survey of Swan Canyon

June 10, 2012

8:32 AM leaving home on my mountain bike to explore Swan Canyon and perhaps
others

3.13 miles, entrance to Swan Canyon at Olive & Highland
N 32 44.113 W 117 5.919  [44-113-5-919]

following a well-maintained path to the N

130-920
146-926

187-930 side path sharply to L steeply up the hill, I turn sharp L

186-934

153-937 a locked gate in a fence, parking lot for school on other side

a mulched path along the fence, I [leave my bike near the gate and] turn L
[and walk next to the fence]

136-935

126-927 the path continues down to the trialhead where I started
[draw a line to 44-113-5-919!] end of this part, I turn around

back at the gate [153-937], I [get back on my bike and] go in the other
direction [next to the fence]

198-947
202-950
199-977

44-208-6-22 the trail emerges on a little stub of Quince St, there is an
obvious entry into the canyon on a rough but [presumably] drivable dirt road

however, there are no trail signs here

I enter the canyon via the dirt road

215-999 informal trail to L apparently going up to a cul-de-sac [apparently
44th St]

213-950 narrow trail to R, I turn R

206-935 the trail picks up some mulch, I think it's the trail that I started
on

44--198--5--932 previously encountered junction, end of this part, I turn around
[change to 187-930! to match previous reading]

back on dirt road [213-950]

44-214-5-928 dirt road ends, and there are at least informal trails L, R and
SA

SA is very steep, it may go to another part of Quince St

I turn L

231-929
241-930
257-937 trail breaks up, I follow R branch, going uphill

269-928 trail goes back down the hill, there doesn't appear to be any access
to the residential area to my R

275-927 the canyon splits, and I take the R branch

294-895

44-324-5-859 trail emerges on a street, there's a gap in the fence here
I turn R

308-861 first intersection, this is 45th St, Redwood St is to the L

216-871 Quince St, I continue approximately  [jogging a little R] through an
alley

44-188-5-875 gated entrance to open space, it is also a signed entrance

I go around the gate and onto a mulched trail

169-874 trail splits, and to my R is the remains of some kind of structure

I take the R branch

146-871! trail peters out, and there are only informal trails steeply down and
around the hill, end of this part, I turn around

back at the split [169-874], I go the other way

162-861

44-133-5-857 side trail L, I turn L

137-846
148-820
155-806

171-774 trail kind of peters out in a meadow [vague trails L and R]

there is apparently street access R, so I go R

44-146-5-766! trail emerges on a cul-de-sac

it is a stub of 46th St just N of Olive

end of this part, I turn around

back at the place where the trail petered out [171-774], I go the other way

188-766

206-770 sort of a T with a graded connection, but unpaved and unsigned,
between two parts of a street

that street is Quince St, and to the E there's canyon access at 46th & Quince
44-219-5-734! end of this part, I turn around

at the T, I check out the W side

44--215 access here from a little stub of Quince St

end of this part, I go back the way I came

44--129--5--862 back at the trail junction, I turn L
[change to 44-133-5-857 to match previous reading]

44-110-5-864 trail junction at bottom of canyon, where there is manhole

I take a bunch of pics, and then follow what appears to be the largest trail
going up the canyon

122-872
126-877
138-896!

the trail becomes too constricted to follow [with my bike], end of this part,
I turn around

back at the manhole [44-110-5-864], I follow what appears to be trail going DS
[the stream is dry, but there is an obvious arroyo]

98-863
84-849
73-840 another manhole
62-836 another manhole

42-811 a clearing with some arranged rocks in it and another manhole,
to the L are houses with fenced backyards

44-11-5-800 T intersection with dirt road under construction and a Swan Canyon
sign to the R, I turn L

43-998-5-775 dirt road emerges on half of a paved road, it is that split road
on the map [46th St], end of this part, I turn around

back at the T [44-11-5-800], I continue on the road, it is very steep uphill

it's so steep and slippery that I cannot carry my bike up, so I lock my bike
to the sign and walk up

[even then, the road is so steep and slippery that I have to walk along the
edge]

43-997-5-840 the road emerges at corner of 45th & Maple

no open space sign here, no vehicle access

I turn L and walk S to try to find an easier way back [to my bike]

962-843 there's a little social trail here

951-841
950-832
943-829 the trail splits, I turn L

939-801 I come to a graded area which might have been a dirt road up the
canyon [from the little stup of 45th St at Home Ave], I turn L

965-802
982-800

back at the place where I left my bike [44-11-5-800!] end of this part,
mileage here 4.88, I'm now going to follow the streets to the place where I
entered the canyon for the first time

[I ride E and then S on 46th, then SW on Home Ave, N on Fairmount Ave and E on
Maple St]

at least informal canyon access on S side of Maple & Highland,
44-0-5-912

I go as far as 981-918! the trail goes farther, but I turn around, end of this
part

44--115--5--919 back at Olive & Highland, and setting out on a different trail
[change to 44-113-5-919 to match previous reading], mileage here 5.94

113-884

110--863 back at that manhole at the bottom of the canyon, I continue roughly
SA [change to 44-110-5-864 to match previous reading]

115-843 yes, this is a mulched trail

107-837
104-831

44-112-5-800! 6.05 miles, other end of trail on other part of Olive, end of
this part

[I ride home by a fairly direct route]

[mileage at home 9.22]