East and West Fork Lion Camps

West Fork Falls Lion Canyon

Post Valentine's Day plans were in the works. I wanted to get the girls out on the trail and away from the city. I proposed a visit to the Chumash Wilderness and a Camp survey of Lily Meadows. With the clan all in agreeance we had our bags packed and ready. Saturday night before retiring to bed I decided to check NOAA. The spot forecast feature showed possible wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Surely my girls would not tolerate those kind of windy conditions so to play it safe a last minute change of plans would call for Lion Canyon instead where the winds had a much more favorable outlook. 

Middle Lion Campground

Lion Canyon Trail 22W06 departs from the very Southern end of Middle Lion Car Campground. Just before entering the Campground a sign on the West side of the road marks some day use parking for the trailhead. Sunday morning we found the Camp very busy with a full house, however by the time we returned to the car (late afternoon) the Camp had mostly cleared out. 

While her mom stumbled across wet rocks Haylee quickly took advantage of a down tree for a nice dry crossing.

After passing through the gate and onto 22W06 within 250 feet you will cross Lion Creek and make your way along the East bank. The next mile or so leads you high above the water before eventually dropping back down to meet with the Rose-Lion Connector Trail 22W16. Which as the name states is the trail that connects Rose Valley Campground with the Lion Canyon Trail. 

This whole stretch of Canyon is still scarred from the Thomas Fire and has basically zero shade. The plus side though is the views down on the creek are still pretty and the trail is very easy to follow thanks to recent trail work from The Los Padres Forest Association  and partners. 

High on the East bank along 22W06

 About .6 a mile beyond the Rose-Lion connector is the 4 points junction. Here one Can continue straight up Lion Canyon until reaching Nordhoff Ridge Road, make a left to East fork Camp and or Right to the West fork Camp. Both Camps were on our agenda for the day so we first choose the East. The source of all the horse manure we were dogging thus far was also revealed as a group of riders were stopped at the junction when we arrived. 

After making a left at the junction within .3 of a mile on a large open flat is an overflow site for the Main East fork Camp. N34° 31' 48.0" W119° 08' 47.6"  Here you find a few small fire rings, steel grill grate and pile of cut wood. I feel this is not a choice site, if available definitely continue on the .2 of a Mile further to the Main Camp nearer the falls. 

East Fork Lion Overflow #1 

As with  Middle Lion again we arrived to a full house at the East fork Main Camp. I snapped a few photos with permission from the Campers but did not want to be disturbing them to much. East fork camp lies just inside the Sespe Wilderness the site is large and could easily accomodate a good sized group. There were at least 3 fire rings, an old Ice Can Stove and clear cool water was flowing from the creek. Camp Coordinates: N34° 31' 43.2" W119° 08' 39.5"

East Fork Lion Camp

On the opposite side of the creek and just before the main camp hiding amongst debris is another overflow or secondary site that appears to be getting little use. While there is a big fire ring poodle dog is growing in the small flat area and all the brush and downed trees may be acting as a deterrent. For the sake of trying to be semi thorough I have labeled it on the map below as East Fork Lion  Overflow #2. Site coordinates : N34° 31' 44.5" W119° 08' 41.8" 

East Fork Lion Overflow #2

The main attraction for the Lion Canyon Camps are the set of nearby waterfalls. Continue past the main camp, after the trail ends follow the creek a shortest distance about .1 of a mile total to arrive at East Fork Lion falls, (formally referred to as Spruce Falls). Here an impressive series of small waterfalls cascade down over conglomerate rock forming nice pools for warmer weather wading. 

East Fork Lion falls

After a satisfying break on the East Lion Falls we made our way back to the four points junction and onto the West fork Lion. From here the trail mostly follows the east side of the creek about .4 of a mile to the West fork Lion Camp. The trail leading in was in far better condition than I expected and it appears recent clean up work has been done at the Camp. 

West Fork Lion Camp Site #1

The Main site has a large flat with rock fire ring, steel cooking grate and a makeshift bench. Across the creek on the West bank the smaller site #2 has a similar setup minus the fancy bench. The Camp could definitely benefit from a bit more cleanup (encroaching brush/Fallen debris) especially the #2 site. While the creekside location near the falls here is nice the lack of shade may present a problem. Craig R Carey writes in his book Hiking & Backpacking Santa Barbara & Ventura of at one time a third island site and a "largely forgotten" fourth site along a game trail somewhere down stream. I didn't go looking but if Craig mentioned it I'm all but certain it's there or was.

West Fork Lion Site #2

After all the fun had on the East fork the girls were eager for the next waterfall. We quickly passed through the camp and scrambled our way about 400 feet upstream to the (in the my opinion) even more impressive West Fork Lion Falls. 

West Fork Lion Falls

Father Daughter shenanigans 

Looking down from the West fork Falls my wife Suzanne in the distance

Pool directly atop the Falls

Haylee and I climbed to the top of the Falls and did a little exploring beyond, at some point I would like to return and go much farther back. As is always customary when my little girl joins me we stopped on our way back down Hwy 33 at the Wheeler Gorge Visitors center to pick up some goodies and check in on the interpretive display. The visitors center operates under a special use permit with the Los Padres National Forest and the Los Padres Forest Association. There is usually something cool going on so if your in the area drop on by they love the support. 

New shirt for me, a crystal rock & Smokey The Bear coloring book for Haylee

Wheeler Gorge Visitors Center

With all our exploring the total mileage in and back out for the day was around 7.5 If Lion Canyon is on your shortlist now is definitely a great time to visit before the summer heat rolls in. While many of the Alders and sycamores were scorched in the fire there is still and good amount of Big Cone Douglas-firs. This area is quite popular with day hikers and local scouts and makes for a great introductory backpacking destination for the young ones. 

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Don Victor & Pine Canyon

Don Victor Valley From 6N11

Over Martin Luther King weekend myself and Jeff Wright set out on an ambitious quest to find and rebuild Don Victor and Pine Canyon Camps. We Parked the truck at the dirt turn out for the Closed Potrero Seco Road 6N03 off  Hwy 33, adjacent Pine Mountain Ridge Road. Bikes and Packs heavily loaded down with the necessary backpacking essentials (mostly whiskey and beer) trail tools and some food. At approximately 8am we saddled up and navigated through the locked gate to make our way along Potrero Seco.

Bikes rigged up and ready

Locked Gate at Potrero Seco 

Icy Road with heavy packs, what could possibly go wrong 

Besides a little snow and the customary annoyance of ups and downs one encounters along most fire roads the first 3.5 miles to Potrero Seco Camp was pretty uneventful, because of the weight on our backs it became much easier to ride the downhills and walk the uphills. Slow and steady was the name of the game.

Potrero Seco camp

Potrero Seco (Dry Meadow) was once the home of a Forest Service Ranger Station, the current camp has a couple sites with Picnic tables however is rarely used these days as the road leading in has been closed to public use for almost a decade. The site is still frequented by day hikers, mountain bikers and most likely the nearby landowners on the edge of the Potrero. There is no water available at the Camp. On the way out north of  Camp along 6N03 we chatted a bit with Jerome, one of the caretakers of the private inholdings. Super cool guy. Right after leaving we came upon the deer pictured below, one of them actually started charging straight at us, after cutting half the distance decided to take off in another direction. Never seen them do that before. 

Private inholding east of Camp

Wildlife near Potrero Seco Camp

Thus Far everything was going as planned and without hitch, that was about to change. I would estimate about a mile after leaving Potrero Seco is when the nightmare began. We ran smack into some wet sections of road that had some of the worst clay mud you could image. Every step, sticky mounds would pile up on your feet, giving the impression of trying to walk with bricks attached to your shoes and to make matters worse it completely clogged up the tires and brakes on the bikes. No joke you could not roll through it if you wanted to, the tires were deadlocked. This became a battle of  trying to drag and carry the bikes. With a 55 pound pack and tools strapped on this is no easy feat. I can take a massive amount of pain and suffering but this almost got the better of me. I couldn't fathom trying to go the next 6 or 7 miles through this shit. Had it continued much longer I swear I would have quit and went home. Luckily the road went dry again closer to the Don Victor turn off, but by this time we were completely drained. I apologized to Jeff for once again putting him through the ringer, my adventures are never easy. "Well Jeff you just never know what your gonna encounter being on trips with me." He replied jokingly "you would think I would've learned by now" followed by "it's all good Chris a little suffering is good every now and then." Jeff's a team player and tough dude. I say unless you know these roads are dry might, want to avoid the bikes and just make the long hike on foot. 

Me really pissed off trying to free mud from my bike's tires

At just about the 5 mile mark to your right you will come upon another locked gate, this is the junction with the old Don Victor Fire Trail 6N11. Leave Potrero Seco and pass through the gate to start the descent into Don Victor Valley. Elevation at this point 5156 feet. While the old road tread is holding up nicely (besides brushing needed and a few downed trees after the Mono Crossing) the next 6.5 miles are a steep series of ups and downs with the majority being down. Unless you are traveling much lighter than we were or are an elite mountain biker (which I'm far from) this is just downright difficult with a bike especially on the return. (All uphill)  Personally I will never ride in here again it's just to much work for a guy that rides a few times a year. My feet are my preferred method of travel.

Don Victor Fire Trail 6N11

Jeff taking in those views down into Don Victor Valley

Originally we had planned to try and ride as far down as the Mono Creek Crossing which would have put us 1.3 miles from Don Victor Camp. That plan went out the window as we once again encountered the hellish mud. Instead of trying to fight it again, 1.2 miles from the Mono we unstrapped the tools and stashed the bikes in the bushes to continue on foot the rest of the way and it's a good thing we did as we were slipping and sliding through sections down that mountain that would have been ugly on the bikes. The mud sucks but the the views down Canyon are excellent, providing a real unique perspective of the Valley below. Short of the creek crossing to your right the sign post pictured below marks the old Potrero Seco/Don Victor Trail 25W04. Taking this route would lead you back up and around to the Potrero Seco Car Camp. While there may be some good sections intact I image the majority would be an exercise in bushwhacking. 

Lone metal post marking 25W04

Couple of downed trees after the Mono Creek crossing

Water was flowing through the crossing, not a huge amount but plenty to filter from if needed. From this point on sporadic sections of the road get a bit brushier and some work is needed to clear the downed trees. After what seemed like a grueling 11.5 miles we finally arrived at a disastrous Don Victor Camp. Remnants of a fire ring, some tossed about corrugated steel panels and a small reflector nailed to a tree marked the spot. The Camp was completely consumed in brush and unrecognizable. You couldn't drop a tent down if you wanted to. Upon first glance I thought dear god our work today has only just begun. Camp coordinates  N34° 40' 12.0" W119° 31' 08.5" Check out the before photos below.

Don Victor Camp upon arrival

There's a small rock fire ring buried in there

Knowing we were gonna have to get moving we dropped packs slammed a beer and went to work. Two dudes, one McLeod, a shovel, small silky boy hand saw, big hearts and hours of grueling back breaking labor and Don Victor would once again rise up to be a damn fine place to spend the night. We cleared a large portion of the flat, rebuilt a bigger much nicer fire ring, cut dead wood to create nice benches around the fire pit and inch by inch rolled a large rock up the road that now makes a hell of good seat. Jeff laid out the metal alongside the tree to give it a rustic look, we left a brand new shovel and Mcleod and DV is also now #5 of the Lost In The Los Padres site register cans complete with a $25 dollar Rei gift card. I'm proud of the work we did and very thankful for Jeff's help, couldn't have done it without you brother. Photos below as we progressed through. 

New improved Fire Ring

Rustic look with the corrugated steel panels

Jeff Searching for kindling

Majority of the work done, getting ready to embrace the cold

What a difference

DV is now site #5 of the Lost In The Los Padres Site Register Cans complete with $25 dollar REI Gift card for the next lucky visitor to claim.

Even with all the work we did there is still more that can be done. The Camp still needs a path cleared to the Creek. Though on this trip there was no water flowing directly behind it. 200 feet back down the road at the creek crossing was a small scummy pool that kept our beers cold and us hydrated. From maps I gather it may have been part of the nearby spring. The water in Don Victor Valley is said to have a high mineral content and not likely good to drink during the summer months. Temps in the Canyon dropped to freezing, Jeff awoke Sunday morning with ice built up on his beanie that he wore all night. I said "hey Jeff did you leave your beanie outside"? he replied "no I've been wearing it all night why" ? Oh just wondering because there is snow on your head, we both laughed Saturday was a cold night.

Pulling the last beer from the ice chest pond

 Very near the Camp was an old homestead owned by Don Victor in the early 1900's. Originally I thought the cabin was on the actual campsite however seeing old photos from the LPFA archives it appears it was actually a little further north on the flat. Wise counsel confirmed for me that it could have been very possible the cabin and the public camp may have coexisted together at the time. Hence why the sites were not right on top of each other.

Cabin on the Don Victor August 1908 photo credit LPFA archives

Photo I took from very near the same location January 19th 2020

Don Victor and Maria (Ortega). The Don Victor Valley was named for him. He drowned crossing the Ventura River. Photo credit LPFA Archives

Freaud's homestead cabin Don Victor Valley. Ralph Hartman. Photo credit LPFA archives.

We woke early Sunday morning, after coffee and breakfast before heading up Pine Canyon we decided to do some further exploration of the Valley. Approximately 330 feet Northeast of the Camp we found the Don Victor fire Trail Sign. Continuing along that same line .1 of a mile further we came across the remains of an old Artesian well with the spigot broken off. From Back at the camp it is .1 of a mile Northwest to the start of the Don Victor Trail 25W03 where we caught sight of the Don Victor Valley/Malduce Station sign. See photos below. 

Sign Coordinates: N34° 40' 14.6" W119° 31' 06.3"

Artesian Well coordinates: N34° 40' 19.6" W119° 31' 02.1"

Sign Coordinates: N34° 40' 18.3" W119° 31' 13.6"

After all we'd been through so far I honestly figured getting up Pine Canyon would be a walk in the park for a pair of experienced trail hounds such as us. Boy was I mistaken. We spent all day Sunday fully engulfed in brush. A bloody bushwhack ensued. Whatever trail/footpath that once was is gone. Miles of impenetrable brush. We tried are best to stay on and survey the trail but it proved futile. We scoured high and low for better routes but ultimately just ended up trudging right up the dry creek bed (when it wasn't walled in) as often as we could. To make matters worse Pine Canyon was dry no flowing water besides one patch about a mile in that was glowing orange, I never seen such disgusting water. It had a greasy oil looking slick on top like it was laced with chemicals. In a survival situation I'd honestly drink my own piss before I would go anywhere near whatever that was. We did eventually arrive at Pine Canyon Flat where the old camp should have been, however found zero evidence that it ever existed. 

Some thick brush down in there

Pine Canyon

Pine Canyon Flat

There's no doubt this site would make for a great camp and I could see why the location was chosen. Especially with Jackson Five Falls right around the bend. In the end we decided to keep it wild. No sense in disturbing nature here, we still need a few wild places and for that matter I guarantee there ain't many people gonna come up here anyways. Those hardy folks that do won't need any fancy camp set up. 

Old hunting Camp in Pine Canyon. Chester Hartman, Lowie Hartman, Ralph Hartman, Will hartman, Frenchi (Frank Feraud). Photo Credit LPFA Archives.

Our exit from Pine Canyon was definitely smoother than the entrance. Though for some strange reason I ended up getting 2 leg cramps, one in each leg. I rarely ever get leg cramps, it was annoying but not the end of the world, nothing that a couple shots of whiskey wouldn't cure once we returned to Don Victor. We pushed on. Before dinner we put some last minute finishing touches on the camp, and pretty much hit the sack early.

Modern Times Hazy Pilsner

So long Don Victor until we meet again. 

Monday morning the clouds were coming in and the wind was picking up. We wasted no time gathering our goods and hitting the trail. As would be expected it was harder going out than coming in. Many uphill slogs, coupled with more mud patches made for an interesting trek. 2 miles before reaching the truck I tried lifting my bike out of some stuck mud and pulled a muscle in my back. This here old timer took a beating on this one, but you know what deep down I loved every second of it. I'll take a bashing in the sticks over a day in the city any time. Our entire journey consisted of just under 30 miles of travel. Below the map my GPS track and google earth KMZ file are available for download should you like to give it a look. Shout out to BC and CC for the tireless amount of intel you always provide me and LT for donating the tools for this trip, Some fine gentlemen you all are.

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