Sage Canyon, Santa Catalina Island

Sage Canyon, Santa Catalina Island

SAGE CANYON: “A deep canyon whose watershed includes the slopes between Snake and Silver canyons. It is reached by turning to the right at the terminus of the Equestrian Trail on the summit of the Pacific Ridge, and may be entered from a saddle between two higher points of the ridge (this saddle being the lowest section of the divide between the ocean and the channel). Sage Canyon has three deeply cut left hand branches reaching far up toward the watershed of Silver Canyon on the west; and three right hand, shorter and deeper branches reaching the summit ridge, which divides this from Snake Canyon A living spring flows from a point below the junction of the main branch with the third, and the highest left hand branches and is the source of the pools lying throughout the entire year in the canyon bed. The floor is quite narrow, rocky, and of little interest. The slopes are covered with sage and cactus except those of the right hand branches — these face the north and are densely wooded with Oak, Holly, and Catalina Cherry, all low and spreading. Sour Oak, Catalina Perfume and other shrubs. A visit to this canyon is not recommended, as it is so densely covered with sage, in areas, that even a fair-size animal cannot get through. The only way to get down it is to walk on top of the sage brush — a stray dog that attached himself to us could neither go over nor under the brush and was forced to remain behind. The mouth of the canyon opens precipitously to the Pacific, a hundred and fifty feet above the beach, rendering it impossible to descend to the shore.” [Millspaugh & Nuttall Flora of Santa Catalina Island (1923)].