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I live in Whittier, Los Angeles, but never been to Sycamore Cyn. So from advice of others and forum talk, I was able to convince my wife into a hike. Since she agreed, we piled the dogs (small pug and lab) into the car and drove to canyon.

Once there, we find dogs are not welcome. But this comes as little surprise, since most trails throughout America are like this. Therefore, I park the car and leave the dogs behind in 60 F temperatures and in the shade with my trail-water.

While on the trail I find Treefrogs, Black-bellied Slender Salamanders, and fence Lizards, and my wife bounces around doing her exercising.

Now it gets good.
Forty-minutes later, we return to our car only to find the ranger blocking my truck. She (the ranger) comes over and starts “chewing me out.”

“I’m thinking what is wrong with this chick.” My wife and I consider ourselves law binging people, so the dogs never left the truck.

Those that have been to sycamore cyn know it is a parking lot and surrounded by ranger’s quarters, houses, and oil rigs, far from any actual habitat.

She demands that I’m in the wrong, stating that once I passed a sign that reads “dogs not allowed in sensitive wildlife habitat” that I had broken the law!! What!! Sense when has a parking-lot and my car become sensitive habitat!! Another sign, that I parked directly under read “No Dogs On Trail.”

I only got away without a ticket because my aunt created that park and supplies her with that job!!

“Is this ranger bored or what, I’m thinking.”

I have never heard this new rule “that my car is now sensitive habitat!”

Has this happened to others, and has anyone actually received a ticket for this outrageous act of out-of-control authority?

You should definitely get in touch with that little girl's superiors. Also, you should have politely asked her to give you a ticket, so that the judge in that jurisdiction would know what a moron she is.
Shane
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Shane's Herp Lifelist
http://www.geocities.com/shane77@sbcglobal.net/my_page.html

I think you were talking about Sycamore Canyon in Malibu, right? I was in Solstice Canyon in Malibu a few years ago and was hiking with my girlfriend. We found some treefrogs, California Newts and a couple of slender salamanders. I took some photos, and replaced any habitat that I moved while looking around. I had seen two-striped garter snakes and a zonata in this location in previous years so I had a snake stick with me. Southern Pacific rattlesnakes are around the area too. Anyway, at the end of the hike, about 100 feet from my car I hear "DROP THE WEAPON!" My girlfriend and I scanned the area, thinking some wacko had a gun up there, to see two rangers, a very aggressive woman and a more mellow man. The woman had her right hand on her gun. She again made her exclamation to me that I should drop the "weapon." Long story short, they took my snake stick and gave me a $50 ticket. They were convinced that I was a poacher. I haven't been back since. I filed a formal complaint, but I'm sure nothing came of it. I have found most park rangers in the Los Angeles area to be uninformed about herp culture, except that anyone looking for herps has to be a poacher. I haven't been back out in that area for over 5 years.

So, uh, you entered the park and took your dogs past the sign that said “No dogs permitted” in the park. You parked directly under the sign that said “No dogs” on the trails. Is it possible you maybe copped an attitude with an official who was just doing her job? And you slid out of the situation WITHOUT getting a ticket!

And that “chick” ranger was “OUT OF CONTROL” how?

Hey, sounds like a nice day otherwise. Glad you found some herps and had a nice hike.

>>I live in Whittier, Los Angeles, but never been to Sycamore Cyn. So from advice of others and forum talk, I was able to convince my wife into a hike. Since she agreed, we piled the dogs (small pug and lab) into the car and drove to canyon.
>>
>>Once there, we find dogs are not welcome. But this comes as little surprise, since most trails throughout America are like this. Therefore, I park the car and leave the dogs behind in 60 F temperatures and in the shade with my trail-water.
>>
>>While on the trail I find Treefrogs, Black-bellied Slender Salamanders, and fence Lizards, and my wife bounces around doing her exercising.
>>
>>
>>Now it gets good.
>>Forty-minutes later, we return to our car only to find the ranger blocking my truck. She (the ranger) comes over and starts “chewing me out.”
>>
>>“I’m thinking what is wrong with this chick.” My wife and I consider ourselves law binging people, so the dogs never left the truck.
>>
>>Those that have been to sycamore cyn know it is a parking lot and surrounded by ranger’s quarters, houses, and oil rigs, far from any actual habitat.
>>
>>She demands that I’m in the wrong, stating that once I passed a sign that reads “dogs not allowed in sensitive wildlife habitat” that I had broken the law!! What!! Sense when has a parking-lot and my car become sensitive habitat!! Another sign, that I parked directly under read “No Dogs On Trail.”
>>
>>I only got away without a ticket because my aunt created that park and supplies her with that job!!
>>
>>“Is this ranger bored or what, I’m thinking.”
>>
>>I have never heard this new rule “that my car is now sensitive habitat!”
>>
>>Has this happened to others, and has anyone actually received a ticket for this outrageous act of out-of-control authority?

It’s understandable that one might think I popped an attitude. But, that is not my behavior when confronted by law enforcement. Therefore, I greeted her the way I welcome all law enforcement officers with a smile and “how are you today.” And she replied with the perceived “shut up and listen to me and only me attitude.”

“No Dogs on Trail” or in “Sensitive Habitat” does not constitute my automobile or parking lot. They should consider changing those signs, because if they don’t want dogs in that park entirely, then signs should read “No Dogs Beyond this Point” or “No dogs in Cars.”

A sign that reads “No Dogs on Trail” welcomes dogs as long as they stay off the trail. Essentially all parks in California allow dogs in the parking lots, but they understand a decimated parking lot and my car are not sensitive wildlife habitat.

I grit my teeth while typing this as I do not want to make any bad feels with anyone however, Could this be why we darn near must sign a waver for McDonalds coffee now adays? As unspecific as it may be I think I would have taken my company elsewhere. I know how you feel as I have a dog as well that goes with me everywhere however in my area “N Cali” in the foot hills they are rarely unwelcome so I don’t have a problem with such signs. I am sorry but I do honestly believe jfmoore makes a good point. No offence intended or implied
My Research and Collection

As far as the McDonalds thing... I think it cuts both ways. If we are supposed to observe the spirit and not the letter of the law, then the spirit and not the letter of the law should be enforced. It seems like once it was explained that the purpose of the visit was to help preserve the area, the ranger should be pretty understanding. Just a thought.

Jake

I agree. Sence none of us were there its hard to say how it went down exactly but you are correct. After an explination was given the ranger should have said well thank you for your consern but in the future please keep in mind we do not alow dogs, HOWEVER....................... I have yet to meet a nice polite ranger. In fact the one time I did run into a National Forest Ranger his onyl words were "If I see you with that knife agan I will own it" This being said when a rifle was in my hand and a fairly large pistol on my belt. I promptly opologizes. Returned the knife to my vehicle and have not brought it along agan.
My Research and Collection

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve never been there. But based on the first sentence in your first post, it took me about 20 seconds to Google - “Sycamore Canyon” Whittier dogs – click on the first link that came up and find this:

Directions: Sycamore Canyon can be accessed off of Workman Mill Road one half mile north of Beverly Blvd., near Strong Avenue in Whittier. No dogs are allowed.

Now I’m not saying there isn’t injustice in the world. But just having to listen to a lecture because you violated the “no dogs allowed” rule doesn’t exactly sound like an “outrageous act of out-of-control authority,” as you put it. And come on now, if the parking lot is in the park, well then, NO DOGS ALLOWED.

It’s kind of like if I go to a movie theater that has signs telling me I can’t bring my own food and drinks inside. And they catch me with a grocery bag full of stuff. Do I stamp my feet and protest that they didn’t catch me eating any of it? And the only reason the popcorn vendor has a job is because my Aunt built the theater? LOL.

You know, if you do that same Google search, you can find places to herp and hike in your area where dogs ARE permitted on leash. Of course, you might get some serious attitude from other hikers who don’t appreciate your pets on the trail and might give you even more of an earful than your “chick” ranger did. Such is life.

>>It’s understandable that one might think I popped an attitude. But, that is not my behavior when confronted by law enforcement. Therefore, I greeted her the way I welcome all law enforcement officers with a smile and “how are you today.” And she replied with the perceived “shut up and listen to me and only me attitude.”
>>
>>“No Dogs on Trail” or in “Sensitive Habitat” does not constitute my automobile or parking lot. They should consider changing those signs, because if they don’t want dogs in that park entirely, then signs should read “No Dogs Beyond this Point” or “No dogs in Cars.”
>>
>>A sign that reads “No Dogs on Trail” welcomes dogs as long as they stay off the trail. Essentially all parks in California allow dogs in the parking lots, but they understand a decimated parking lot and my car are not sensitive wildlife habitat.
>>

Joan,
Informing ranger are good, angrily degrading rangers are bad rangers. While visiting Yosemite Nat’l Park and hundreds of other parks dogs are not welcome, but that does not mean inside my vehicle so they are allowed inside parks. As long as they stay off the trail as the sign I parked under specified: “No Dogs On trail.” If I had known beforehand that dogs are not allowed at all, I would not have brought my dogs with me (no internet search was performed). Due to the fact that I was conducting sensitive wildlife research about Sycamore Canyon, I was unable go elsewhere.

You didnt get a ticket because she did not witness you in the act of walking your dogs, she "assumed" that you did, or were going to. I would most certainly register your concerns with her supervisor, that was simply harassment for leaving your dogs in the truck.
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Cheers
Lateralis
"I would rather be precisely wrong than approximately right"
Marion "Doc" Ford