Muir Ravine (Middle)
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| | Difficulty:3A IV (v3a1 IV) Raps:12, max ↨100ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 24 mi Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Granite | |||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 29 Oct 2022
"Thanks to all the work cleaning up the approach, canyon floor itself, anchors and trimming yuccas, Middle Muir is in prime shape! Hike up the Lone Tr |
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34.2067, -118.0990
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Introduction
This is the middle most of the 3 major Mt Muir Ravines that drain into Eaton Canyon. This canyon is normally dry but can have significant water flow after heavy rains. It dumps into Eaton, just a bit downstream from the Grotto. It offer the most technical features of the 3 Mt Muir Ravines.
Approach
This shuttle starts at the exit of Eaton Canyon at 2184 Crescent Drive, Altadena, CA 91001.
There are 3 options on where drive to:
(1) Shuttle 24 miles and 45 minutes to the Wilson Gap (34.23930, -118.09330) and hike the old road bed to Observation Point, and beyond to Brennen's historic drop-in point (34.21497, -118.10167), and bushwhack your way down into the main Canyon. Or hike the road bed at bit further to the East Fork Rubio water tank (34.21409, -118.10277), then drop down nearly due South onto the ridge trail. Continue down 250 vertical feet to the drop-in point at (34.21230, -118.10250) and follow instructions from (4). Do NOT go West as this takes you into the East Fork of Rubio Canyon.
(2) Shuttle 1.7 miles to the Rubio Canyon Trailhead, hike in about 800 feet to the connector trail down into Rubio canyon, hike down into canyon, and down the main canyon near the huge water tank and find the Lone Tree trail start. Hike up that trial, making the first left you can, then climb steeply up to the power line towers and continue all the way to the ridge top gaining 2000 vertical feet. Continue up the ridge to (34.21230, -118.10250) and follow instructions from (4).
(3) Shuttle to 34.198833, -118.121836 and park along the Rubio Canyon Debris Basin on E Loma Alta Dr. On the East side of E Loma Alta Dr is a small yellow house with a steep paved trail on the North side. There is a brown and white sign that says "Rubio Canyon Preserve Trail". Hike this trail up to the Gooseberry connector trail at 34.20093, -118.11986, take a right turn, continue uphill to the big switchback at the sunken concrete water tank at 34.20323, -118.11386, head up to the power towers where you connect to the Lone Tree Trail. Continue up the Lone Tree Trail another 1250 vertical feet to the Rock Mass drop-in point. Continue up the ridge to (34.21230, -118.10250) and follow instructions from (4).
(4) From (34.21230, -118.10250) on the ridge trail (a relatively flat area with some large rock outcroppings) drop into the canyon:
Head due East to (34.21220, -118.10201) through the short brush, and down a short, low-angle rock wall. Below this wall the trail should be easy to follow, but do pay attention to a couple of hard switchback turns in the Manzanita bushes. At (34.21208, -118.10124), the trail descends steeply into a gully at (34.21217, -118.10065). Follow this gully to the main canyon floor at (34.21174, -118.09974). From that point it's about 1000 feet down canyon to R1 at (34.20937, -118.09992).
Descent
R1 is 1000 vertical feet below the road or 800 vertical below the ridge. Rappels as of 30OCT2022:
R1 - 45' bush DCR (black webbing)
R2 - 100' bush DCR (olive webbing)
About 10 minute hiking from R2 there is a short 8' downclimb or ghosted 30' rap off a huge tree DCR.
Another few minutes down canyon is a giant chock-stone across watercourse, climb under it!
R3 - 90' bush high DCR (olive webbing long piece)
R4 - 40' bush DCR (black webbing)
R5 - 80' bush DCR (olive webbing)
About 10 minutes hiking down canyon the is a trough downclimb that's easy dry, may want to rappel wet.
R6 - 60' bush 35 feet back from drop (red webbing), Brennen used the big Yucca DCL
R7 - 40' small bush DCR (black webbing)
R8 - 65' bush DCR (blue webbing); looking down Brennen's Eagle's Eerie
R9 - 80' bush DCR (rust webbing)
From the bottom of R9 you can escape into a gully far DCL with a short rappel.
R10 - 70' 2 small bushes DCL (olive webbing), or 55' off 2 bolts center (black webbing).
R11 - 80' 2 bolts DCL (black webbing)
another possible escape to the gully far DCL
R12 - 100' big tree DCR with tons of ants (olive webbing), rappel a full 100 feet past the sloping ledge.
From R12 bottom, it is about 50 vertical feet down small talus to the Eaton Creek bed.
Exit
Most will follow Eaton out with a few small raps/downclimbs/slides, depending on conditions and the last 2 big rappels up to 80'.
Red tape
Permit no longer required as Jan 2017 http://www.americancanyoneers.org/socal/eaton-canyon/permit/
Beta sites
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Chris Brennen's Adventure Hikes (St Gabriels) : Middle Muir Ravine - Super Amazing Map : Muir Ravine (Middle)
