Cave of the Munits and Castle Peak in the West San Fernando Valley

THE BIGGEST CAVE IN LOS ANGELES.....


MEET HERE:


AND HIKE HERE:
(Below: the Cave of the Munits)


VIDEO OF OUR LAST HIKE HERE, THANKS TO WILLIE PRICE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN6zgy2iOPc





                                           (ABOVE: inside the cave  (duh)


ABOVE: top of the chimney cave


BELOW: Castle Peak




The hike is about 3 miles (the Cave is a 100 foot tall chimney cave--has a hole in the top where you can see the sky).

HIKE DIFFICULTY: CAVE: Medium--we will be ascending through a chimney cave which does not require ropes or climbing equipment. This requires using your hands, however. When we climb out the top of the cave, we will continue up a slippery hillside trail to a notch in the ridge. (total gain of 700 feet). THIS CLIMB TAKES ABOUT 1 HOUR, OR 1/2 HOUR IF YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED CLIMBER/HIKER. Just over this notch is the civilized trail that will take us east to Castle Peak. There is some easy rock climbing to the top of Castle Peak (up about 50 feet). From Castle Peak, we will return on the same ridge trail (but not go down through the cave, instead we will continue west and the ridge trail leads down the hill) and it will lead us back down to the trail crossroads and to the cars.

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DOGS: no dogs, please, even if on leash. You will have to carry your dog up through the cave, and Rover will not be pleased.

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DIRECTIONS: the trailhead is located at the west end of Vanowen Avenue (take the 101 freeway to Valley Circle offramp, go north to Vanowen, turn left (west) and park in neighborhood). Trailhead is where Vanowen curves to the right (north). There is a 20 foot wide metal gate at the trailhead.
which is at the "El Scorpion Canyon Park" sign