Turboll Canyon Ride?
Thread started by
merrickx at 08.6.09 - 11:49 am
I used to spend a lot of time back in the day driving through Turnboll Canyon with my friends. It's in Whittier. If you've never heard of this place, it's absolutely crazy. I can't really begin to describe.. I'd be typing all night. It's a ways out there but when you get on the far side of the 'canyon' the city lights are amazing. There's thousands of ghost, cult, native indian stories of this place too.
This twisty and extremely dark road (no kidding, when you get to the bottom you can literally see nothing... not your hand in front of your face. It's an awesome place but I see a lot of potential for danger.
If anyone ends up looking this place up and going there. Make sure to roll with a lot of people. A huuuge group wouldn't be advised, though. There supposedly a group there. A cult. My friends have seen some strange candle-lit congregations at night from a distance.
All this bad ju ju is probably turning people off to this place, but it's really an awesome place. I've seen a lot of small groups of people riding there before. Definitely a spooky place, though.
Has anyone else ever been through Turnboll Canyon?
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WHITTIER DAILY NEWS
--------------------------------
A tale of survival
Woman left to die in local canyon; throat cut
Posted: 08/04/2009 11:58:40 AM PDT
WHITTIER - Arlene Boatright woke up to frantic banging about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Photo Gallery
Woman slashed
The 90-year-old opened her back door to a young woman with a black shirt wrapped tightly around her throat, sticks and brambles in her long hair and
Whittier Police Crime Scene Investigator Chris Craft talks with investigators as he photographs evidence down the side of Turnbull Canyon Road from an attempted murder on Tuesday August 4, 2009. A woman was pushed over the side of Turnbull Canyon Road after cutting her neck early Tuesday morning. The woman was able to walk to a nearby residence where she was able to call for help. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Keith Durflinger/SWCity)
an abrasion to her upper shoulder. She wore only a red bra, shorts and one slipper sock.
The stranger said she'd been stabbed and asked Boatright to call police. She mentioned three men as the suspects.
Audio: Victim's first 911 call
Audio: Victim's second 911 call
"She said, `I thought they were my friends," Boatright said.
Whittier police said three El Monte men now in custody allegedly tied up and beat the 20-year-old Bellflower woman who was their passenger. She was later untied and forced out of the car. Police said one of the men then slit her throat and dumped her down the side of Turnbull Canyon Road.
They left her for dead. But she managed to climb up a steep grade and seek help in the 6000 block of Altmark Avenue.
Officer Jason Zuhlke said the woman was able to tell detectives what happened, give names and a partial license plate of a green 1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse to investigators before she was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. She underwent surgery and is in critical condition.
The woman, identified by police as Christine Martinez, 20, of Bellflower, sustained a 4-inch laceration across her neck and numerous abrasions and head contusions.
An officer later checking the area for evidence saw the Mitsubishi pass by and pulled it over. Zuhlke said the car contained a rope, a shovel and their three suspects.
Vincent Mendoza, 21, Edward Meraz, 24, and Jose Ayala, 27, were booked on suspicion of attempted murder and kidnapping.
They were being held at Whittier Jail in lieu of $1 million bail each.
Investigators still don't know the motive behind the attack or if any of the suspects are gang members.
On Tuesday afternoon, police temporarily blocked off part of Turnbull Canyon Road as they searched for additional evidence. They found a backpack.
The incident started Monday night. The woman told police she met friends in Bellflower and got into the Mitsubishi to head to the beach.
They made a stop in El Monte.
"They apparently stopped there to pick up a girlfriend of one of the guys. But that didn't happen," Zuhlke said.
They headed next to Whittier where the woman was attacked and dumped.
Boatright's backyard looks 60 to 80 feet down Turnbull Canyon Road. She thinks the victim climbed up the hill and may have been drawn to the light coming from her kitchen area.
The longtime resident who just recovered from a cracked ankle said she is usually a sound sleeper.
"She was just hammering at the door. I said, `Who's there?' She said, `I need to call police, I just got stabbed,"' Boatright said.
Boatright asked her unexpected visitor where she came from and was told, "from the canyon."
"I think the good Lord was looking out for her," Boatright said.
Another Altmark Avenue resident who declined to give his name was surprised at the news.
"It's a quiet area here. Normally when something happens, the neighbors know," he said.
"I hope she (the victim) does all right."
ruby.gonzales@sgvn.com
man-o-lo!08.6.09 - 11:58 am
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Yeah, I just started reading about this article right after I posted. Amazing she survived her throat being slashed.
Whoever searches looks up TC is going to see only this. Fuck. Lost the prospect of a ride in the canyon.
merrickx responding to a
comment by man-o-lo!
08.6.09 - 12:05 pm
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Looks cool! I'd be up for a ride out there! Make it and they will come. Need help?
User108.6.09 - 12:23 pm
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I can provide candles and incantations.
when is this ride?
Joe Borfo responding to a
comment by User1
08.6.09 - 2:19 pm
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apparently a lot of roadies ride up turnbull for training. never been there at night, though, could be interesting.
tfunk40808.6.09 - 2:26 pm
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Do we have any experts? Or do we improvise?
User1 responding to a
comment by Joe Borfo
08.6.09 - 2:38 pm
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yeah, I ride Turnbull Canyon frequently when I am hangng out with the daytime roadies. I have ony seen one bike ever up there with a spoke card beside my own. The ride is a great workout. Tough at night unless with a crowd as most locals know there is hardly anyone up there at night and proceed to drive very quickly (maybe they are fantasizing about being Michael Schumacher) I also have heard the rumors of cults up there, and that loser,Richard Ramirez, the nightstalker was seen in the Whittier hills and I think killed someone from Whittier. There are great mountain bike trails, and also some weird stuff happens when the local college is going thru pledging and Hell Week up there. Most of the riders are spandex wearing Lance wannabees but occasionally you see national caliber riders up there just dropping us mere mortals within a few hundred yards..Also there are a lot of coyotes and snakes that cross your path at the most inopportune times. We have been resting at the top of the hill at the water tower and have had coyotes come within 10 feet of us.
marleydog08.6.09 - 2:41 pm
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sounds fun... i'm definitely there if you make the ride happen
superblueman308.6.09 - 2:59 pm
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Turnbull Canyon is also a popular mountain biking spot. One trailhead is at the gate to the fireroad at the bottom of the canyon (Whittier side).
sc_nomad08.6.09 - 5:34 pm
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count me in. my roommate has a light sabre I can borrow! you know for the ghosts.
vigilAnthony responding to a
comment by Dropkick_bruce
08.6.09 - 8:35 pm
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I'm down to go, but if I let myself get possessed, I won't be held responsible for any maiming.
bentstrider08.6.09 - 9:05 pm
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A few years ago I used to hike and/ or mountain bike through Turnbull often. I went with the Sierra Club (who had a weekly hike there) the Outdoors Club or alone/with one or two friends. It's a very cool place. The views are fab. We would hike to this water tower at the top and watch the sun go down. Check out this photo album:
http://www.outdoorsclub.org/PastTrip/PastTripDetail.asp?id=4504
There's a few scary things about it. Lots of spooky tales. Lots of rattlesnakes.;)
alicestrong08.6.09 - 9:32 pm
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I'm wrangling up some friends for this one.
The terrain has a lot of hills. Steep and frequent but not long stretches.
Can get lost very easily.
Setting up a date for next month. I'll keep you guys updated!
In the mean time does anyone one have any suggestions for East LA meet and/or end spots?
merrickx08.7.09 - 3:07 am
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Post this up!
I lived in Whittier for many years and ran everyday in the hills. The trails are amazing (mountainerzz anyone?) and the road is a 2.0 mile climb from Whittier to the top.
I can help with a trail route.
If you're staying on the pavement, there are several options once you get to the top, all of which go downhill!
I've run the trails at night. It is isolated and dark, but I never saw anything stranger than wildlife out there.
If you hit the dirt, keep in mind, you are either going uphill steeply or downhill steeply. There is very little easy flat riding. You will get a great workout!!!
Creative Thing08.7.09 - 8:13 am
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Very true, Creative Thing. I've got a route planned.. subject to change. If you guys want to look it up, Street View it on maps.google.com to get a good idea of the roads. Here's the route:
*need to come up with a good meet-up spot.
1. From wherever the meet point is: Take Beverly Blvd into Turnbull Canyon Rd and follow this road until you reach the first 3-way intersection.
2. At this 3-way intersection, turn left onto Skyline Dr.
3. Turn left at the next 3-way intersection which remains named Skyline Dr.
4. Turn right onto Descending Dr. (no kidding with the name)
5. Continue down to 'the bottom' and follow the road along a right bend onto Oak Canyon Dr. It splits to the left but stay right. The left, I believe, is private property. You don't want to go up there and get ninja-fisted.
6. Turn right onto Athel Dr. (hardcore uphill segment)
7. Turn right onto Edgeridge Dr. (still a bit uphill)
8. Continue on Edgeridge until you reach another 3-way intersection. This is Skyline Again. Turn left.
9. Continue on Skyline until the next 3-way intersection. Turn left onto S. Turnbull Canyon Rd.
10. Continue down S. Turnbull until you reach 'the bend'.
11. This is a good temporary stop point. The view from here at night is flupping awesome. Used to love coming to this spot. Nowhere to stop that isn't in the middle of the road, though.
12. Continue on S. Turnbull until the next 3-way intersection. Turn left on Blue Sky Rd. and keep left. Don't accidentally go up the uphill road that branches right.
13. Continue on Blue Sky until you reach Turnbull Canyon Rd again.
14. Turn right and follow Turnbull back out. (fast, fun, swervy way to leave)
*This is just a proposal. The ride isn't set in stone yet
merrickx08.7.09 - 8:53 am
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