Entering Malibu Creek State Park from the Backbone Trailhead.The Backbone Trail starts off single-track.After a short distance, the trail merges with a wider track (called Mesa Peak Tractor Way on Google Maps).Entering a canyon.Brents Mountain is visible on the right.View back to where the trail exits onto Mesa Peak Motorway (right of center).Easy walking along Mesa Peak Motorway.From the road, view southeast down Malibu Canyon.The occasional oak grove offers some shade.McAuley Peak comes into view on the top-right.A gigantic boulder along the road. Lauren for scale.View back. Saddle Peak looms in the distance.A fork in the road. Stay right for McAuley Peak.After passing a flat area with a picnic table, we continued north on Mesa Peak Motorway.McAuley Peak comes into view.Leaving the road here. A short use-trail leads to the summit.20-foot summit boulder ahead. East face of the summit boulder.Short Class 2 section on the north side of the summit boulder.McAuley Peak summit. View east.View southwest toward the Pacific Ocean.View northwest. The Backbone Trail continues along Mesa Peak Motorway.
