Local Land Conservancy Celebrates Purchase of Third Rubio Canyon Parcel

Local historian and Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy docent Michele Zack commented that some people have lived in Altadena for 30 years and never been on the Mt. Lowe Railway Trail that hugs the west side of Rubio Canyon.  Your intrepid reporter confessed that after 21 years as an Altadenan, this was her first trip.

And what a trip it was!  Around every bend was a new vista: splendid panoramas of the basin to Los Angeles and beyond, tiny native flowers struggling to survive amid invading grass and mustard, green hills, green trees, green moss.  And water rushing loudly along the bottom of the canyon to the catch basin below.

The Sunday afternoon trek was part of AFC’s celebration of the purchase of the last of three parcels in Rubio Canyon.  This will enable AFC to connect the Altadena Crest Trail from Lake Avenue to Eaton Canyon, protect wildlife habitat, and prevent future development.  The funding to purchase the parcel is complete and the deal will close in 45 days.

The event also kicked off the new AFC docent program, inspired by Eaton Canyon Nature Center’s docents.

The easy hike up the railway trail was one of two offered.  The second, more strenuous route, headed across the new parcel towards Ribbon Rock Falls.  Heinz Ellersieck graciously lent his property at Camp Huntington for a beer-and-falafel reception afterwards.  Congressman Adam Schiff was in attendance, as were State Senator Carol Liu and a representative from Assemblyman Anthony Portantino’s office.

With expert guides such as Zack and hydrologist John Zoraster, there was a lot of learning going on during the outing.  Rubio Canyon is part of a watershed system, and protecting it is important to the supply of local water.  The Rubio Canyon Water Company, which serves Altadena residdents, uses local water for 60 percent of their supply and get only 40 percent from MWD, which is why the recent 10-day shutdown of the Metropolitan Water District Weymouth water treatment plant did not affect Altadena to the degree it did Pasadena.

The creek in Rubio Canyon is protected as a blueline stream, which means there can be no encroachment on the stream.  Blueline streams are defined as streams that flow all year round (‘though not necessarily,” Zack said) and get their name from the blue line on maps used to designate waterways. 

There is some leeway in the definition, because typically streams can be dry part of the year and still be bluelined.  “The flow is so erratic,” Zack said, and referred to the 1992 mud and debris slides.  “That’s why we need a blue line.”  She paused and listened to the sound of the creek surging down the canyon.  “The line is very blue right now,” she commented.

The hike went as far as the ruins of Rubio Pavilion, which was once a dance pavilion with waterfalls and a grotto behind.  It was a , because a ride to that point was considerably less expensive than going up the incline to the facilities at the top.  Now all that remains are the footings on either side of the canyon that it spanned.

“Rubio Canyon Pavilion was a major, major tourist attraction that helped save Pasadena during a bad depression,” Zack said, referring to the economic crisis of the early 1890s.  The year the railway and attractions opened, there were 65,000 visitors. 

“Altadena didn’t benefit much at all,” she said.  “People stayed in Pasadena.  There wasn’t the infrastructure (for tourists) in Altadena.”

In the end, fires and floods destroyed the pavilion.  As Zack said, “Nature bats last.”

At the post-hike celebration, people instrumental in bringing the land deals together spoke, beginning with Heinz Ellersieck, who hosted the first meeting of what was to become the Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy in his home. 

“I love hikers,” he said, “I’ve told everybody, you’re welcome to my land, just don’t desecrate it.  And watch out for my neighbor, who doesn’t like hikers.”  He also took a playful jab at the conservancy.  “We’re neighbors,” he said, and I want to tell you, whenever there’s rain, the mud comes down from your land!”

John Howell, executive director of AFC, introduced the docent program.  The 10 docents will lead hikes, and each will focus on their particular interests, which include water, wildlife, plants, history, and trail ways.  He also made a pitch for donations of time and money to fund conservancy programs and acquisitions.

When Howell thanked elected officials who he said were active participants in the process, Adam Schiff responded, “It’s a pleasure and a joy to be here today. I’ve been to a lot of events like this, but this is the first one to serve beer.”

Not just any beer, of course.  Craftsman Brewing Company, a local enterprise, offered up a pale ale and amber Poppy ale, and AFC provided finger foods for hungry hikers. 

Nancy Steele, president of AFC, spoke about the private citizens who were instrumental in the preservation of Rubio Canyon.  “In every story like this, there are heroes,” she said, and named  Sameer Etman, the landowner who bought the 18-acre parcel for development and decided instead to sell it to the conservancy in a deal Steele called “incredible” and also thanked the Ellersiecks.

“It’s because of Astrid and Heinz (Ellersieck) that we are here today,” she said.  “This is in memory of Astrid.”