The Haunts of Old Clubfoot

They’re sadly extinct in California now, but about 125 years ago, the high backcountry of Piru Creek was crawling with grizzly bears, none more feared than Old Clubfoot. By all accounts, Old Clubfoot was a demon of a bear. He weighed about a ton. His right paw measured twelve inches across, but his left paw made the impression of a stump after he escaped from a hunter’s trap, leaving two or three claws behind and giving him his infamous nickname. After his mishap with the trap, he was forever in a painful rage, and he took his revenge on humankind by stalking any hunter who ventured into his domain. Many trespassers, for sure, were never heard from again. Some say Old Clubfoot, or his grandson, or his ghost, still haunts these mysterious, seldom-visited highlands. What better time to explore the legend and scenic haunts of Old Clubfoot than in the long slanting sunlight of Indian Summer and the light of a full moon, two weeks before Halloween?

After meeting up to consolidate our carpool bright and early on Saturday morning, we’ll carpool to our trailhead on Sespe Creek, where we’ll spend most of the morning on a fairly grueling, shadeless, brushy uphill hike. Once we arrive on the high eastern shoulder of Pine Mountain, however, our trail will level out and we will be greeted by the early fall colors of willows and rabbitbrush. Our camp sits beside a fork of Piru Creek where a series of depressions called “The Fishbowls” offers welcome cooling-off opportunities on hot days. Sunday, before retracing our steps with a knee-punishing descent, we’ll complete a loop of the lovely Cedar Creek drainage, returning to our cars and optional awesome post-hike pizza in Ojai by 5PM.

This will be a very strenuous backpack, covering twenty-five miles in two days at a purposeful pace over challenging terrain, including over 3,000’ of elevation gain and loss, so this trip is suitable only for experienced backpackers in very good shape. We’ll cheerfully face the possibility of rattlesnakes and bushwhacking.

This trip is strictly dependent upon a favorable weather forecast. A National Weather Service forecast of rain or thunderstorms within 72 hours of our meeting time cancels or re-routes at the sole discretion of the coordinator, as does fewer than four confirmed and paid signups as of 8PM, Monday, October 3. This trip will be by individual commissary, and we’re not planning any shared meals, so please plan to provide your own two-day supply of food.

Signup preference will be given to GayOutdoors “Full Members”. Estimated per-person cost of $21.25 (gas, mileage and parking permit) must be pre-paid and will be refunded only if the coordinator cancels or if a replacement signup is found. This is a consciously low-impact outing, so carpool participation is required.  Signup slots 5-8 are contingent upon the availability of a second driver.