Distance: 14.6 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 1538' (at trailhead)
Elevation Gain: 3160'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 2.5
Round trip time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 142 oz.
Parking/Fees: Adventure Pass at Fisherman's Camp Trailhead
Difficulty: Strenuous (cross country)
Nickel Canyon feeds into San Mateo Canyon not far from the end of public access where San Mateo flows into Camp Pendleton. It is very remote and very seldom visited. I am not aware of anyone else who has been in the canyon. I started at Fisherman's Camp Trailhead and dropped into San Mateo Canyon, following the trail past Bluewater Canyon, my destination more times than I can count. In 2016, I got within half a mile of the entrance to Nickel Canyon. On this trip, I planned to get as far up the canyon as time and water would allow. From the trailhead, it was 6 miles on trail to get to Nickel Canyon. Parts of the San Mateo trail fade in and out around two of the crossings, but cairns are helpful in places. The water levels in San Mateo Creek were noticeably low.
The start of Nickel Canyon was rocky but easy to access. Oaks and scrub lined both sides, but the center was filled with rocks and boulders of all sizes. There was quite a bit of water in Nickel with many shallow pools. It was beautiful. I waded in knee deep water where it was easier than trying to avoid it. Compared with other wild canyons in the Santa Ana Mountains, it was fairly easy to navigate. The first major obstacle I hit was a small waterfall with a 5' deep pool. The best bypass was to scramble up next to a fallen tree on the left side. I continued upstream finding a wide leaf covered pool. Beyond that, the canyon dried up for about a quarter mile but remained rocky.
Small pools appeared again higher up and I ran into the second major obstacle at the two-tiered second waterfall. The pool below the fall was only 4' deep, but there was no easy bypass. A giant boulder on the left rose 10' above the water and required a 3' step to the stone face of the fall. Several small perches were in reach. I picked one and stepped across with my left foot and immediately slipped. Out of reflex, I grabbed onto the wall with my hands and found a tiny hold with my right foot. This prevented my pack from pulling me backward into an uncontrolled fall. Any kind of injury in this ultra remote canyon would have been trouble. I climbed the wall to get past the falls and sat down for lunch. I was about half way through the daylight and one mile up canyon, and decided it was a good place to turn around. Upstream, the canyon looked a little more rugged but still inviting and passable. I was more careful getting back onto the boulder. I took off my pack and threw it onto the boulder, tossed my trekking pole on the other side of the boulder, then made a clean step across. It was warm on the way back and I took another break at the mouth of Bluewater Canyon. Anyone that enjoys exploring local wild canyons like Harding or Black Star would enjoy Nickel. Because it's so remote, expect a full day.
Very cool. Feels like cat country.
ReplyDeleteMadison,
DeleteYeah, only a few miles from where I photographed cats in the past.
I don't suppose you ever made it down all the way to the Pendleton boundary, did you? On satellite photos, the terrain looks pretty rough about a mile down stream of the W. Clarke Trail junction. I'm curious as to the conditions in the lower portion of the canyon.
ReplyDeleteI have had a hike all the way to the boundary on my mental "to do" list for some time now. I'm thinking about MLK Jr. weekend, but we'll see. We've had several rounds of flu, so I'm not sure I'm in that kind of shape, but if not this month, then hopefully this year before things start warming up.
Interestingly, Caltopo now has OSM tracks available all the way to the junction with the *East* Clark Trail. The tracks used to extend only as far as about a 1/2 mile upstream of the *West* Clark Trail but now extend all the way down to the *East* Clark Trail junction and up the East Clark Trail. I'm pretty sure that the East Clark Trail gets little to no use (and may be all but gone) since it starts on private land and winds up far down canyon. Still, someone is hiking down there because tracks are getting updated in Caltopo! Kinda cool. https://caltopo.com/m/SD9A
HJ
Hikin' Jim,
DeleteHaven't attempted to reach the boundary, yet. Your map is impressive. I didn't know there was an "east" Clark Trail. I sent you an email at your gmail address with additional info. Thanks for the helpful comments.