Friday, April 17, 2009

Explore Hahamongna

If you've wondered why Boz and I love Hahamongna Watershed Park so much, now's your chance to find out. As part of Arroyo Seco Discovery Days sponsored by the City of Pasadena, you can Explore Hahamongna Watershed Park tomorrow morning with the experts. (Scroll to page 2 of the .pdf for info on the event, and to page 3 for directions.)

I'm not sure I should tell you about it. Boz and I were there yesterday for an hour and we saw no one except a single city employee. (Well, I assume he was single.) That kind of solitude in the middle of town is heaven. If I tell you about it you might go there, and our solitude might be interrupted.

But if you don't know about Hahamongna, you might not care to preserve it. So I encourage you to go tomorrow, April 18th, from 8am to noon, and find out from the experts what a treasure it is.

25 comments:

Cafe Pasadena said...

Thanks 4 de reminder, P. If I can wake up I'll try to be there. Is it gonna take all 4 hours?

I tend to believe HaHamonga is your favorite blog topic.

Maria said...

great pix - it looks like a portal to something fun. enjoy, it is gonna be a beautiful day.

Laurie Allee said...

Yet another spot I need to explore!

Irredento Urbanita said...

A place to get lost for a while. Fresh air can be felt from here.

Regards

Valery

Barcelona Daily Photo
Trujillo Daily Photo

Shell Sherree said...

What a beautiful archway through the trees. I imagine I'd see many more sights than I do if I got me a dawg.

Shell Sherree said...

I hear Portugese Water Dawgs are good.

Petrea Burchard said...

I do get over there a lot, Cafe. I don't get the idea that it's going to take all four hours, rather the event will last four hours and you can participate as much as you want.

It is, Maria. Warming up to hot by Monday!

The kind of place to let your senses enjoy, Laurie.

Hi Valery! That's exactly it! A place to get lost for a while.

Shell, Boz is one of the reasons I blog about Hahamongna so much. I imagine he wouldn't mind a little variety, though, as long as it smells good.

Anonymous said...

I like this area exactly the way it is. I don't want soccer fields, or a lake, or any improvements of any kind. Just leave it wild and quiet. (That's my bridle path.)

Bellis said...

It's my favorite wild place too. I was there for 2 hours yesterday and only saw a handful of people on the frisbee golf side. Once the city starts "improving" it, I will have to find somewhere else to go to relax, such as the Hansen Dam area. I dread the day they start removing all those willow trees from the area behind the dam - long may the funds not be available.

Mazintosh said...

Ohhh wonderful, this is near of Pasadena?? I go to Pasadena 15 days in June, I hope to see many places in the area :)

Jean Spitzer said...

This photo is dreamy. I have to check this out, but probably not on a tour at 8 in the morning!

Dina said...

It looks enchanted.

Katie said...

What a lovely photo! Looks like the kind of place to spot a Hobbit. It's a little far to make the event tomorrow, but I'll try to find a similarly dreamy spot here in the Bay Area to enjoy.

marley said...

I love the tunnel vision!

USelaine said...

I love, love, love the light and framing in this!

Margaret said...

Isn't that Frodo in the corner?

Amy said...

Gorgeous photo, I'll have to check out that area sometime!

One of LA's saving graces for me is that there are so many places to escape into the green from all the millions of folks.

mg said...

You hope that there are escapes, Ms. R. -- Always dwindling amid an apathetic constituency.

Ms M said...

Looks like such a lovely, peaceful place! Wonderful photo!

Petrea Burchard said...

I don't want it paved or organized with tennis courts. This is trails, wilderness, open space. On a quiet day you'll see lots of lizards, rabbits and squirrels. If you're lucky you'll see a bobcat. I've also seen lots and lots of coyotes there, late in the day.

HearkenCreative said...

Petrea, thanks for mentioning this tour; I have missed the previous ones (that led curious people through the lower- and middle-Arroyo sections). I took my 6-year-old daughter on the 8 a.m. nature walk, and we learned how many different kinds of sage grow in Hahamonga, tasted wild mustard, kept away from the poison oak, and even saw a rattler! My girl was overjoyed.

Thanks also go to Elise (sp?) from the City of Pasadena for giving us a great narrated tour of the park, Devil's Gate Dam, and the surrounding natural area. I'm hopeful that the city does the right thing, and keeps it mostly wild like it is right now.

(For those of you longtime Pasadena residents, Hahamonga Watershed Park used to be called Oak Grove Park, and the entrance is right across the street from La CaƱada High School. I used to play frisbee golf there 20 years ago when I was in College.)

Petrea Burchard said...

Loren, I'm so glad you went and reported back!

We have advocates who work in the park and want to keep it wild. We will, if they have anything to say about it.

Anonymous said...

HELLO,I REALLY LOVE THIS PARK,ME AND MY DOG, LEO ,WE GO ALMOST EVERY DAY...I LIVE CLOSE TO THERE ...SO IS A VERY GOOD EXERCISE SOME TIMES I TOOK PICTURES ...AND IS BEAUTIFUUUULLLL AND PEACEFUL..

Petrea Burchard said...

Hi Anonymous,
Thanks for your comment. We must keep our ears and eyes open about Hahamongna to protect it. I'm glad to know there are others out there who love it.

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU FOR ANSWER MY COMMENT.. I ONLY WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT SOME PEOPLE....PLEASE DON'T LEAVE YOUR TRASHHHHH!!!!IN THE PARK AND DON'T CONTAMINATE THE STREAMS WITH PLASTIC BOTTLES I REALLY WANT TO SAY THIS TAKE CARE OF THAT BEAUTIFUUUUL PLACE PLEASE!!!!!