White Oak (Upper)
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| | Difficulty:3B IV (v3a2 IV) Raps:9, max ↨180ft
Red Tape: Shuttle:Required 10 min | |||
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34.3086, -118.1923
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Introduction[edit]
The full White Oak route from the top of the canyon. This adds 6 rappels to the classic White Oak route for a total of 9.
Approach[edit]
Continue on the Condor Peak Trail past the drop-in for Lower White Oak until you are just SE of Fox Peak. You will leave the trail at this point, 34.313171, -118.197352 and bushwhack a short and steep distance to the NE to gain the ridgeline. Continue on the ridgeline to the E/SE to reach the drop-in for the upper section, 34.312608 -118.197352. We down-climbed the first several hundred feet until the first mandatory rappel.
Descent[edit]
After a steep, loose slide/down-climb which some may choose to rappel (there are plenty of strong bushes) you will arrive at the first mandatory rappel:
Rappel 1: 110' from a bush LDC. This rappel drops in two stages and if desired could be broken up into 2 separate rappels. This is followed by a few downclimbs.
Rappel 2: 40-50' from a bush LDC.
Rappel 3: 20'. Two short 20' rappels one after another.
Rappel 4: 20' off a small tree.
Rappel 5: 60' from a bush LDC.
Rappel 6: __' extended anchor from a bay tree RDC.
After some more bushwhacking /down-climbing you will eventually pass the classic White Oak drop-in from a gully on the right. After this there is a 40' down-climb which is easiest RDC.
Rappel 7: 40-60' from a bush LDC.
Rappel 8: 150' anchored high in a tree LDC
Rappel 9: 180' from a tree LDC. Starts off as a slab and drops off into a free-hanging rappel in a sprinkling waterfall.
Continue down canyon until you reach the Big Tujunga reservoir.
Exit[edit]
Once you reach the confluence of White Oak and the Big Tujunga reservoir you will need to head upstream (left when exiting White Oak). There is a large, cliff lined island which is most likely best to pass to the right (looking at it from White Oak). Depending on the amount of water in the reservoir you may be faced with a long swim/pack-raft.
Continue upstream to the Josephine Creek/Falls of the Fox exit trail.
Red tape[edit]
Beta sites[edit]
Chris Brennen's Adventure Hikes (St Gabriels) : White Oak Canyon
Trip reports and media[edit]
Background[edit]
The first known descent of White Oak (Upper) was by Alden Anderson and Dave Red on Nov 28, 2014.
(First canyoneering descent of the Lower section of this canyon [White Oak Canyon] was on Aug.26, 2006; by Nathan Schara, Mark Fitzsimmons, Jane Fontana and Chris Brennen)