tempting fate at black star canyon

Meet: USC Village @ 8AM, 10/26

Return: 4PM, 10/26

Member: $17 Non member: $23

Participant Driver (1): $8

Participant drivers will also have all gas reimbursed!

Activity: ghost hunting, hiking, bouldering, paranormal activities

Difficulty: 6/10 (Hard) Distance (miles): 6.7 Elevation (ft): 846

Recommended Prior Experience: Some hiking experienced required

Location of Trip: Cleveland National Forest

Native Land: Kumeyaay/Kumiais

Get in the Halloween spirit with this haunted adventure!! This is not your average hike… we are visiting perhaps the most haunted location in all of California. Black Star Canyon has a dark history - ambush and massacre of the Tongva people in 1831, murders throughout the gold rush, KKK and cult meetings, crashed school bus with no survivors, you name it. Past hikers have reported hearing women screaming, howls of otherworldly spirits, rocks thrown out of the darkness, a presence following them, ghostly apparitions of children, unexplainable lights flickering, and even seeing their creepy doppelganger. Lets just say this canyon is properly spooked.

We’ll meet at 8am at the village, then drive about 45 mins to the trailhead. The first few miles of this hike are on a beautiful and easy road, but then it will transition to rock/boulder scrambling, sometimes requiring going on all fours. We’ll make it to the waterfall at the end of the trail and eat lunch while sharing scary stories. Then we’ll head back to the car, dodge evil spirits, drive back, and get you back to campus around 4pm to continue with your Saturday night plans and tell your friends you survived the cursed Black Star Canyon.

Will we make it out alive? Will we see the infamous Black Star Bill? Bring your holy water and guns (not actually, please don’t) and come find out!

You should have prior hiking experience to come on this trip. 

Contact the Guides:

Ryan Long - ryanwlon@usc.edu (937)-703-2273

Nate Boxer - nboxer@usc.edu (650)-448-8862

What to Bring:

• Daypack

• 2L of water (holy water if you have it)

• Breathable Long pants

• Breathable Long sleeve shirt/sun hoodie

• Sunscreen

• Bug spray

• Hiking shoes/boots

• Extra socks

Price of the trip includes (and we will provide):

• Snacks

• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided when a trip occurs during meal-times

• Any technical gear required (ie. kayaks, snowshoes, snorkels, backpacking packs, sleeping bags, fishing rods, etc.)

• All group / shared gear (tents, stoves, bear cans, first aid kit, etc.)

• Any permits or campsite reservations needed

• Cost of gas reimbursed for participant drivers

• Amazing guides who love the outdoors and do this for free!
  

Please Review Our Cancellation and Refund Policy:

All SC Outfitters trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.

TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM

• Difficulty rating for trips

  • 1: No physical activity.

  • 2: Leisurely walk.

  • 3: 2-5 miles less than 1000 ft of total elevation gain on well maintained trails. About 2-3 hours continuous activity

  • 4: 4-6 miles, about 1000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.

  • 5: 6-8 miles, about 1500ft of elevation gain on maintained trials. 4-5 hours continuous activity

  • 6: 8-10 miles, about 2000 ft of elevation gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.

  • 7: 10-14 miles, over 2500 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.

  • 8: At high altitude. 12-16 total miles, over 3000 ft of elevation gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.

  • 9: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude with physical elevation gain. Scrambling over rocks likely involved.

  • 10: u gunna die

**If you have any questions or concerns about the physical activity, recommended prior experience, or gear needed on any kind of trip please contact the guides as soon as possible!!