think this is the one Zarka is talking about. But to be honest, there does not appear to be much going on above this one. Perhaps early in the year, which seemed to be an ongoing highlight with all 3 canyons.

So I went from the bottom up to scope it out, and was rather disappointed. I got as far as seeing the trail from the bottom, but was ended by 15 ft waterfalls on both forks.

Heres some photos....you got the riparian sections

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/nighteyes1234/fusiertrail.jpg

and then you got this one section that tries its impression of Zions Subway

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/nighteyes1234/fusiersubway.jpg

heck, it comes complete with a terracing section 10 ft long upstream of that photo albeit no subway(a little too much to ask).....

then it ends at the road..or does it? nah, you can take the tunnel under the road...this is looking back upstream..

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/nighteyes1234/fusiertunnel.jpg

then it ends in a waterfall(currently minimal water) I estimated to be approx 50-60 ft....

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/nighteyes1234/fusierroad.jpg

from the Fusier parking area to this rappel would be...2 mins walking? yipee a place to practice. I think one could just upclimb out of there, or just keep on going(making a right turn) to established locales...best anchor is steel pole cemented into ground, also has a tree if I remeber correctly.

[desertresident]

there is surprisingly a well maintained small trail in this canyon, although I didnt follow it up all the way to the Fox-Condor trail. A lot of work(including fixed ropes) put into this one for? Right near the Big Tujunga road, it starts off with a rather cool waterfall(solid tree anchor) that has a more gentle slope and twists and stuff....I would check it out if there was a lot of water...upstream is a bunch of swimmers, however they can be avoided by that trail..and while the distance of the trail is smaller to Fox than the main trail, I doubt any time is saved as this trail does the up-down-left-right- stuff all the way up the canyon...and then takes off upward finally.

Heres a picture of the exit waterfall (which requires no bushwacking to get to)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/nighteyes1234/breakneck.jpg

[Zarka]

Apparently there's an old trail along the ridge east side of breakneck cyn.
http://www.mattmaxon.com/ click mendenhall ridge then condor peak

Jane and I went quite a way up it before Xmas, but there's tons of leafless (=hard to spot) poison oak and won't finish it until it leafs out. We got bad outbreaks from this.

Apparently it meets up with the current well maintained fox peak trail at about the location you might want to try dropping into White Oak Cyn:

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34.3053&lon=-118.1982&u=5&size=l

However, from big tujunga road, Hansen Canyon looks a lot more promising as a rappeller's dream, as noted by others recently after clean up day. I've been fishing up in the fenced area near to where this comes out. It's a bit dicey hiking back to the bridge without being seen, but if you were to say you had to do an emergency descent and were lost you could justifiably avoid a ticket.

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3795683&e=389264&size=l&u=5&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

[Zarka]

Forgot to mention. Breakneck is a VERY BEAUTIFUL canyon.

The trail up has some harrowing narrow spots over pools that are scary, but doable (hence the name? it's not a vertical canyon, but lots of these deceivingly small but dangerous falls).

If you want to keep shoes dry it's even harder, but we cleared up to almost a mile from the road, made some of those waterfalls and cliffs passable without poison oak or yucca pricks or foot soakers. Also found tarps, obviously been used as a bed for homeless folk up a side wash, but not along the main trail.

Stick close to the stream for best results once you get above the first waterfall. Need a real clipper when you return. Loppers aren't too efficient with the small dia fine PO seedlings that cover some of the trail farther in.

[desertresident]

I have the recon pictures of 2 possible drop in points to White Oak and havent forgot about that canyon. Everytime I look at the pictures it looks to be a go, but looking at it from the road, it looks like there is micro routes that need to be remebered or ...long descent through brush and hope for the best,not my style anymore.

Hansen has very little water and is like traveling through a jungle. I doubt the tiny stream is even viewable once in the canyon.

[Zarka]

We did some Fusier Reconnoitering this weekend. Hiked upstream from the road about half a mile. didn't get to the middle waterfalls yet (keeping shoes dry for next part below), but many nice large deep pools and 1 days-old bear scat. There appears to be an easy route to do at least two nice rappels if you take the Fox mountain trail for the first half mile, then go up the first wet creek (the one that leads to Eshed's "E-Canyon") and over the saddle and down into that wash which leads to a nice rap into fusier near the road.
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3794642&e=388471&size=l&u=5&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

Next, we rappelled down from the culvert under the road (you could rappel from one of the trees to stay dry and make it more exciting, but it's brushy--the only vertical stone wall that goes all the way from the road elevation to the bottom also has very poor anchors--OR you could rappel right off the car guard posts at the side of the road to make it over 100 ft). Beautiful 60 ft vertical wet rap. Hike downstream 20 minutes through multiple nice pools to another beautiful 60-70 ft rap into a very deep pool with swimming disconnect.
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3793971&e=388735&size=l&u=5&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
about 34.2810°N, 118.2088°W
This one is a smooth scoop, like the big one in GFF. Best for a hot day, as you have to swim through two pools to exit from here. Hike downstream to big tujunga and then upstream about 1/2 mile to the large bridge close to the dam. Best to set up a car shuttle, or park at the bridge and walk from there, because you'll be wet and maybe cold! Round trip less than 2 hours.

Finally, we hiked all the way up to the top of Fox to look at upper Fusier and confirmed a bunch of suspected things:

1. There IS a very clear route from about 400 ft below the peak into Fusier (elevation~4600 ft)
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3797527&e=389782&size=l&u=5&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
which re-joins the main trail at 3600 ft.

You could also drop in a few hundred feet away at one of two other gullies along the trail there, at about 4500 ft
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3796592&e=389310&size=l&u=5&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
to avoid a few rappels, but it's brushier and looks too loose to be safe descending. Another even brushier one might be safer and definitely has some beautiful waterfalls to rappel, but could also be a lot of bush cutting.
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3797430&e=389569&size=l&u=5&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

The first one I suggested is clear of bushes, and looks like lots of big rock and tree anchors and clear drops without big landslide trouble.

I estimate there are three to six raps in the first 400 feet and then between four and eight the remainder of the way. None of them appear to be longer than 100 ft, however the first 400 ft is very steep and is bound to be just one rap after another to the first major plateau.

It requires about 5 mile hike in and 4.5 mile hike out (including the canyon), but the trail is in great shape. The last rap at 3600 ft puts you down right at the trail, and it looks to be about 60 ft high.
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3796587&e=389305&size=l&u=5&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

2. There is another very likely route in to the curlicue "middle section" of Fusier from Breakneck.

3. You could also descend from the trail down the middle section of Fusier, but it appears to be very long and arduous (flat, brushy) for awhile.

4. The bottom part we hiked had virtually no poison oak in the easy to hike streambed!!!

[Zarka]

Did more exploration of Fusier last weekend. This is the easy route I mentioned which goes UP the watershed that leads to Eshed's "E-Canyon" and over the saddle and down into a wash which goes into fusier near the road:

Park at the Fox/Condor trailhead near the mouth of Fusier (34.2828°N, 118.2101°W)

Hike up the trail about half a mile to this point where there's a gully crossing the trail:
34° 17.19'N, 118° 12.87'W
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3794596&e=388223&size=l&u=7&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

Hike up the gully (we cleared lots of dead brush, so it's fairly easy going). When you get near the top you can bear left when the gully gets too steep and where you can see we stopped clearing brush. Using multiple bushes and rocks to hike up around the yuccas you'll quickly reach the saddle. Veer slightly left (North) as you approach the ridge rather than going right or South.

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3794601&e=388427&size=l&u=7&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
From the saddle you'll be looking down into Fusier canyon. We went left until we got to the top of the gully going down (34° 17.21'N, 118° 12.71'W ), and did a couple short 20' raps and downclimbed most of it into the canyon, but from below it looks easier and more fun to go straight down to the cliffs below the saddle (34° 17.18'N, 118° 12.69'W ).
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3794565&e=388492&size=l&u=7&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
There are plenty of bushes for anchors there and it looks like maybe a 30-60 foot rappel down the cliff face, depending on which spot you actually end up.

Once in the stream bed, just head down. There is a little poison oak but it's easy to avoid, just watch for it and you can go up the bank when necessary to go around it.

About an eighth of a mile downstream you'll come to the first waterfall which is 85 feet tall. There is poison oak near the edge on both sides, but we managed to put an anchor up high on canyon left which completely avoids the PO. Just be careful as you approach: go up the right bank to get around a PO bush, then cross the stream just before the edge and snake through. I had to cut a few small seedlings of it, which will probably grow back in your way at that crossing, so take clippers.

I found it was easiest to toss the pull line straight down from the anchor and rap down on the other side of that bush below the anchor. Keeps your feet off the pull rope and out of the way, and makes the pull nice and smooth because it's a straight shot with no friction.

There are two ledges on the way down where you can stop and take pictures and enjoy the view.

At the bottom of this one, it's only a couple hundred feet to the next rap, which is about 55 feet, but you'll need more like 75 ft of rope because the bushes near the edge are not in sturdy ground. I made the anchor high on the right. From there your rap line and pull line go straight through some yuccas (you start the rap below the yucca) but it is still an easy pull because it's not a long one and the edge doesn't get in the way of pulling. Alternately, you can send the rope straight toward the cliff from the anchor and rap down about 6 or 8 ft to the side of the water.

Before you rap, take a moment to look across the canyon to the tiny waterfall coming down from the ridge between Fusier and Breakneck canyon. In a month or two this will be totally dry, as will the wash I'm describing.

All of these rappels are possible to do completely dry, or maybe with only wet shoes, even after a rain. It's a very small watershed.

At this point, it's worth walking up stream if you have time. It's a very beautiful canyon, with remarkably little poison oak by comparison with others in the area. You can go about half a mile upstream before you'll be stymied by two very beautiful 15-20 foot waterfalls that sort of face each other at 34° 17.50'N, 118° 12.61'W
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3795149&e=388624&size=l&u=7&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25

Both of these water sources also cross the same trail you took to start this hike, and I'll explore them and report in the future. One starts at about
34° 17.97'N, 118° 12.73'W and the other starts where Upper Fusier ends at
34° 18.17'N, 118° 12.20'W

From the end of this wash I've described it's a short hike downstream to the road where you can either walk up to your car, or continue down the culvert and do the last two 60 footers I described in my previous post. These last two are VERY WET. Unlike the above described wash, this is draining the whole of Fusier canyon, which goes all the way up Fox peak: rapping from the culvert right now will get you thoroughly soaked (clearly a drowning hazard too) as you begin the rap and you'll land in 2 ft of water or more. It's probably possible to rap from the road, which will make it more like a 100 foot or longer distance, but you might be able to stay dry. The last rappel at 34° 16.84'N, 118° 12.52'W is also wet and will land you in 6 ft of water with another 5ft deep pool just downstream of that before you can put on dry clothes. They're probably best for summertime, however the three others I've mentioned above the road will probably be completely dry by Summer.

[Zarka]

This last weekend we explored one of the other Fusier washes with Chris B, Ken, Anja, Eric and Andrew.

Starting at the ridge where the trail is narrow between two cliffs: one into Vogel, one into Fusier, at 34° 17.88'N, 118° 12.80'W and walked all the way down to the road where Fusier crosses BTR near the Condor Peak Trailhead.

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=11&n=3795865&e=388345&size=l&u=7&datum=nad83

There were only two rappels to speak of. The first, from the trail, is about 80 ft to a safe landing zone (roughly, I didn't check the rope to see the total length...it could be a bit shorter than that) then a steep downclimb to a 55 foot drop. From that point it's just a long walk with one ten footer and a couple six foot drops. 3.5 hours total time.

It was mostly dry with a few puddles along the way, starting at 34° 17.67'N, 118° 12.65'W until you meet the junction with the main creek, then it dries up again. It might be a lot more fun when it's wet, but on the other hand, the first drop in and down climb might be dangerous when it's wet, due to the soft nature of the sandstone and possible mudslides. There is a fair amount of shallow quicksand further downstream when the water is actually flowing. The next wash you'd come to on the trail is usually wet most of the year and might be a better alternative. It's only a couple hundred yards beyond the drop in we took, though it looks similarly slotty and may also have mudslide potential when wet.

I imagine the main Fusier stream from 3600 ft to the road is similarly flat. I think the very upper part of it will be better, although a much longer hike.