We continued along the river into Pasadena, a well-manicured series of estates adjacent to downtown Los Angeles. Taking to Foothill Boulevard, a long stretch of road, which hugs the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, and roughly imitates the river, we climbed in elevation. In just fifty-three miles, the Los Angeles River drops in elevation more than the Mississippi does on its entire route. Because of this, the river can be vicious, fast, and can crush a truck with its power.

We trudged through a golf course by foot; stationary people were peering at us under the shade of their golf carts, eyeing at us like we didn't belong here on the only escape to the headwaters of the river.

We walked the gentle ridge of the Los Angeles River's first dam, and down into a marshy bed of sand and water; through the bamboo, and out into the shadow of the iron claws of the dam. "Watch out for the pit bull," Alvin said as I made my way into the water. But by this time, a big ugly thing was charging me; splashing through the water with its evil eyes and spiked collar.

Maps and Journals Los Angeles Map

Desert Southwest Anza Borrego The Barren Desert The Channel Islands Windblown zoology off the coast of Los Angeles Colorado Plateau, Navajo Country Mesa to Canyon along the Plateau Death Valley The Saltwater Fish of Death Valley Mojave National Preserve Wandering the Eastern Mojave High Desert Stories from California's High Desert Areas Los Angeles Gray River in the Sun Los Angeles Map Imperial Valley Death and Salvation on the New River Panamint Valley Panamint Valley Roach Motel White Sands and Southern New Mexico Atomic Agriculture on the Rio Grande The Salton Sea Bombay Beach and the Salton Sea Slab City and the New River Death and Salvation on the New River Trona, California Trona and the Unusual Lake Searles Western Mojave Four Seasons of the Mojave Los Angeles Coast Images and captions from the LA coast.