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Chumash Elevator LbNA #8507

Owner:California Bear
Plant date:Dec 31, 1969
Location:
City:Oxnard
County:Ventura
State:California
Boxes:1
Found by: chaosmanor
Last found:Dec 31, 2012
Status:FFFFF
Last edited:Mar 18, 2023
Long before the Spaniards came to California, the Chumash people lived in California. Near point Mugu is a beautiful valley now called the La Jolla Valley. Here, a Chumash tribe made their home. They used to go down out of the valley to the seashore to fish and collect clams from the mudflats.

Today, there is a trail that follows the route that Chumash took out of the valley. Unlike usual trails with gentle switchbacks easing the way up the mountain, this trail brutally powers its way up from 20' above sea level to over 800' earning it the nickname Chumash Elevator.

The Chumash Elevator trail can be found across from the shooting range for the Navy shooting range.

To get there from the Los Angeles area, take the 10 Freeway west till it turns into Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) and continue north Highway 1 past Malibu and continue toward Oxnard. After passing Mugu Rock, look for an unmarked parking area on the right. If you pass the shooting range on the left, you missed the lot.

After parking in the dirt lot, take a deeeeep breath and head up the trail. When you get near the top of the trail, it gets even steeper. Right at the top, the trail split into two small trails a few feet long. Take the left trail to the intersection of a trail that curves around Mugu peak in one direction and heads into La Jolla Valley in the other.

Head toward the Valley for 80', passing another steep trail coming down from Mugu Peak on the right. At 80', you will find a faint trail heading up to the left.

Looking up this trail, you will see a large bush at the top of the hill. Go up to this bush, weaving through the cactus on the hillside. As you pass this bush, look to the left to see a faint trail going between this bush and another. Pass between the two and go around the bush on the right. On the opposite side of the bush, the box can be found under the bush.

Difficulty rating: 1 - Easy.
Terrain rating: 4 - very steep elevation.
Based on the letterbox rating system (http://www.letterboxing.info/rating/)

Last reported find - 11/6/2004